PTS PTS - Personal Track Safety Safe Access and Egress 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under what circumstance is a worker permitted to remain on the track when an unplanned train movement is sighted?
- If they believe there is enough time to complete their immediate task
- Under no circumstance — all personnel must immediately move to the place of safety (Correct answer)
- If they are working in a protected possession and the train is slow-moving
- If they have a red flag to display to the train driver
Correct answer: Under no circumstance — all personnel must immediately move to the place of safety
Upon sighting an unplanned train movement, all workers must immediately vacate the track without exception, regardless of task status.
Question 2: A track worker notices that the lookout has not responded to radio calls for two minutes. The correct action is to:
- Continue working while attempting further radio contact
- Stop work immediately and treat the situation as if a train warning has been given (Correct answer)
- Send one worker to locate the lookout while others continue
- Reduce the working group to two people to limit risk
Correct answer: Stop work immediately and treat the situation as if a train warning has been given
Loss of communication with the lookout removes a critical safety layer, and the precautionary response is to stop work and clear the track as if danger is imminent.
Question 3: Which of the following best describes a 'place of safety' in the context of PTS egress procedures?
- Any location more than one meter from the nearest rail
- A pre-identified location outside the dynamic envelope of all lines, agreed before work starts (Correct answer)
- The cab of any stationary engineering vehicle
- A position at least 10 meters down the track from the work site
Correct answer: A pre-identified location outside the dynamic envelope of all lines, agreed before work starts
A place of safety is specifically identified before work begins and must be outside the dynamic envelope of all running lines, not just an arbitrary distance.
Question 4: How should a worker behave when traversing a level crossing while moving between work sites on an operational railway?
- Cross rapidly without stopping to minimize exposure time on the track
- Stop, look both ways along the line, and cross only when certain no train is approaching (Correct answer)
- Cross in groups so members can warn each other
- Wait for explicit radio clearance from the control room every time
Correct answer: Stop, look both ways along the line, and cross only when certain no train is approaching
The stop-look-cross discipline at level crossings applies to workers just as it does to the public, ensuring no train is approaching before stepping onto the crossing.
Question 5: A worker's PPE (high-visibility vest) is torn and no longer fully visible. In the context of track access, the worker should:
- Continue working since their other PPE is intact
- Replace or repair the high-visibility garment before accessing the track, or obtain a replacement (Correct answer)
- Work only during daylight hours until a replacement is available
- Notify a colleague who can watch out for them instead
Correct answer: Replace or repair the high-visibility garment before accessing the track, or obtain a replacement
High-visibility clothing is a mandatory requirement for track access; a damaged garment must be replaced before the worker enters the track environment.
Question 6: When a possession is handed back to the signaler, what must the person in charge confirm before doing so?
- That all workers have clocked out for the day
- That all personnel are clear of the track, tools are removed, and the line is fit for traffic (Correct answer)
- That paperwork has been submitted to the project manager
- That the next shift's crew has arrived on site
Correct answer: That all personnel are clear of the track, tools are removed, and the line is fit for traffic
Handing back a possession requires the PIC to confirm that all people and equipment are clear and the track is safe for train movements before relinquishing control.
Question 7: A worker is unsure whether they are within or outside the safe clearance distance from a live line. The correct action is to:
- Estimate based on personal experience and proceed if they feel safe
- Treat themselves as being within the hazard zone and obtain proper authority before proceeding (Correct answer)
- Ask a nearby colleague for a visual estimate
- Move slowly toward the line while watching for trains
Correct answer: Treat themselves as being within the hazard zone and obtain proper authority before proceeding
When in doubt about clearance distance, the precautionary principle requires treating the situation as unsafe and obtaining formal authority before proceeding.
PTS PTS - Personal Track Safety Safe Access and Egress 5
Under what circumstance is a worker permitted to remain on the track when an unplanned train movement is sighted?