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The safety of the public, rail customers, and workers is critical in the operation of any rail system and requirements to manage risk are set out in Rail Safety National Law. An unseen risk in an electric-powered railway is from electric shock and this is of particular concern where passengers and workers interface with trains such as at station platforms for passengers and the public, and workshops and stabling facilities for workers. DC railways are a particular challenge where it is a common practice that the negative rail and return circuit is not the deliberately connected to the general mass of earth. This is done to minimise the effects of stray current electrolytic corrosion.
Railways have therefore adopted a suite of earthing & bonding and general design practices to mitigate the hazard and risk that may arise in operating the electrified railway. European Standard EN 50122 sets out a suite of principles to manage touch hazards and these principles have generally been adopted in the Australian DC rail and tram systems whether explicitly referenced in the relevant operator standards or not.
This presentation explores the various general solutions that have been adopted in Victoria to mitigate electric shock risk at stations and in workshops from the 1500 VDC traction power system and other proximate sources of electrical energy. The compromises and unintended impacts are discussed and some potential alternative solutions are briefly explored.