PTS PTS - Personal Track Safety Positions of Safety 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When a train is approaching and you are in a position of safety, what must you do regarding your tools and equipment?
- Keep all tools and equipment within the position of safety boundary
- Ensure all tools are secured and not protruding into the train's clearance envelope (Correct answer)
- Move tools to the opposite side of the track from the approaching train
- Leave tools in place and focus only on your own position
Correct answer: Ensure all tools are secured and not protruding into the train's clearance envelope
Tools and equipment must not protrude into the train's clearance envelope, as they can cause derailments or equipment damage even when a worker is safely positioned.
Question 2: A worker is told to take a position of safety but the nearest designated safe location is 200 feet away and a train is 30 seconds out. What is the correct action?
- Run to the designated safe location regardless of distance
- Take the nearest available position of safety immediately (Correct answer)
- Flag down the train with a red signal to stop
- Crouch down between the rails to minimize profile
Correct answer: Take the nearest available position of safety immediately
When time is critically short, workers must take the nearest available position of safety rather than risk being caught in the open attempting to reach a more distant designated location.
Question 3: Which factor is NOT considered when determining an adequate position of safety?
- The speed of the approaching train
- The worker's shift schedule and time remaining (Correct answer)
- The type of track (tangent vs. curved)
- The width of equipment on the train
Correct answer: The worker's shift schedule and time remaining
A worker's shift schedule is irrelevant to determining a position of safety; speed, track geometry, and equipment dimensions are all safety-critical factors.
Question 4: On a curved section of track, why must workers take extra care when establishing a position of safety?
- Curved track creates turbulence that extends further than on straight track
- The overhang of rail cars extends further on curves due to the geometry of rotation (Correct answer)
- Signals are harder to see on curves, requiring more time to react
- Train speeds are always higher on curved sections
Correct answer: The overhang of rail cars extends further on curves due to the geometry of rotation
On curved track, the ends and sides of rail cars swing outward (end overhang and mid-overhang), requiring a greater clearance distance than on tangent track.
Question 5: After a train passes, when is it safe for workers to return to the track from their position of safety?
- Immediately after the last car clears their location
- Only after the entire train has cleared and they receive an all-clear from the lookout (Correct answer)
- After counting to 30 seconds following the last car
- As soon as the train is no longer visible in either direction
Correct answer: Only after the entire train has cleared and they receive an all-clear from the lookout
Workers must wait for the lookout's all-clear signal after the entire train clears, as there may be additional trains or equipment following on adjacent tracks.
Question 6: What is meant by the term 'clearance point' in the context of positions of safety?
- The distance at which a worker can first see an approaching train
- The minimum distance between a worker and the nearest rail of any track
- The point beyond which a worker is outside the danger zone of passing trains (Correct answer)
- The designated meeting spot for all workers during a train movement
Correct answer: The point beyond which a worker is outside the danger zone of passing trains
The clearance point is the location beyond which a worker is clear of the dynamic envelope of any passing train, making it the boundary of a safe position.
Question 7: A foreman assigns a worker a position of safety near a bridge parapet. What hazard must the worker specifically assess?
- Whether the parapet is painted a high-visibility color
- Whether the position provides adequate clearance from both the track and the edge of the bridge (Correct answer)
- Whether the parapet is structurally sound enough to lean against
- Whether there are other workers already occupying that position
Correct answer: Whether the position provides adequate clearance from both the track and the edge of the bridge
Near bridge parapets, workers must verify they have sufficient clearance from the track AND are not at risk of being pushed or pulled off the bridge edge by train-induced air pressure.
PTS PTS - Personal Track Safety Positions of Safety 3
When a train is approaching and you are in a position of safety, what must you do regarding your tools and equipment?