NWT 300 Planning work in the Rail Corridor

Purpose

To prescribe the rules for planning work within the Rail Corridor and assessing the work for safety.

Principle

Work planned for the Rail Corridor must be assessed for safety and its potential to intrude on the Danger Zone.

Work in the Danger Zone must:

• be carried out in accordance with the Network Rules and Network Procedures, and
• not begin until the required safety measures are in place.

The level of safety must not be reduced:

• to allow rail traffic movements, or
• because of a lack of Qualified 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 Signallers, Possession Protection Officer and Protection Officers must be maintained.

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.

For the duration that the safe place is required, the Driver or Track Vehicle Operator must be able to see the worksite from the lead vehicle.

Protection Officer

Work within the Danger Zone must have a Protection Officer while work is being performed.

A Protection Officer is responsible for managing worksite protection. A Protection Officer’s primary duty and responsibility is to keep the worksite and workers safe.

The Protection Officer must be satisfied that other work will not interfere with their primary duty.

The Protection Officer must:

• make a safety assessment, and
• be the only person to brief workers about worksite protection and safety measures:
  • before work begins
  • if protection and safety measures change
  • before additional workers join the worksite.
• make sure that the rail safety component of the work is done safely, and
• keep records about the methods used for working safely on track and protection arrangements, and
• communicate with the Signaller about the work.

Assessing safety

When making a safety assessment, Protection Officers must consider, amongst other factors, if:

• the work will affect track under the control of different Signallers or Access Providers
• appropriate numbers of Qualified Workers will be available to protect the work
• easily-reached safe places will be available for workers
• the sighting distance and speed of approaching rail traffic allow sufficient warning time to be given by Lookouts
• it is possible to close the affected line during the work
• there will be rail traffic on lines next to, near to or close to the work on track
• rail traffic will travel in both directions on a unidirectional line next to, near to or close to the work on track
• there will be rail traffic between or within worksites
• rail traffic next to, near to or close to the work on track could pose a risk to workers and equipment
• safety measures are required to protect workers from the risk of rail traffic on lines next to, near or close to the work on track
• signals are available to protect worksites
• other work on track will affect the worksites
• there is safe access to and from worksites
• there is public access to the Rail Corridor
• road traffic could pose a risk to workers and equipment
• the work will affect or 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 will be 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 at the worksite will affect safety.

The Protection Officer must reassess safety measures if conditions such as visibility or work locations change.

Multiple Access Providers

If the planned work will affect track under the control of more than one Access Provider, the Protection Officer must get authority for the work as required by each Access Provider.

Level crossings

If work on track at level crossings will intrude on level crossings or affect their operation, the Protection Officer must arrange to ensure the safety of:

• workers, and
• road, pedestrian and rail traffic.

Working in Maintenance Centres and stabling yards

Within a Maintenance Centre or in sidings within a stabling yard the Protection Officer may arrange to protect a worksite:

• using a work on track authority, or
• using work on track method, or
• by contacting the persons responsible for allowing rail traffic entry into the affected portion of track.

If a work on track authority or work on track method is not available, the Protection Officer must arrange for:

• blocking facilities to be applied to prevent rail traffic entry into the worksite, or
• points to be clipped and locked to prevent rail traffic entry into the worksite.

Before work begins, stationary rail traffic within the affected portion of track must be prevented from moving.

Work in the Danger Zone

Work in the Danger Zone may be carried out by using one of the following work on track authorities:

• Local Possession Authority (LPA), as described in NWT 302 Local Possession Authority, or
• Track Occupancy Authority (TOA), as described in NWT 304 Track Occupancy Authority, or
• Track Work Authority (TWA), as described in NWT 306 Track Work Authority

or, by using one of the following work on track methods:

• Absolute Signal Blocking (ASB), as described in NWT 308 Absolute Signal Blocking, or
• Lookout Working, as described in NWT 310 Lookout Working, or
• Signal Key Switch (SKS) Blocking, as described in NWT 320 Signal Key Switch Blocking.

The preferred worksite protection arrangements for working on track are:

• Local Possession Authorities, and
• Track Occupancy Authorities.

Each work on track authority and work on track method has mandatory minimum safety measures. Additional safety measures may be applied.