Rail Safety Act 2006
Act No. 9/2006
table of provisions
Section Page
Section Page
Part 1—Preliminary 1
1. Purpose 1
2. Commencement 1
3. Definitions and interpretation 2
4. Declaration of substances to be a drug 13
5. Meaning of "control" 14
6. Railways to which this Act does not apply 14
7. Rail safety work 15
8. Approval of person to take blood samples for the purposes of Part6 17
9. Declaration of an alcohol and drug control law of another State orTerritory to be corresponding law 17
10. References to contraventions of Acts to be read as including references to contraventions of regulations 17
11. Objects and principles of rail safety 18
12. Crown to be bound 18
Part 2—Principles of Rail Safety 19
13. Principle of shared responsibility 19
14. Principle of accountability for managing safety risks 19
15. Principle of integrated risk management 19
16. Principle of enforcement 20
17. Principle of transparency and consistency 20
18. Principle of participation, consultation and involvement of all affected persons 20
Part 3—Rail Safety Duties and Other Safety Requirements 21
Division 1—The Concept of Ensuring Safety 21
19. The concept of ensuring safety 21
Division 2—Safety Duties of Rail Infrastructure Managers and Rolling Stock Operators 22
20. Duty of rail infrastructure managers to ensure safety of rail infrastructure operations 22
21. Duty of rolling stock operators to ensure safety of rolling stock operations 23
Division 3—Safety Duties of Other Persons 24
22. Rail contractor duties 24
23. Duties of rail safety workers 27
Division 4—Safety Management Systems 28
24. What is a safety management system? 28
25. Form and contents of safety management systems 29
26. Rail operator must consult before establishing safety management system 29
27. Rail operator to have in place a safety management system 30
28. Rail operator must comply with a safety management system 30
Division 5—Safety Audits and Audits of Medical Records of Rail Safety Workers 31
29. Safety audits 31
30. Audit of medical records of rail safety workers 31
Division 6—Other Matters 32
31. Single charge for multiple contraventions of certain duties 32
32. Civil liability not affected by Division 2 or 3 33
Part 4—Protection and Control of Rail Operations 34
33. Safety Director may require utility works or rail operations to stop 34
34. Safety Director may direct utility works or rail operations to be altered, demolished or taken away 35
Part 5—Accreditation of Rail Infrastructure andRolling Stock Operations 37
Division 1—Preliminary Matters 37
35. Purpose of accreditation 37
Division 2—Accreditation 37
36. Offence for certain rail infrastructure managers not to be accredited 37
37. Rolling stock operators must not operate rolling stock unless accredited 38
38. Application for accreditation 38
39. Criteria on which accreditation applications by rail infrastructuremanagers are to be assessed 40
40. Criteria on which accreditation applications by rolling stock operators are to be assessed 41
41. Accreditation following direction 42
42. Safety Director may give directions in relation to rolling stock operator applicants 42
43. Safety Director may direct applicants to co-ordinate and cooperatein their accreditation applications 44
44. Time within which Safety Director must make decision whetherto accredit 45
45. Notification and reasons to be given if accreditation refused 46
46. Restrictions and conditions concerning accreditation 46
47. How long accreditation lasts 48
48. Offence to fail to comply with conditions etc. 48
Division 3—Risk Management Requirements for Accreditation 49
49. Application of Division 49
50. Identification of incidents and hazards, and risk assessment 49
51. Measures to control likelihood, magnitude and severity of consequences of incidents 51
52. Emergency planning 51
Division 4—Variation and Surrender of Accreditation 52
53. Accredited rail operator may apply for variation or revocation ofconditions and restrictions 52
54. Application for variation of accreditation is required in certain cases 54
55. Safety Director may vary, revoke or impose new conditions or restrictions of an accreditation on own initiative 56
56. Surrender of accreditation 57
57. False or misleading information 58
Division 5—Disciplinary Action 59
58. Power of immediate suspension 59
59. Disciplinary action against an accredited rail operator 60
60. Procedure and powers concerning disciplinary inquiries 62
61. Effect of suspension 62
Division 6—Miscellaneous 63
62. Accreditation cannot be transferred 63
63. Accreditation exemptions for private siding rail operations 63
64. Revocation of accreditation exemptions for private siding rail operations 66
65. Accredited rail operators must demonstrate ongoing compliancewith risk management requirements 67
66. Exemption from ongoing compliance with risk management requirements 67
67. Accredited rail operator must investigate railway accidents and incidents 70
