Measures to “protect staff” were planned for an inspection carried out by a railway worker who was struck and killed by a train, investigators have said.
Tyler Byrne, 30, from Aldershot, Hampshire, was working on the tracks in south-west London on February 9 when he was hit by a South Western Railway train travelling at around 76mph, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) said.
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He was one of four Network Rail personnel inspecting moveable sections of track between Surbiton and Weybridge.
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The RAIB said in a statement: “The work was planned to take place while the lines were open and with arrangements in place to protect staff from train movements.
“Our investigation will aim to identify the sequence of events which led to the accident and will include consideration of the actions of those involved, the planned protection arrangements, the planning of the work relating to the inspection of switches and crossings where lines are open to traffic, and any relevant underlying factors.”
Separate investigations are being carried out by Network Rail and British Transport Police.
Network Rail chief executive Andrew Haines said at the time that the days after the accident were “incredibly difficult for the railway family”.
Ministers and union bosses called for lessons to be learned following Mr Byrne’s death.
A report into the deaths of two track workers in South Wales on July 3 last year found that Network Rail’s long-term failure to improve safety was an underlying factor.
