Safety conference • awards dinner • industry recognition
Rail Safety Awards
The Rail Safety Awards recognise and celebrate individual and organisational achievements that improve rail safety outcomes across Australia and New Zealand. This page also preserves the RISSB awards history as ARISO transitions the program into the future.
ARISO will continue the Rail Safety Awards as part of the annual rail safety conference program, including an awards dinner to recognise finalists, winners and industry leadership. Details (categories, dates, entry process and judging) will be published when confirmed.
(Address will be updated to ARISO domains as the rebrand completes.)
RISSB Rail Safety Awards (legacy)
Established in 2022, the RISSB Rail Safety Awards were open to individuals working in the rail industry, and organisations operating in or affiliated with rail in Australia and New Zealand. Award winners were announced at an exclusive dinner event for speakers, sponsors, award finalists and conference attendees during the annual RISSB Rail Safety Conference. The program promotes diverse thinking, excellence and innovation for the betterment of rail.
Note: references to RISSB are retained below to preserve historical accuracy for past award years.
2025 awards
2025 winners, highly commended and finalists
Congratulations to all 2025 award finalists. Category winners announced.
Community Safety Initiative 2025
The community safety award acknowledges initiatives that improve community rail safety outcomes (e.g. level crossings, trespass or other community safety engagement initiatives).
Winner
Ollera Creek Emergency Response
Queensland Rail
Highly commended
Respect the sign. Lives are on the line
Aurizon
Finalists
Rail Active Crossing System, Rail Safety Systems
Corridor Intrusion Detection System and Obstacle Detection System (ODS), UGL
What’s it going to take? A team approach to safety, TasRail
Frontline Worker Safety Initiative 2025
Recognises a frontline rail worker (or team) who championed a rail safety initiative or workplace improvement with exemplary safety outcomes.
Winner
BallastMate – A safer and smarter way to lay bottom ballast
Martinus Rail
Highly commended
ALSTOM Dandenong Excellence League (DEL)
ALSTOM
Finalists
Safer Jig Movement, Downer
M18 Bluetooth Cable Cutter on the METRONET Victoria-Canning Level Crossing Removal Project, METRONET
Airborne Hazard Protection, Swietelsky Rail
Safety Leadership Program 2025
Celebrates programs that promote safety capability across teams to improve physical and/or psychological safety outcomes.
Dave Lumsden, Downer
Joe McGinlay, Rio Tinto
Corrie Summers, TasRail
Judging panel (2025)
Thank you to the judges for the generosity of their time and expertise.
Colin Holmes – Projects & Technical Program Director, Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator (ONRSR)
Jesse Baker – General Manager Passenger Rail and Safety, Australasia Rail Association (ARA)
Mark Harris – President Permanent Way Institute (PWI)
Melissa Radke – Head of Standards Reform, National Transport Commission (NTC)
Mohit Sareen – Director Rail Operations, Public Transport South Australia (SA)
Sudha Niles – General Manager Products and Innovation, RISSB
Sharon Tang – General Manager Stakeholder Engagement, RISSB
2024 awards
2024 winners Click to expand
Community Safety: Mental Health Co-deployment Trial – Queensland Rail Frontline Worker Safety Initiative: Sharing ideas to ‘Make a Change’ – ARTC Emerging Leader: Jason Zhou – Downer Rail Transit Systems Safety Leadership Program: Safe Access for Maintenance Program – Sydney Trains Industry Safety Professional of the Year: Ann Tomlinson – Alium Works
Awards photo galleries
Photos from 2024 ceremony
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Photos from 2023 and 2022
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