Steve Diksa: Network Rail Track Safety Competence and the Way Forward

1. Steve Diksa: Network RailTrack Safety Competence and the Way Forward

2. Current number of qualified staff recorded on the NCCA database If you hold them all you will need to do: 21 days training 14 assessments in first 2 years 12 days refresher after 2 years 9 assessments every 2 years after thatIf you hold them all you will need to do: 21 days training 14 assessments in first 2 years 12 days refresher after 2 years 9 assessments every 2 years after that

3. The last year last year’s conference provided you with the detail of some of the changes ahead… what have we been doing since then..? revised training programme for IWA / COSS / PTS revised competency assessment process for IWA / COSS / ES / PICOP revised A&D training material introduced national logbooks for IWA and COSS enhanced the Sentinel website and database assisted with the development of the COSS handbook

4. What's next? re-branding of all Sentinel ‘products’ key point cards safety matters national training and assessment material revised track safety handbook aligned with the PTS training material new IWA handbook review of IWA / COSS / PC roles and responsibilities review of GO RT 3358 / 3261 revised A&D policy and process 100% NCCA on-line notification

5. The Future of Track Safety Competence four levels of engineering track safety competence each includes one or more existing roles each stands alone supported by mentoring and assessment requirement to progress through levels

6. Why change? competencies too narrow and fragmented burden of assessment and re-certification time consuming and costly too many irregularities persist presently too easy to progress too quickly to high levels of safety critical competencies

7. The Four Levels level 1 : PTS only level 2 (protection assistant) : lookout, Site Warden, Engineering Handsignaller, ‘Block- roader’, IWA+ (COSS Ops), plus level 1 level 3 (safe systems of work) - COSS and PC plus level 2 level 4 (possession management) - ES, PICOP and SPICOP plus level 3

8. When? after consultation after a full risk review after we have reviewed and revised the relevant standards staged implementation revised courses and support materials transitional arrangements will be some overlap at higher levels

9. Proposals and considerations 3 yearly re-certification combined re-certification courses combined assessments line management responsibility for the administration and delivery of assessments national logbook to record a number of competencies

10. Levels 2, 3 and 4 to be developed during 2005-6 implementation should begin August 2005 probable 2 year cut-over period will deal with “grandfather rights” more detail to come …