68. Accredited rail operator must put into effect emergency plan without delay 70
69. Accredited rail operator must notify emergency services and others of a major incident 70
Part 6—Alcohol and Other Drug Controls for Rail Safety Workers 72
Division 1—Preliminary Matters 72
70. Definitions 72
71. Presumptions in relation to presence of concentrations of alcoholand other drugs 72
72. When a rail safety worker is not to be taken to be impaired 73
73. When a rail safety worker is to be regarded as being about to carry out rail safety work 74
74. Findings of guilt and convictions and subsequent offences 74
75. Entry into residential premises not allowed without a warrant 74
Division 2—Offences, Testing and Analysis 75
76. Offences involving alcohol 75
77. Preliminary breath tests 80
78. Breath analysis 82
79. Drug assessment 87
80. Blood and urine samples 91
81. Destruction of identifying information 93
82. Blood samples to be taken in certain cases 96
Division 3—Evidentiary Provisions 98
83. Evidentiary provisions—blood tests 98
84. Evidentiary provisions—urine tests 104
85. Evidentiary provisions—breath tests 109
Division 4—Other Matters 113
86. Approvals 113
Part 7—Review of Decisions 114
87. Reviewable decisions 114
88. Internal review 118
89. Review by the Tribunal 120
90. Special right of review concerning interstate applicants 121
Part 8—Codes of Practice 123
91. Codes of practice 123
92. Revisions to approved codes of practice 123
93. Revocation of approvals of codes of practice 124
94. Availability of approved codes of practice 124
95. Minister must consult before approving code of practice or revision to code of practice 124
96. Effect of approved code of practice 125
Part 9—General 126
Division 1—Offences by Bodies Corporate 126
97. Imputing conduct to bodies corporate 126
98. Liability of officers of bodies corporate 126
Division 2—Offences by Partnerships and Unincorporated Bodies orAssociations 128
99. Liability of officers of partnerships and unincorporated bodies orassociations 128
Division 3—Proceedings against the Crown 129
100. Responsible agency for the Crown 129
Division 4—Other Matters 130
101. Interaction with the Occupational Health and Safety
Act 2004 130
102. Effect of compliance with regulations or approved codes of practice 131
103. Fees for service 132
104. Tabling and disallowance of certain Orders, notices and approvedcodes of practice 132
Division 5—Regulations 133
105. Accreditation 133
106. Safety duties and risk management requirements and minimisation 133
107. Safety management systems 134
108. Rail safety work 134
109. Alcohol and other drug controls 135
110. General regulation making powers 137
Part 10—Amendment of Transport Act 1983 140
111. Definitions 140
112. New Subdivision 1 heading inserted into Division 1 of PartII 142
113. Objects and functions of the Department 143
114. New Subdivision 2 heading inserted into Division 1 of PartII 143
115. Functions and powers of Director 143
116. New sections 9AA to 9AC inserted 143
9AA. Contingency planning for exercise of certain powers 143
9AB. Director to conduct cost-benefit analysis of relevant railsafety projects 144
9AC. Guidelines for cost-benefit analysis and consultation 145
117. New Subdivision 3 of Division 1 of Part II inserted 145
Subdivision 3—Director, Public Transport Safety 145
9K. Director, Public Transport Safety 145
9L. Appointment and terms and conditions 146
9M. When the Safety Director ceases to hold office 146
9N. Resignation 147
9O. Suspension and removal from office for
misconduct etc. 147
9P. Acting appointment 149
9Q. Validity of acts and decisions 150
9R. Safety Director not subject to Ministerial direction or control 150
9S. Immunity 150
9T. Functions of Safety Director 151
9U. Powers of Safety Director 153
9V. Safety Director to have regard to certain objectives 155
9W. Ministerial direction to investigate public transport safety matters 155
9X. Staff 156
9Y. Delegation 156
9Z. Information disclosure by Safety Director 157
9ZA. Safety Director to conduct cost-benefit analysis of
and consult about mandatory rail safety decisions 157
9ZB. Guidelines 158
9ZC. Memoranda of understanding 159
9ZD. Power to give advice on compliance 160
118. New Subdivision 4 heading inserted into Division 1 of PartII 160
119. Repeal 160
120. Amendment of heading to Part VII 161
121. Definition 161
122. New Division 4AAA of Part VII inserted 161
Division 4AAA—Transport Safety Offences 161
Subdivision 1—Interpretation 161
221U. Definitions 161
221V. Exclusion of mistake of fact defence 166
221W. Statement that mistake of fact defence does not
apply not to affect other offences 166
Subdivision 2—Offences 167
221X. Overdimensional vehicles crossing tracks 167
221Y. Operators of overdimensional vehicles crossing
tracks without permission also guilty of offence 170
221Z. Reasonable steps defence—reliance on container weight declaration 171
