NWT 302 Local Possession Authority

Principle

An LPA authorises the closure of a defined portion of track for a specified period.

An LPA gives exclusive occupancy for the defined portion of track.

An LPA is issued exclusively to the Possession Protection Officer.

The Possession Protection Officer and Protection Officers must make safety assessments as described in NWT 300 Planning work in the Rail Corridor.

A number of separate worksites and their associated rail traffic and equipment may occupy the portion of track defined by an LPA.

Work within the portion of track included in the LPA limits must be done only with the agreement of the Possession Protection Officer.

Unless advertised in the Network Local Appendix, the intention to take an LPA must be advertised in a Special Train Notice at least 7 days in advance.

Purpose

To prescribe the rules for authorising, issuing and using a Local Possession Authority (LPA).

Authorisation

Only Network Controllers may authorise an LPA for track under their control.

If the proposed limits of an LPA affect more than one Network Controller, the affected Network Controllers must agree on who will be the Coordinating Network Controller. The Coordinating Network Controller must authorise the LPA.

The Network Controller must make sure that:

• Signallers responsible for the affected area, and the Possession Protection Officer, are aware of the protection arrangements, and
• if the limits of the LPA change, the correct protection arrangements are in place.

The Network Controller must record, in permanent form, the details of an LPA before authorising the possession.

A form is not required.

Issue of an LPA

Only Network Controllers may issue an LPA.

Possession Protection Officer

At all times, there must be a nominated Possession Protection Officer for the LPA.

Arrangements for a Track Work Authority (TWA) or Track Occupancy Authority (TOA) to adjoin an LPA must be agreed to by the Possession Protection Officer.

The Possession Protection Officer must:

• get the LPA, and
• be responsible for the protection of workers from rail traffic, and
• make sure that the LPA is protected against the entry and exit of unauthorised rail traffic, and
• manage the establishment of worksites and coordinated worksites, and
• make sure that each worksite under the LPA has a Protection Officer while work is being performed, and
• make sure that each coordinated worksite under the LPA has a Coordinating Protection Officer while work is being performed, and
• establish effective communication with Protection Officers and Coordinating Protection Officers, and
• make sure that Protection Officers and Coordinating Protection Officers keep the tracks between worksites and protecting locations clear of obstructions, and
• coordinate the protection of all worksites within the LPA limits, and
• make sure that work in the Danger Zone does not begin before the required safety measures are in place, and
• coordinate the movement of rail traffic within the LPA.

Protection Officer

If the LPA includes more than one worksite, a Protection Officer must be on duty at each worksite when work is being done.

Each Protection Officer:

• must have effective communication with the Possession Protection Officer, and
• must comply with the Possession Protection Officer’s instructions, and
• is responsible for the protection of workers at the worksite from rail traffic, and
• must make sure that tracks between the worksite and protecting locations remain unobstructed, and
• if their worksite is within a coordinated worksite:
  • have effective communication with the Coordinating Protection Officer, and
  • comply with the Coordinating Protection Officer’s instructions.
• must be the only person to brief workers about worksite protection and safety measures:
  • before work begins, and
  • if the protection arrangements change, and
  • before additional workers join the worksite.

Coordinating Protection Officer

At all times, there must be a nominated Coordinating Protection Officer for the coordinated worksite.

Each Coordinating Protection Officer must:

• comply with the Possession Protection Officer’s instructions, and
• make sure that each worksite within the coordinated worksite has a Protection Officer while work is being done, and
• have effective communication with Protection Officers, and
• coordinate the movement of rail traffic within the coordinated worksite, and
• tell the Possession Protection Officer about changes within the coordinated worksite, and arrange for:
  • the removal or placement of worksite delineation markers, and
  • railway track signals and worksite protection markers placed between 500m and 1000m from the outermost worksites.
• be the only person to brief Protection Officers in the coordinated worksite about worksite protection and safety measures:
  • before work begins, and
  • if the protection arrangements change, and
  • before worksites join or leave the coordinated worksite.

Protecting the LPA limits

Signallers must apply blocking facilities to prevent unauthorised rail traffic:

• from entering the LPA, and
• where available, from exiting the LPA.

Railway track signals and possession limit markers must be placed at the LPA limits or 2500m from the outermost worksite if this is more practicable.

Possession limit markers must include the contact details of the Possession Protection Officer.

Extending the limits of an LPA

The limits of an LPA may be extended:

• if provision to extend the LPA limits has been advertised in the associated Special Train Notice, and
• as agreed between the Possession Protection Officer and the Network Controller.

LPA limits must not be extended to a location where blocking facilities cannot be applied to prevent rail traffic from entering the LPA. If possible, blocking facilities must be applied to prevent rail traffic from exiting the LPA.

Intermediate access routes allowing entry to the LPA

The Possession Protection Officer must make sure that the points for intermediate access routes allowing entry to the LPA are protected by:

• controlled absolute signals at stop with blocking facilities applied, or
• points clipped and locked to prevent unauthorised rail traffic from entering and exiting the LPA.

A worksite must not be established within 500m of a signal protecting an intermediate access route unless a set of points has been clipped and locked to prevent entry to the LPA.

Half-staff

If practicable, the Possession Protection Officer must arrange for signals at the limits of the LPA to be set at STOP by taking one or more half-staffs and securing them for the period of the LPA.

The Signaller must record, in permanent form, details about half-staffs that have been secured.

