Railway Group Standard

The Railway Group Standards (RGS) is a document produced pursuant to the Railway Group Standards Code (the Code) (or equivalent predecessor documents, including previous versions of the Code) defining mandatory requirements in respect of the mainline railway.

RGSs must be complied with by those infrastructure managers who hold a safety authorisation issued in respect of the GB mainline railway and those railway undertakings who hold a Part B safety certificate issued in respect of the GB mainline railway. In exceptional circumstances the Office of Rail Regulation may impose RGSs on other railway undertakings, in which case it will be set out in their safety certificate.

The purpose of RGSs is to facilitate the management and operation of the shared system that is the mainline railway. This purpose is achieved by defining requirements for assets or processes which involve co-operation between two or more duty holders and assigning responsibility for compliance with these requirements.

RGSs are published on http://www.rgsonline.co.uk.

Railway Group Standard Support Document - Medication Responsibilities

GN70 It is important that the drugs and alcohol policy provides for the declaration of medication by staff but also that they understand that any declaration must be as early as possible after the medication has been prescribed and in any event before a test is carried out.

GN71 Individual staff should be reminded of the need to question the prescribing physician about possible side-effects of medication on their particular work.

GN72 Railway undertakings and infrastructure managers should enable and encourage staff carrying out safety critical work to report the use of prescribed and over-the-counter medicines to their supervisor or line manager.

GN73 Railway undertakings and infrastructure managers should provide managers and supervisors with access to advice from a competent medical authority on the likely effects of the medication on a person’s capability for safety critical tasks. This could be the contact details for the railway undertaking’s or infrastructure manager’s occupational health service provider.

GN74 Railway undertakings and infrastructure managers should not allow a person to carry out safety critical tasks if the medical authority advises that such a course of action is necessary.

GN75 In these cases railway undertakings and infrastructure managers may:
     a) Suggest that the person considers the use of alternative medication that will not affect performance. In case of prescribed medication the person should consult the prescriber before making changes. It may be helpful for the prescriber to be able to discuss work requirements directly with the employer’s health service provider, or
     b) Instigate special measures to permit the person to carry out their normal duties.