What Is RISQS and Why Does It Matter?

RISQS is the official supplier assurance scheme for the rail industry in the UK. Administered by the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB), it ensures that only qualified, competent, and compliant suppliers are engaged in safety-critical work on or near the railway.

For employers, this provides peace of mind that RISQS-audited providers meet the high standards necessary for working in one of the most safety-sensitive sectors in the country.

You can learn more about the RISQS scheme via the official RSSB website.

The Role of Drug and Alcohol Testing in Rail Safety

Working on railway infrastructure carries significant responsibility, often in hazardous or high-pressure environments. As such, drug and alcohol misuse poses a serious risk to both individual workers and the wider public.

Under Network Rail and Transport for London policies, contractors must undergo routine and for-cause drug and alcohol screening. These measures are designed not just for regulatory compliance, but to save lives and prevent accidents.

A sobering example of the real-world consequences of impairment is the Enfield Town train crash in 2021, where a driver who had taken cocaine within 24 hours of duty fell asleep at the controls and collided with the buffer stops. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured — but the driver was later jailed for endangering passenger safety.
You can read more about the case on BBC News.

This incident reinforces the critical importance of maintaining a zero-tolerance approach to drugs and alcohol in the rail industry — and the value of consistent, accredited testing services.

Our Services for the Rail Industry

As a RISQS-accredited provider, Crystal Health Group offers:

• Drug and alcohol testing (pre-employment, random, and for-cause)
• PTS (Personal Track Safety) medical assessments
• Nationwide clinic coverage with flexible booking options
• Secure, compliant data management and reporting systems

Whether you're managing a small rail project or coordinating a large infrastructure workforce, we’re here to support your compliance needs with professionalism and discretion.