PTS - Personal Track Safety COSS Roles and Responsibilities Flashcards

What is the difference between the COSS and Engineering Supervisor (ES) roles in a possession?

Answer: The ES has overall control of the possession and authorises train and plant movements within it; the COSS controls a specific work group within the possession under the ES's authority

In a possession, the Engineering Supervisor (ES) has overall control of the possession and authorises movements. COSSes operate under the ES's authority, controlling specific work groups within the possession boundaries.

What must a COSS do before allowing on-track plant (OTP) such as road-rail vehicles to work within their safe working limits?

Answer: Confirm that the OTP has been introduced to the site by the ES or COSS in authority, verify the operator's Sentinel competencies, and include OTP movement in the site brief and risk assessment

OTP must be formally introduced into the worksite by the ES or COSS in authority, with operator competencies verified and OTP movements fully integrated into the site risk assessment and safe system of work.

What should a COSS do if they discover that a previously authorised protection arrangement has been incorrectly set up?

Answer: Immediately suspend all work, withdraw workers to a position of safety, and contact the ES or signaller to determine the actual status of protections before resuming

An incorrectly set protection arrangement renders the safe system of work invalid — work must be suspended immediately, workers withdrawn, and the actual protection status confirmed before any resumption.

What is the COSS's responsibility when the last worker leaves the site at the end of a shift?

Answer: Confirm to the signaller that all workers are off the track, surrender any line protections in the correct sequence, complete the site record, and report completion to the Principal Contractor

At shift end, the COSS must confirm all workers are clear, surrender protections in the correct sequence, complete the site record, and report completion to the Principal Contractor.

Under what circumstances can a COSS delegate their responsibilities to another worker during a shift?

Answer: COSS responsibilities cannot be delegated informally — if the COSS must leave the site, a formal COSS handover must take place with another competent COSS who is on site and briefed on all protections and workers

COSS responsibilities cannot be informally delegated. A formal handover to another qualified COSS, fully briefed on all protections and workers, is the only acceptable transfer of COSS responsibility.

What documentation should a COSS produce before accessing a site for the first time?

Answer: A site-specific risk assessment and method statement (RAMS), reviewed and signed off by the Principal Contractor, which identifies all hazards, controls, safe systems of work, and emergency procedures for the specific site

Before first accessing a site, a site-specific Risk Assessment and Method Statement (RAMS) must be produced, reviewed, and authorised by the Principal Contractor — identifying hazards, controls, and emergency procedures.