WELCOME

ACCIDENT ENQUIRIES

JOINT ENQUIRY
Whenever an Accident Such as is
described in the in Section 113 of the
Act Has Occurred in the Course of
Working of Railway, the Head of the
Railway Administration Should Order
an Enquiry, With Committee of
Railway Officers for thorough
Investigation of the Cause of the
Accident.

JOINT ENQUIRY
1)
2)

3)

4)

Provided Such Enquiry is Dispensed With

If Enquiry Is Done by CRS
Any Other Authority Appointed by
Central
Government
If there Is No Reasonable Doubt About
the Accident
Any Dept of the Railway Administration
Accepts the Responsibility. In Such Case,
Dept Enquiry Had to Be Ordered.

Notice to joint enquiry

The Following Officers Have to Be

Informed
District Magistrate, SP or DSP
CRS
The Date and Hour to Be Intimated
for Preparation

Classification of enquiry

Inquiry Headed by CRS

Joint Enquiry Ordered by COM of
Which Intimation Given to DRM, CRS,
Police
Inter Departmental Enquiry of
Officers Ordered by CSO or DRM
Departmental Enquiry Ordered by
DRM

LEVEL OF ENQUIRY

All Serious Accidents Shall Be Inquired

Into by the Commissioner of Railway
Safety.
In Case Commissioner of Railway Safety
or Chief Commissioner of Railway Safety
Is Not in a Position to Inquire Into
Serious Accident Cases, the Inquiry
Shall Be Done by JA Grade Inquiry
Committee.

LEVEL OF ENQUIRY

All Other Consequential Train Accidents

Except Unmanned Level Crossing Accidents
Shall Be Inquired Into by a Committee of JA
Grade Officers and in Its Absence by Branch
Officers, Consequential Unmanned Level
Crossing Accidents Shall Be Inquired Into by
Committee of Junior Scale Officers.
All Other Train Accidents Shall Be Inquired
Into by a Committee of Senior Scale or
Junior Scale Officers As Decided by
Respective DRMs.

LEVEL OF ENQUIRY

All Yard Accidents Shall Be Inquired Into by a

Committee of Senior Supervisors.
Safety Officer Shall Be One of the Members of All
Officer in Same Grade As of the Inquiry
Committee. If Not Available in the Division, Safety
Officer of One Grade Below May Be Nominated for
the Inquiry Committee.
All Cases of Indicative Accidents Shall Be Inquired
Into by a Committee of Junior Scale Officers.
All Cases of Equipment Failure Shall Be Inquired
Into by Senior Supervisors / Supervisors of
Respective Department.

Time schedule for enquiry

D- Date of Accident When Advise Sent

D+1 DRM to Advise Railway Board, If
Required.
D+2 Branch Officers After Receiving
the Message From DSO Whether Their
Dept Is Accepting the Responsibility
D+3 Holding of Enquiry

Time schedule for enquiry

D+5 Submission of Detailed Report to GM/RB

D+7 Enquiry Committee to Submit Enquiry
Proceeding to DRM
D+10 DRM to Forward the Enquiry Report
With His Remarks to HQs/ CSO
D+20 Acceptance of Findings and
Submission by DRM / CSO
D+27 Acceptance and Finalization of Enquiry
Report by CSO and Submission to CRS
D+90 Punitive Action to Be Finalized

PROCEDURE FOR
CONDUCTING ACCIDENT
ENQUIRY

Joint Enquiry Shall Be Ordered by CSO

Specifying the Officers, Who Should
Constitute As Enquiry Committee
Time and Place to Be Fixed
The Committee Is Selected Based on the
Departments Involved in the Accident
and a Neutral Officer From Operating
Department
The Senior Officer in All Cases Generally
Will Be the President of the Committee

PROCEDURE FOR
CONDUCTING ACCIDENT
ENQUIRY

The Place of Enquiry Should Be at the

Location of the Accident, If It Is Within the
Station Limits, Where Facilities Are Available
for the Stay of Enquiry Committee and
Witnesses.If Not, a Nearest Point to Be
Selected for Enquiry, Where Staying
Facilities are Available.
The Committee Should Invariably Inspect
the Site of the Accident to Have Better
Understanding Before Enquiry.

