Health & Safety - Italo Treno

SAFETY GOVERNANCE

Safety is Italo’s top priority, and we are committed to putting the safety of people - both passengers and staff - first.
The continuous improvement of rail traffic safety performance is achieved through the adoption of a Safety Management System (SMS), set up in compliance with the requirements of Directive (EU) 798/2016 and Legislative Decree 50/2019, and in accordance with the requirements laid down by Regulation (EU) 762/2018, taking into account all applicable national and international requirements, organized in accordance with the PDCA scheme: Plan - Do - Check - Act. Implementation and updating of the Safety Management System, enabling the Company to retain its Safety Certificate, a document necessary to be able to operate trains, is the responsibility of the Safety Management System Manager (Health and Safety Director), who has a specific qualification granted by the National Agency for Railway, Road Infrastructure and Motorway Safety (ANSFISA). The Agency also constantly supervises the Company’s activities via specific checks and inspections, including onboard trains.
On the rail traffic safety front, Italo also took part as a partner in the survey conducted by the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA), which measured the perception of safety among railway operators, and shared the results of the survey and the actions introduced on the basis of its findings at European level.

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY

Italo has voluntarily adopted an integrated Occupational Health and Safety and Environmental Protection Management System, which complies with the voluntary international UNI ISO 14001 and UNI ISO 45001 standards, in order to:

protect the health and safety of our staff and, in general, of all people who have dealings with the Company, such as customers, suppliers, contractors, etc.;
minimize the environmental impacts related to our activities;
promote good practice, including with regard to third parties, who may be influenced by Company processes.

In 2023, despite an increase in the number of hours worked, the number of work-related injuries fell, from 37 in 2022 to 34, none of which were serious, and no work-related fatalities were registered. Italo is striving to reduce work-related injuries, via specific communication and information campaigns aimed at raising staff awareness of the risks they’re exposed to when carrying out their work activities.

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY TRAINING

Italo provides its staff with timely and periodic training in occupational health and safety, in order to ensure that they have the requisite knowledge, skills and experience regarding occupational health and safety to properly carry out their operational activities and adequate knowledge of the criteria and application methods, with regard to their own responsibilities, of the Occupational Health and Safety and Environmental Management System.
Moreover, in order to prevent or mitigate serious negative occupational health and safety impacts directly related to our services and operations, and in compliance with current regulatory provisions, Italo has carried out a risk assessment to gauge the levels of risk associated with exposure to hazardous occupational health and safety factors.

ON-BOARD SAFETY

Italo operates in order to ensure the safety of its customers through constant supervision and management of technology, human resources and organization.
Italo was the first company in the world to install HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filters on trains. Before introducing these special filters, the Company collaborated with experts in the rail and health sectors, such as the Polytechnic University of Milan and the IRCSS Ospedale San Raffaele research hospital. The HEPA filters are the most innovative solution for improving air circulation on board trains, including substantial benefits such as a reduction in particulate matter and aerosols.
Italo is now recognized as best-in-class for safety conditions on trains, thanks to HEPA filters that ensure continuous and complete air circulation throughout the carriages. The filtered air mixes with air drawn in from outside, resulting in a fully regenerated flow every three minutes.
Italo was also the first railway operator in Italy, and among the first in Europe, to be equipped with semi-automatic external defibrillators (AED) since 2016. Today, all the trains in the fleet are currently equipped with two defibrillators, and these innovative devices are also located in ticket offices, lounges and in general in all of Italo’s workplaces. Over the years, they’ve saved the lives of five passengers on board trains and in stations, with the support and timely intervention of Italo staff.