Bakerloo line: Tube safety processes blamed after man’s death at Waterloo station

RAIB

A passenger died falling down the gap at Waterloo’s northbound Bakerloo platform because of safety flaws in London Underground’s risk assessment system, a watchdog has said.

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch said 59-year-old Jama Mohamed Warsame, who was travelling back to his home in east London, had plunged into a “large gap” between the train and the curving platform as he got off a train and become stuck with only his head and arm above platform level.

He was unable to free himself and was crushed after the train driver, who was using closed circuit TV to check for safety before departing, failed to spot him because so little was visible.

He was left motionless on the track and was then hit by the following train after its driver was focused on the platform and his stopping point.

In a report on the tragedy, which occurred at 10.10am on 26 May last year, the watchdog blamed the man’s death on the failure of London Underground’s safety processes to assess all the dangers at higher risk stations.

This included having “not fully quantified the contribution of curved platforms to the overall risk” which meant it had also failed to “fully assess the potential benefits” of taking additional precautions at such danger spots.

The watchdog added that the safety assessment also “makes no allowance for non-fatal injuries, and so understates the risk of harm to passengers .. and presents an incomplete picture of system risk” in a further rebuke to the Tube management.

Three recommendations for improvements are made in response, including more effective methods for recognising and assessing “location-specific risks so they can be properly managed” and ensuring “the ongoing evaluation of existing safety measures at stations.”

The watchdog also calls for changes “actions proposed by internal investigation recommendations” are properly implemented.

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