Terminal lines and balloon loops

If the Signaller tells the Possession Protection Officer that there is no planned rail traffic movement between the worksites and the end of a terminal line or balloon loop, railway track signals and possession limit markers are not required from that direction.

Protecting worksites

Unless otherwise specified in this Rule, worksites must have three railway track signals and a worksite protection marker placed between 500m and 1000m from each end.

Worksite protection markers must include the contact details of the Protection Officer.

If there is only one worksite within an LPA, it may be protected by the protection at the LPA limits.

Worksites within 500m of an LPA limit

If there is a worksite within 500m of an LPA limit, it must be protected by:

• the protection at the LPA limit, and
• a worksite protection marker placed adjacent to the possession limit marker.

Where a fixed signal can provide access to an LPA limit, a worksite may be established within 500m of the limit only if:

• Lookout working is established in accordance with NWT 310 Lookout Working, or
• a set of points has been clipped and locked to prevent access to the LPA limit, or
• a TWA or TOA adjoining the LPA limits has been authorised to prevent rail traffic from approaching the LPA limit for the period of the work.

Multiple worksites

Worksites less than 500m apart must be protected and managed as a single worksite or as a coordinated worksite.

If worksites are between 500m and 1000m apart:

• three railway track signals must be placed midway between the worksites, and
• a worksite protection marker must be placed next to the middle railway track signal.

Coordinated worksites

Worksites less than 500m apart that cannot be managed as a single worksite, must be protected and managed as a coordinated worksite.

A coordinated worksite must have:

• approved worksite delineation markers placed midway between worksites, and
• railway track signals and worksite protection markers placed between 500m and 1000m from the outermost worksites.

Worksite delineation markers must include the contact details of Protection Officers.

Lookout Working

If a safety assessment shows that it is safe, Lookout Working may be used as a safety measure within the limits of an LPA for work:

• not requiring tools, or
• using tools which can be easily and immediately removed from the track by one person and are:
  • light, non-powered hand tools, or
  • light, battery powered tools or devices.

Lookout Working must be implemented in accordance with NWT 310 Lookout Working.

Rail traffic

Only rail traffic associated with an LPA may enter the LPA limits.

Other rail traffic may cross the LPA to enter or exit a balloon loop or siding, but only with the Possession Protection Officer’s agreement.

The Possession Protection Officer or delegate must manage all rail traffic movements within the LPA.

Adjacent lines

If the safety assessment indicates that the work needs to be protected from rail traffic on adjacent lines, the Possession Protection Officer must arrange for Coordinating Protection Officers and Protection Officers to implement safety measures in accordance with NPR 712 Protecting work from rail traffic on adjacent lines.

The Coordinating Protection Officers and Protection Officers may arrange for the speed of rail traffic on adjacent lines to be restricted.

Piloting

The Possession Protection Officer or a delegate must act as the Pilot.

Entering LPA limits

Entry into the LPA limits must be authorised by:

• clearing of fixed signals protecting the LPA limits, or
• Signaller’s authority from the entry to the section.

Rail traffic associated with the LPA must be piloted when entering the Authority’s limits:

• from the controlled absolute signal protecting the LPA limits, or
• if there are no controlled absolute signals, from the entry to the section.

Travelling within LPA limits

Rail traffic must be piloted within the LPA limits.

Within yard limits, Drivers and Track Vehicle Operators must get the Signaller’s authority for unsignalled movements.

Departing the LPA limits

Rail traffic must depart from the LPA limits only on the Signaller’s authority.

Liaison

The Possession Protection Officer must be the only point of contact between Signallers and work groups for matters of worksite protection.

The Possession Protection Officer must:

• tell affected Signallers about the protection arrangements at the LPA limits, and
• tell affected Signallers about protection arrangements on the lines adjacent to the LPA, and
• tell affected Signallers about work progress, and
• if necessary, seek an extension of time, and
• arrange for the movement of rail traffic associated with the LPA.

Change of Possession Protection Officer

An outgoing Possession Protection Officer must tell an incoming Possession Protection Officer about the LPA and worksite protection arrangements.

The incoming Possession Protection Officer must:

• tell affected Signallers about the changed contact details, and
• make a permanent record of the handover of the LPA.

Fulfilling the LPA

An LPA may be:

• fulfilled for the entire portion of track included in the LPA, or
• fulfilled progressively for one or more advertised track possessions included in the LPA.

An LPA may be fulfilled only when the Possession Protection Officer:

• arranges for work to continue under another work on track authority or work on track method, or
• tells the Network Controller that:
  • the worksites have been cleared, and
  • protection has been removed, and
  • half-staffs have been returned, and
  • the portion of track included in the LPA is available for use.

The Possession Protection Officer must tell affected Signallers about operating restrictions that have been placed or removed.

If arrangements have been made to continue work under another work on track authority, the Possession Protection Officer must make sure that the protection for the LPA is not removed until the new work on track authority is issued and the required protection is in place.

If they are not required for continued work under another work on track authority, or for other reasons, Signallers must remove blocking facilities.

Keeping records

Network Controllers and Signallers must record the LPA details in permanent form.

The Possession Protection Officers, Coordinating Protection Officers and Protection Officer must record, in permanent form:

• the LPA details, and
• protection arrangements for worksites, and
• any communication details about:
  • current protection arrangements, and
  • changes to the protection arrangements.