PROCEDURE FOR
CONDUCTING ACCIDENT
ENQUIRY

The Witnesses Required for the Enquiry

Have to Be Ordered for Availability for
the Enquiry by DSO.
The President of Enquiry Committee
Also Can Summon Additional Witnesses
Required for Enquiry.
The Representative of Each Department
Is Responsible for Arranging /
Attendance of Staff for the Enquiry.

PROCEDURE FOR
CONDUCTING ACCIDENT
ENQUIRY

Before Starting the Enquiry, the Statements

of Witnesses Have to Be Recorded.
Before commencing the Enquiry, the
Statements Have to Be Read and Explained to
them and then only Further Cross
Examination Has to Be Started.
In Case the Witness Has Given Statement
Prior to Enquiry, That Also to Be Taken Into
Account While Conducting Enquiry.
The Witness Can Be Permitted to Modify the
Statement, If Required With Reasons There of.

PROCEDURE FOR
CONDUCTING ACCIDENT
ENQUIRY

Questions and Answers Have to Be

Recorded With Serial Number, Which Is
a Continuous Serial Number, for All the
Witnesses Together.
During the Deposition by the Witness,
Any Evidence of Facts, Which Have
Occurred and Are Contrary to the Rules,
Should Be Elicited During the Enquiry
and Fact Made Known to Him.

PROCEDURE FOR
CONDUCTING ACCIDENT
ENQUIRY

The Enquiry Officer / Committee Shall Not

Be Satisfied Merely With the Prima Facie
Cause of the Accident and Should Elicit
Necessary Information From the Witnesses
Which Are Contributory for the Accident.
Contributory Factors Such As Irregular /
Unauthorized Method of Working / General
Laxity in Working Have to Be Brought Out
in the Enquiry.

PROCEDURE FOR
CONDUCTING ACCIDENT
ENQUIRY

Extenuating Circumstances Such As

Inadequacy in Signaling, Interlocking
Equipment, Inadequacy in
Communication, Resulting in Frequent
Trips and Stress Has to Be Brought Out.
Impracticability of Implementation of
Station Working Rules, Over Time Etc.,
Have to Be Brought Out.

PROCEDURE FOR
CONDUCTING ACCIDENT
ENQUIRY

The Enquiry Officer Also should Note the

Matters Brought to Light in the Course of
Enquiry Which May Not Have the Direct
Bearing on the Accident but Might Lead
to Accidents in the Near Future and to be
Brought Out in the Report.
During the Proceedings, Members of
Magistracy and Police Can Ask Questions
Which Can Be Recorded.

PROCEEDINGS OF JOINT
ENQUIRY

A Report of the Proceedings Should

Be Written by the President or
Someone Deputed by Him.
The Signature of Witnesses Shall
Be Obtained Then and There on All
the Pages of the Deposition /
Evidence / Answers Etc.

PROCEDURE FOR
CONDUCTING ACCIDENT
ENQUIRY

The Sequence of Forms Used for the Enquiry

Is As Under:
Form No.ACC-9 - Summary
This Includes Nature of Accident, Date, Time,
Railway, Location, Gauge, Train No., Speed,
Gradient, Alignment, Weather, Visibility,
Causality, Cost of Damages, Relief
Arrangements Given, Medical Attention Paid,
Cause and Responsibility. This Has to Be
Drawn by the President of Enquiry
Committee.

