Biohazard cleaning: Emotional distress on the railway as winter sets in

As temperatures plummet across the country with the wintry weather setting in, railway stations nationwide often see a disturbing rise in suicide attempts.

According to Rail Suicide Prevention, a suicide occurs on the railway every 30 hours and in 2024/25 there were 293 suspected suicides on the tracks.

The Office of Rail and Road’s latest figures for last year revealed this was the highest number of railway suicide or suspected suicide attempts recorded since that start of the time series in April 2002.

Although railway suicides only account for around four or five percent of all suicides in Great Britain, the emotional, human and financial costs are disproportionately high, with a massive impact on the train industry.

Award-winning Northamptonshire biohazard cleaning company Specialist Remediation Solutions (SRS) is working with a train provider in the Northwest of England to ensure minimal disruption to the railways by cleaning the carriages following railway collisions.

By outsourcing what can be a very challenging clean up to SRS, the provider is protecting the mental wellbeing of its staff.

In just a few weeks since taking on the contract, SRS, of Desborough, has been called to deal with the clean-up operation following three separate emergency incidents, including one in which a train had collided with a cow and another two following suicide attempts.

Network Rail reported 1,432 creatures intruding onto rail lines last year, including deer, sheep, birds, cows and swans.

SRS Managing Director, Stephen Booth said: “Cleaning the carriages following these emergency situations is not a job for the fainthearted, and sadly, during winter is the most common time for more frequent suicide attempts as people navigate cold, dark and depression.

“Rail settings create distinctive contamination challenges for us, but with clear law, competent teams, and evidence‑led verification, biohazard cleaning for trains becomes a predictable process rather than a disruptive surprise with our specialist team.

“Partnering with rail cleaning experts like us brings pace, assurance, and consistent documentation, so train carriage biohazard clean up restores safety and confidence fast.”

https://srsolutions.uk/biohazard-cleaning-for-trains/