On June 12th and 13th, SEMAF, in collaboration with the National Safety Authority of Spain (AESF) and the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA), organized the II Event on Safety Culture and Just Culture.

The opening of the event was made by the Head of the Executive Office and Communication Unit of the ERA, Mr. Christopher Carr.
The President of the ALE and Secretary General of SEMAF, Juan Jesús García Fraile, claimed in his speech a transposition of the European Directives in their entirety and the search for a Safety Culture and a Just Culture necessary in the sector, together with the measures, the autonomy and the endowment of the necessary resources in the fundamental actors for their development.
At the same time, participation took place, within the institutional panel, of the President of the Spanish Infrastructure Administrator (Adif), the President of the Renfe Group and the European Commission, represented by the General Directorate of Transport and Mobility (DG MOVE), highlighting the commitment to a safer railways in Europe.

Representatives of the European Railway Agency, together with members of the National Safety Authority, the public operator Renfe and the Infrastructure Administrator, made the presentation of their new projects in the field of Safety.

Experts from different sectors also participated; professionals from the field of air traffic control management (ENAIRE), commercial aviation (COPAC), nuclear (Nuclear Safety Council), petrochemical (Repsol) and judicial (Provincial Court of Huelva), thus achieving a transfer of knowledge inter-sectorial.

The event also counted with the presence of the colleague of the Greek Union PEPE, Kostas Genidounias, who due to the dense trade union activity that is currently developing in his country, showed the implication and commitment of the driving staff to which we still have many years of work ahead.

The corporate management of Railway Operators, both public and private, as well as with different companies dedicated to safety consulting and other professionals of the sector, both nationally and internationally were also participants.

The development of the event can be considered as a success. On the first day a more theoretical treatment and exposure was made and on the second day we enjoyed a more practical approach, with workshops and round tables.

This conference highlights the intention of SEMAF and ALE to lead the claim in the European railway sector of a Just Culture that, through its implementation and evolution, translates into less accident and greater welfare for workers and for users.

In addition, due to the recent liberalization of rail passenger transport by the transposition of the 4th Railway Package, we did not want to miss the opportunity to show that, in Europe, the train drivers united and represented by ALE should be the ones who, from each forum, each working group and each meeting, emphasize that Safety is a subject that we can not leave for tomorrow and that we will all work together to focus our activity and our demand for a safer railways.

From our Organization we will continue working on a positive Safety Culture and the development of a Just Culture, promoting it through actions or taking the necessary measures at every moment and we will continue holding events where all professionals have the opportunity to participate and join a path wich objective is to achieve an even stronger railway safety.