PROCEDURE FOR
CONDUCTING ACCIDENT
ENQUIRY

Form No.ACC-9(A) List of Members of

Committee and Other Officials Attending
Form No.ACC-9(B) Descriptive Account of
the Accident, Which Should Contain Grades,
Curves, Type of Interlocking and Signaling,
Type of Permanent Way, Weight of Engine on
Wheels, Marshalling of Train, Condition of
Brakes, Condition of Rolling Stock, Movement
of Breakdown, MRV, Other Incidences As Per
the Log Book Maintained in the Control
Office, Extract From the Signal Register and
Other Documents Etc., Which Are Relevant to
Accident.

PROCEDURE FOR
CONDUCTING ACCIDENT
Form No.ACC-9 - List of Witnesses and
ENQUIRY

Documents Examined With Designations and

Names
Form No.ACC-9(D & E) Deposition of
Witnesses and Summary of Evidences
Form No.ACC-9(F) Remarks and Reasons for
Finding
Form No.ACC-9(G) Joint Findings
Form No.ACC-9(H) Matters Brought to Light
Form No.ACC-9(I) Suggestions and
Recommendations

PROCEDURE FOR
CONDUCTING ACCIDENT
ENQUIRY

Form No.ACC-9(J) Relief Measures

Form No.ACC-9(K) Composition of Marshalling
Order
Form No.ACC-9(L) Details of Photographs
Taken at the Site
Form No.ACC-9(M) Damages to Rolling Stock,
Engine and Cost
Form No.ACC-9(N) Damages to Permanent
Way and Cost
Form No.ACC-9(O) Damages to Signaling,
Interlocking and Cost

PROCEDURE FOR
CONDUCTING ACCIDENT
ENQUIRY

Care to Be Taken While Recording Evidence

Each Witness Should Be Assigned With the
Number and Signature to Be Obtained on
the Deposition
Care Should Be Taken Not to Intimidate the
Witness. The Person Who Does Not
Understand English Shall Be Read in
Vernacular Language and Witness Signature
to Be Obtained. In Case He Cannot Sign,
Thumb Impression to Be Taken.

REMARKS AND REASONS

FOR FINDING

This Should Cover Discussion of All

Conflicting Evidences and
Committees Views on That
Contributory Factors, If Any
Extenuating Circumstances, If Any
The Committee Should State Fully
the Reasons Which Have Lead
Them to Arrive to the Findings

FINDINGS

The Findings Should Be Concise and Clear and

Consist of Simple Statement of Opinion of the
Committee As to What Caused the Accident.
Mentioning the Names of the Persons
Responsible There of.
The Rules and Instructions Violated by Each of
the Staff Held Responsible.
In Case Staff of More Than One Department
Are Involved, Primary Responsibility Has to Be
Specified.
The Category of Accident Also to Be Brought
Out

FINDINGS

The Category of Accident Also to Be Brought

Out Such As
Failure of Railway Staff
Failure of Staff Other Than Railway
Tampering / Sabotage
Failure of Equipment (Mechanical / Track /
Electrical Etc.)
Accidental or Act of God
Combination of Factors
Any Miscellaneous Cause
Cause Could Not Be Established

SUGGESTIONS

The committee may suggest any

improvements to the rules or practices
of working which in their opinion
would prevent similar accident in
future, which includes contributory
factors and extenuating
circumstances. In case no
suggestions, NIL entry should be
made.

MATTERS BROUGHT TO
LIGHT

The Irregularities in Working Which

Might Lead to an Accident of Any
Description Although Not Having
Direct Bearing in the Accident. In
Case No Issue, Nil to Be Indicated.

SIGNING OF THE JOINT

ENQUIRY PROCEEDINGS

The Proceedings Shall Be Drawn up

and Signed Before the Committee
Disperses.
If the Members of the Committee Are
Not Unanimous Regarding the
Findings, Reasons for the Findings,
Suggestions Etc., A Note of Dissent
Shall Be Drawn Separately and Signed.

SIGNING OF THE JOINT

ENQUIRY PROCEEDINGS

The Note of Dissent Shall Be Drawn

up on the Spot and Signed.
The President Has to Pass the
Remarks on the Dissent Note
Before Submitting the Report