Although safety is continually improving, accidents are still being recorded. The TAS is designed as a tool for track workers and lookouts. It adds an additional layer of protection by providing longer warning times as well as audible and visual alarms.
Maintenance of rail infrastructure is crucial for the smooth running of the rail system and the maintenance work often needs to be done without complete closure of the tracks.

This may mean that workers are required to work on live lines or work adjacent to live lines. The frequency of the trains increases which requires more track maintenance but limits the potential for exclusive track occupancy by track workers. The track workers maintaining the rail corridor are hence faced with an increased danger of being struck by trains. The track maintenance work in the rail corridor is considered as one of the most hazardous jobs in the industry.

The rules and regulations for the track working procedures have been revised and improved based on analysis of the causes of fatalities that occurred in the past two decades, resulting in a significant decrease in track worker fatalities. However, accidents and fatalities still occur at worksites and track worker safety is still a major concern for the rail industry. Potential contributing factors listed are knowledge and experience, fatigue, time pressure, distraction, noise, poor visibility, social norms and lack of coordination between different groups.