Context and challenges

A leading French railway group, this client launched an innovation acceleration project to boost the performance, reliability, safety and resilience of the railway system. Energy and the railway system of the future are two of the three priorities selected and monitored by their Executive Board.

This client's policy aims to improve the Group's energy performance and reduce its environmental impact while developing precise and safe rail traffic. The ambition of the hydrogen train meets these challenges.

In this context, this client has mandated Assystem to lead the hydrogen train project and to develop the ecosystems in France. Safety being a key element of the hydrogen project, Assystem supports the customer in the construction and the coordination of the safety approach.

Project scope

The PMO's missions are focused on:

  • The organisation and monitoring of project management tools (planning, costs, monitoring of deliverables, risks, list of actions, dashboard, orders and contracts) and the relationship with the stakeholders (manufacturer, energy providers, Regions, State services,...).
  • Responsibility for following up the studies for the design of the rolling stock and the qualification of the hydrogen infrastructures by meeting all the milestones.

The MRIE (Industrial and Environmental Risk Management) engineer pilots:

  • The safety approach which is based on the constraints applicable from the pre-project phase to the operating phase. The process map is based on 3 main constraints: regulatory, material and operational.
  • Hydrogen risks by applying hazard studies, ICPE (Installation Classified for the Protection of the Environment) authorisations and EXAT (EXplosive ATmosphere) zoning to be linked to the rolling stock regulations.

Process of the Safety approach

  • National, European and international directives (labour code, environment code, construction and housing code)
  • The files to be completed to obtain authorisations (fire protection, EXplosive ATmosphere, Installation Classified for the Protection of the Environment, etc.) and the investigation authorities
  • Material constraints, which include all constraints related to the execution of the work and material modifications:
    • Construction of new installations (H2 transport networks)
    • Modification of existing installations (diesel station to be replaced by an H2 station, modification of maintenance areas in Technicentre)
    • The installation of equipment compatible with the identified risks (EXAT certified equipment, ventilation, fire prevention and fire fighting equipment)
  • The duration of operations at each stage

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