APPLICATION OF ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF RAILWAY TRANSPORT INCIDENTS

Purpose. Enhancing railway traffic safety in Ukraine by implementing root cause and intermediate cause identification techniques in the processes of internal and technical investigations, as well as in forensic expert practice for railway transport incidents (RTIs), as stipulated by EN standards adopted in Ukraine. Methods. The method of RTI mechanism construction, root cause analysis (RCA) techniques reflected in DSTU EN 62740:2022, as well as methods of analysis, comparison, and synthesis. Results. A comparison between the RTI mechanism construction method currently used in Ukraine for determining RTI causes and the RCA techniques provided in DSTU EN 62740:2022 has demonstrated that RCA allows for a flexible approach to the investigation process depending on the RTI type. It enables the study of RTIs at different levels while considering not only technical but also organizational causes and their complex interrelations. Practical significance. The application of RCA techniques in accordance with DSTU EN 62740:2022 in internal and technical investigations of RTIs, as well as in forensic railway transport expertise, will ensure that the investigation process complies with European regulatory documents adopted in Ukraine as national standards. The techniques proposed in DSTU EN 62740:2022 allow for an in-depth examination of various causes leading to RTIs and provide a substantiated basis for preventive measures, thereby contributing to increased railway traffic safety.