221ZA. Specification of vehicle limits and fees for overdimensional vehicles crossing tracks 172
221ZB. Animals on railway tracks 172
221ZC. Placing things on tracks 173
221ZD. Mounting a place not intended for traveletc. 173
221ZE. Travelling in a place not intended for travel etc. 174
221ZF. Applying brake or emergency device 175
221ZG. Stopping a rail vehicle or road vehicle 175
221ZH. Operating equipment 175
221ZI. Permitting drainage 176
123. Repeal of certain offences 176
124. New section 223 substituted 176
223. Offence to trespass on land or premises of Roads Corporation or Rail Track 176
125. New Division 4B of Part VII inserted 177
Division 4B—Enforcement of Relevant Transport Safety Laws 177
Subdivision 1—Interpretation 177
228S. Definitions 177
228SA. Crown to be bound 180
Subdivision 2—Transport Safety Officers 180
228T. Appointment 180
228U. Identity cards 181
228V. Return of identity cards 181
228W. Production of identity card 181
228X. Transport safety officers subject to Safety Director's direction 182
228Y. Investigation by Ombudsman of actions etc. of transport safety officers 183
Subdivision 3—Powers of Entry 183
228Z. Power of entry 183
228ZA. Procedure for entry with consent 184
Subdivision 4—Inspection, Inquiry, Search and Seizure Powers 185
228ZB. General inspection, inquiry and search powers 185
228ZC. Securing a site 187
228ZD. Offence to enter secured site 187
228ZE. Seizure power 188
228ZF. Use of equipment to examine or process things 188
Subdivision 5—Search Warrants 189
228ZG. Search warrant 189
228ZH. Seizure of things not mentioned in the warrant 191
228ZI. Announcement before entry 191
228ZJ. Copy of warrant to be given to occupier 192
Subdivision 6—Directions 192
228ZK. Power to require production of documents and
related items 192
228ZL. Direction to provide reasonable assistance 193
228ZM. Direction to provide certain information 194
228ZN. Direction to state name and address 195
228ZO. Directions for the protection of evidence 196
Subdivision 7—Seized Things and Samples Taken 197
228ZP. Securing seized things 197
228ZQ. Offence to tamper with seized thing 197
228ZR. Powers to support seizure 198
228ZS. Transport safety officer may direct a thing's return 199
228ZT. Receipt for seized things 200
228ZU. Copies of certain seized things to be given 200
228ZV. Return of seized things 201
228ZW. Magistrates' Court may extend period 202
228ZX. Magistrates' Court may order forfeiture of thing in certain cases 202
Subdivision 8—Miscellaneous Provisions Relating to Enforcement Powers 203
228ZY. Manner in which transport safety officers may give directions under this Division 203
228ZZ. Use of force 204
228ZZA. Use or seizure of electronic equipment 204
228ZZB. Compensation for damage caused during exercise
of powers under this Division 206
Subdivision 9—Improvement Notices 207
228ZZC. Improvement notices 207
228ZZD. Improvement notices—closures of level crossings, bridges or other structures 209
228ZZE. Contravention of improvement notice 210
228ZZF. Amendment of improvement notices 210
228ZZG. Cancellation of improvement notices 211
228ZZH. Clearance certificates for improvement notices 211
228ZZI. Proceedings for offences not affected by
improvement notices 212
Subdivision 10—Prohibition Notices 212
228ZZJ. Prohibition notice 212
228ZZK. Contravention of prohibition notice 215
228ZZL. Amendment of prohibition notice 215
228ZZM. Withdrawal of prohibition notices 216
228ZZN. Certificates that matters that give rise to immediate risks to safety remedied 216
228ZZO. Proceedings for offences not affected by prohibition notices 217
Subdivision 11—Other Matters 217
228ZZP. Self-incrimination not an excuse 217
Subdivision 12—Review of Decisions Relating to Improvement and Prohibition Notices 218
228ZZQ. Reviewable decisions 218
228ZZR. Internal review 220
228ZZS. Review by the Tribunal 221
126. New section 229A and 229B inserted 222
229A. Who may only bring proceedings for offences against relevant transport safety laws 222
229B. Limitation period for prosecutions for indictable offences against relevant transport safety laws 223
127. New section 230A and Divisions 6 and 7 of Part VII inserted 223
230A. Evidentiary certificates—relevant transport safety
laws 223
Division 6—Sentencing Orders in relation to Relevant Transport Safety Laws 226
230B. Commercial benefits penalty order 226
230C. Supervisory intervention order 228
230D. Contravention of supervisory intervention order 232
230E. Release on the giving of a safety undertaking 232
230F. Variation or breach of orders under section 230E 234
Division 7—Other Matters 235
Subdivision 1—Interpretation 235
230G. Definitions 235
Subdivision 2—Liability 236
230H. Civil liability not affected by a relevant rail safety
duty law 236
230I. Interaction with the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 236
230J. Offences by bodies corporate, officers of bodies corporate, partnerships etc. 237