PTS PTS - Personal Track Safety Safe Systems of Work 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the role of an IWA (Individual Working Alone) in PTS safe systems of work?
- A worker who performs solo maintenance tasks without any protection
- A competent person authorised to protect themselves and up to three others while working on or near the line (Correct answer)
- The person responsible for obtaining a line blockage
- A look-out who watches for trains while others work
Correct answer: A competent person authorised to protect themselves and up to three others while working on or near the line
An IWA is a person competent to implement lookout protected working to protect themselves and up to three others (four workers total) while working on or near the line.
An Individual Working Alone (IWA) competency allows a person to protect themselves and up to three others (a total team of four) using lookout protected working principles. The IWA must carry out a dynamic risk assessment, ensure all team members are briefed on the warning signal and position of safety, and remain vigilant throughout. An IWA cannot use a separate look-out — the IWA themselves watches for trains whilst simultaneously carrying out tasks. This limits the nature of work that can be done. IWA is defined in Module T3 of the Network Rail Rule Book.
Question 2: What must a COSS do before allowing work to begin on the line?
- Obtain verbal approval from the nearest train driver
- Carry out a site-specific risk assessment, brief all workers, and confirm protections are in place (Correct answer)
- Check that all workers have their PTS cards and sign them in
- Obtain the emergency contact number for the nearest station
Correct answer: Carry out a site-specific risk assessment, brief all workers, and confirm protections are in place
Before allowing work to begin, a COSS must carry out a site-specific risk assessment, brief all workers on hazards, emergency arrangements, and safe working limits, and confirm all protections are in place.
A Controller of Site Safety (COSS) is responsible for the safety of all workers under their control. Before work begins they must: conduct a site-specific risk assessment; identify all hazards including live lines, electrification, and access routes; obtain and confirm all necessary line protections; brief all workers on hazards, safe working boundaries, warning signals, positions of safety, and emergency procedures; confirm all workers understand and are fit; and only then permit work to begin. This briefing process is mandatory and must be documented.
Question 3: What is a 'safe system of work' in the context of railway track work?
- Any method of working that the site supervisor considers acceptable
- A formal, structured arrangement of controls that reduces the risk of being struck by a train to an acceptable level (Correct answer)
- A written statement that workers have been trained in PTS
- The sequence in which maintenance tasks should be completed
Correct answer: A formal, structured arrangement of controls that reduces the risk of being struck by a train to an acceptable level
A safe system of work is a formal structured arrangement combining physical protections and procedures to reduce the risk of being struck by a train or other railway hazard to an acceptable level.
A safe system of work for track work is a formal, structured combination of physical measures and procedural controls designed to reduce the risk of being struck by a train or other railway hazard to as low as reasonably practicable. It is derived from the risk assessment for the work and must be appropriate to the nature of the task, the line speed, and the working environment. Safe systems of work are defined in the Network Rail Rule Book and must be implemented by a competent person (IWA, COSS, or ES). Ad hoc or informal arrangements are not acceptable.
Question 4: What does 'safe working limits' mean in a COSS brief?
- The maximum number of hours workers can be on site
- The defined area within which workers may work, bounded by the protection arrangements in place (Correct answer)
- The speed at which workers may cross the line
- The maximum load that track equipment may weigh
Correct answer: The defined area within which workers may work, bounded by the protection arrangements in place
Safe working limits define the area within which workers may work, bounded by the location of protection measures such as warning systems or line blocks.
Safe working limits are the boundaries of the area within which the COSS's protection arrangements are effective. Workers must not work or move beyond these limits without the COSS's knowledge and authority. The limits are defined by the location of look-outs, the extent of a line blockage, or the boundary of a possession. If workers need to move beyond the safe working limits, a new or extended protection arrangement must be put in place first. During the site brief, the COSS must clearly communicate safe working limits to all team members.
Question 5: When must workers immediately respond to the warning signal given by a look-out?
- Only when they can also see the train approaching
- As soon as the warning is given, without waiting to confirm the reason (Correct answer)
- After they have made their tools and equipment safe
- When the look-out gives the signal twice
Correct answer: As soon as the warning is given, without waiting to confirm the reason
Workers must respond immediately to any warning signal without hesitation or waiting to verify the reason — any delay could be fatal.
When a look-out or COSS gives the warning signal, all workers must immediately stop work and move to their designated position of safety. They must not wait to see the approaching train, retrieve tools, or complete a task before moving. The warning is given with a time margin to reach safety, and any hesitation can eliminate that margin. False alarms are better than delayed responses. Workers must practice the response and know their position of safety before work begins. This immediate response requirement is fundamental to PTS training.
Question 6: What is the minimum warning time required for workers to reach a position of safety in lookout protected working?
- 10 seconds regardless of line speed
- A time based on the line speed, sufficient for all workers to reach their position of safety before the train arrives (Correct answer)
- 30 seconds at all times
- Whatever time the COSS considers adequate
Correct answer: A time based on the line speed, sufficient for all workers to reach their position of safety before the train arrives
The warning time must be sufficient for all workers, including the most distant, to reach their position of safety before the train arrives — this varies with the permitted line speed.
The minimum warning time in lookout protected working is determined by the permitted line speed on the line being worked on or near. The warning distance must give sufficient time for the most distant worker to reach their position of safety with time to spare before the train arrives. For example, at 125 mph the warning distance is much greater than at 25 mph. The COSS or IWA must calculate the required warning distance and position the look-out accordingly. This calculation is a key skill taught in COSS and IWA competency training.
PTS PTS - Personal Track Safety Safe Systems of Work 2
What is the role of an IWA (Individual Working Alone) in PTS safe systems of work?