Safety and Security standards in the Bulgarian State Railways EMUs

Independent study April 2009

This study was made about EMU 31 and EMU 32 of the BDZ commuter’s short distance trains around the city of Plovdiv. EMU is the main rolling stocks for everyday travel to most students, militaries and individuals in active age. In some destinations they are served daily to more than 2 000 passengers.

ЕМU 31 ЕМU 32

On the EMU 31 board there is information about passengers’ personal security (1), smoking prohibiting pictograms (2), BDZ fire instructions in Bulgarian language (3) without any pictures to be used by foreigner passengers.

BDZ fire instructions

On the EMU 32 board there is information about passengers’ personal security, smoking prohibiting pictograms, green arrows and BDZ fire instructions in Bulgarian.

On the EMU 31 board there are alternative emergency exits through the windows, emergency hammers, smoking prohibiting pictograms and pictograms about the fire extinguishers location.

Security information: level of lightening in the night on the board of EMU 32.

There is no information or guidance about how passengers using should use doors in a safe way or how open them in case of emergency.

On the EMU 31 board there is emergency release of the doors (1) instructions about safely using the doors (4), emergency stop brake (2), intercom connection with the train crew (3) with instructions in three languages.

On the EMU 32 board there is no information about an alternative emergency exit just in case the train doors can not be opened due to train crash or other unforeseen situations, and what are the passengers’ evacuation procedures if they are unable to leave thought the doors.

On the EMU 32 board there is a device for which there is not indication when and how it should be used.

On the EMU 32 door there is a label with information in four languages indicating that the door is automatic. This door does not work, and in chalk it is written,"does not work" There is also a pin – possibly used to block the door.

Again there is pin on the door and again lacking any information about how to use them. It is also not clear what the procedure is, in a situation when these pins are used to block all the passengers on the train and evacuation would be impossible. Because similar door blocking systems, five of the victims on the

train Sofia-Kardam failed to leave the burning train.

Safety level at BDZ in the moment depends only on the type of rolling stock used and there are no additional measures or procedures to compensate for the poor security level of increased risk in older rolling stock.

The fact is that latest and most reliable rolling stock of the BDZ are equipped with alternative emergency exits and additional procedure indications. The oldest rolling stock with the highest accident risk is equipped with only limited safety and accident measures.

Whatever the standards for the security of BDZ are, they certainly are not the same for all passengers and are discriminatory.

Put the passengers

on the focus!

Railway Transport Friends AssociationRailway Transport Friends Association

European Passengers‘ FederationEuropean Passengers‘ Federation

Q & AQ & A

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