New guidance to aid vulnerable customers

Ensuring the safety of vulnerable people on tramways and similar transit systems is the subject of the latest guidance published by the Light Rail Safety and Standards Board.

Providing colleagues with invaluable advice on how to handle situations where a customer may need additional help, the document is available to download here from the LRSSB’s expanding online reference library.

Steve Duckering, Operations Manager at the LRSSB, said: “While the vast majority of passengers are able to travel without needing specialist help or support, there are occasions when staff encounter incidents such as a medical emergency, or a member of the public finding themselves in distress due to drink or drugs.

“This new guidance sets out processes to ensure that their needs are addressed promptly, and that appropriate steps are taken to safeguard them until assistance arrives from other support agencies such as the police or ambulance service.”

Subjects covered include reviewing and improving policy and procedures, staff training, identifying and communicating with vulnerable persons, strategies for helping, supporting and safeguarding, suicide prevention, and collaborating both with other agencies and with other light rail operators.

The document also gives a definition of what is meant by a vulnerable person, which could relate to factors such as illness, physical, mental, emotional or cognitive ability, cultural and religious background, or age and gender.

Steve added: “The guidance has been developed for the Light Rail industry in the UK, although many of the operational management principles could be usefully applied elsewhere. It will also help to spread the word about standardising best practice across the sector.”