Purpose
To prescribe the rules for planning work within the Rail Corridor and assessing the work for safety.
Scope
Work planned for the Rail Corridor must be assessed for safety and its potential to intrude on the Danger Zone.
Work to be carried out only by using one of the five methods listed in this Rule.
Work planned for the Rail Corridor must be assessed for safety and its potential to intrude on the Danger Zone.
Work must not be carried out in the Danger Zone unless there is a safe place that can be easily reached.
Work in the Danger Zone must be carried out only by using one of the five methods listed in this Rule.
The level of safety must not be reduced:
- to allow train and track vehicle movements, or
- because of a lack of trained workers.
- Unless constantly in a safe place on a platform or in other premises, workers in the Rail Corridor must wear approved high visibility clothing.
- Effective communication with Network Control Officers (NCOs) must be maintained.
Guidelines
Protection Officer
A worksite must have a Protection Officer (PO).
A Protection Officers primary duty is to keep the worksite and workers safe.
The Protection Officer must be satisfied other work will not interfere with protection duties.
The Protection Officer must:
- make a safety assessment;
- make sure that the work is done safely, and;
- keep records about protection arrangements.
Assessing Safety
- When making a safety assessment, Protection Officers must consider, amongst other factors, if:
- appropriate numbers of Qualified Workers are available to protect the work
- the requirement for an easily-reached safe place for workers can be met
- it is possible to close the affected line during the work
- there will be rail traffic on adjacent lines
- there will be rail traffic between and/or within worksites
- controlled signals or automatic signals are available to protect work sites
- other work on track will affect the worksites
- there is a safe passage to and from worksites
- the work will intrude on level crossings
- the line is electrified
- the line is track-circuited
- the formation of the line and the location will affect the work
- effective communication is available
- equipment used in the work will intrude into the Danger Zone
- other groups need to be told about or involved in the work
- the level of noise from equipment and rail traffic will be excessive.
Working Safely on Tracks
- Within Shunting Yards
- Attended yards
- If rail traffic needs to be excluded from a work area within a shunting yard, the Protection Officer must speak to the officer in charge of the yard.
Where practicable, the Protection Officer must secure points to prevent unauthorised rail traffic entry into the work area.
- Unattended yards
Where there is not an officer in charge of the shunting yard, the Protection Officer must make arrangements with the Network Control Officer responsible for giving entry into the yard.
The Protection Officer must confirm protection arrangements with Drivers and track vehicle operators already in the yard.
- Other than in shunting yards
Work in the Danger Zone must be carried out only by using one of the following five methods:
- Local Possession Authority (LPA)
- Track Occupancy Authority (TOA)
- Track Work Authority (TWA)
- Controlled Signal Blocking (CSB)
- Lookout Working
Local Possession Authorities and Track Occupancy Authorities are the preferred methods of working on the track.
Working in the Danger Zone
Work in the Danger Zone must not begin before the Protection Officer has put the required safety measures in place.
Persons who are only walking in the Danger Zone must comply with relevant sections ‘Walking in the Danger Zone’.
Walking in the Danger Zone*
The Danger Zone is all space within 3m horizontally from the nearest rail and any distance above or below this 3m, unless a safe place exists or can be created.
A safe place can be created by using stationary rail traffic, where an assurance that the rail traffic will not be moved has been obtained in person from the Driver or Track Vehicle Operator. Walking in the Danger Zone is:
- walking from place to place in the Danger Zone, and
- doing no work other than placing or removing protection.
Workers must not walk in the Danger Zone unless:
- an easily-reached safe place is available, and
- there is no practicable alternative.
If walking in the Danger Zone, workers must:
- wear approved high-visibility clothing, and
- look frequently in both directions for approaching rail
- traffic, and
- carry a light at night, in tunnels, and when visibility is
- limited, and
- not step on or within points.
If placing or removing protection, workers must stay alert for approaching rail traffic.
Local Possession Authority
A Local Possession Authority (LPA) closes a defined portion of the track for a specified period.
The portion of the track defined by an LPA may be occupied by a number of separate work groups and their work trains and equipment.
The intention to take an LPA must be advertised in a Train Alteration Advice at least 7 days in advance.
Track Occupancy Authority
A Track Occupancy Authority (TOA) authorises the occupation of track within specified limits for an agreed period.
A TOA gives exclusive occupancy except for:
- joint occupancy by mutual agreement, with another worksite or for a track vehicle to travel on the Network, or
- joint occupancy following a train movement, or
- joint occupancy, by mutual agreement with the holder of a Track Work Authority.
A TOA does not need to be advertised.
Track Work Authority
- A Track Work Authority (TWA) authorises the occupation of a defined portion of track between train movements.
- A TWA does not give exclusive occupancy of lines or sections.
- A TWA must be used if rail traffic may need to be stopped or slowed before reaching the worksite and passing through the worksite.
- The Protection Officer must manage rail traffic between the limits of the TWA.
- A TWA does not need to be advertised.
Controlled Signal Blocking
If the safety assessment shows that it is safe, some kinds of work may be done in the Danger Zone using Controlled signal blocking (CSB) as the safety measure. Controlled signal blocking may be used:
- to allow vehicles and livestock to cross the track;
- for work using light, powered hand tools, or;
- for work using light, non-powered hand tools.
- At the request of a Protection Officer, the Signaller may authorise CSB by:
- setting and keeping controlled signals at STOP with blocking facilities applied to the signal controls, or
- authorising the removal of an ESML to handle to set controlled signals at STOP.
- A Signaller may authorise the CSB method only for signals in their area of control.
- Before setting controlled signals at STOP, the Signaller must speak to the Train Controller about the request to exclude rail traffic.
- Before work starts, the Protection Officer must confirm from the Signaller that:
- the controlled signals have been set at STOP with blocking facilities applied, and
- there is no rail traffic approaching the work site.
Lookout Working
- If the safety assessment shows that it is safe, some kinds of work may be done in the Danger Zone using Lookouts as the safety measure.
- Lookout Working is one of those methods. Only light, non-powered hand tools may be used for work using Lookout Working.
- Workers must be able to remove themselves, tools and materials to a safe place immediately when told to do so by a Lookout.
Lookouts must:
- keep watch for rail traffic approaching the work site from any direction, and
- warn workers immediately if rail traffic approaches, and
- not do any other work.
Definitions
Inspector – a person who is appointed under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 as an Inspector for the purpose of administering the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, associated regulation and various Codes of Practice and Standards.
Workplace – a workplace is a place where work is carried out for a business or undertaking and includes any place where a worker goes, or is likely to be, while at work.
Place – includes- a vehicle, aircraft or other mobile structure and any waters and any installation on land, on the bed of any waters or floating on any waters.
Worker – a worker is a person who carries out work in any capacity for a PCBU in its workplace, including; an employee of the PCBU, a contractor or subcontractor, an employee of a contractor or subcontractor, an employee of a labour-hire company who has been assigned to work in the PCBU, an out-worker, an apprentice or trainee, a student gaining work experience or a volunteer.
PCBU – person conducting business or undertaking.