This standard identifies the competences you need to lead a safety culture, and apply safe systems of work when carrying out rail welding activities, including agreeing and monitoring departmental budgets. You will be required to lead rail welding and renewal activities, including review of standards and other supplementary requirements, assurance of operator competence, assessment of the capability to meet the prescribed requirements, and technical review to establish parent material specifications and welded joint properties, inspection, testing, quality and acceptance requirements in accordance with approved procedures and policies. You will monitor and report activities to ensure that the welded rails are fit for purpose and meet the required quality specification on time and to the agreed budget.

You will be required to establish the necessary required qualifications for personnel and select competent welders and welding operators, welding inspectors and NDT operators. You will also select suitable welding and associated equipment, including personal protective equipment, for the activity. You will be required to consider the necessary methods and actions for calibration and validation of measuring, inspection and testing equipment.

You will also be required to identify and implement a systematic approach to improving the rail welding activities undertaken.

Your responsibilities will require you to comply with organisational policy and processes for the storage, handling and traceability of materials, including welding consumables.

You will be required to prepare and maintain quality records, including non-conformance and corrective actions, reporting any problems that you cannot personally resolve, or that are outside of your permitted authority, to the relevant people.  You must ensure that that all necessary data and documentation is completed accurately and legibly and stored in the correct location and format.  You will be expected to work with minimal supervision, taking personal responsibility for your own actions, and for the quality and accuracy of the welding work carried out. You will be required to determine the remedial action necessary for welds that do not meet the acceptance criteria.

Your underpinning knowledge will provide an in depth understanding of your work, and will provide an informed approach to applying a range of leadership methods and techniques to ensure that the rail welding activities undertaken are fit for purpose and meet the quality specification on time and to budget.   You will understand about the rail welding processes and associated quality assurance requirements in sufficient depth to provide a sound basis for leading the rail welding activities.  In addition, you will have sufficient understanding on how to develop the team and how to identify and implement a systematic approach to improving the rail welding activities undertaken.

You will understand the safety precautions required when carrying out the rail welding activities.  You will also understand your responsibilities for safety and the importance of taking the necessary safeguards to protect yourself and others in the work area.

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1. work safely at all times, complying with health and safety and other relevant regulations, directives and guidelines
2. correctly develop, gain agreement of and review departmental budgets
3. produce, agree and update effective departmental schedules and plans
4. ensure that schedules and plans are capable of meeting the required outputs
5. lead rail welding activities
6. accurately complete and save relevant rail welding data and documentation accurately
7. identify and implement effective improvements to processes and procedures
8. ensure rail welding activities are carried out correctly in line with approved company processes and procedures
9. accurately create and update visual management documentation and systems to support the activities undertaken
10. evaluate and report and evaluate the impact of improvement activities
11. produce and maintain a competency skills matrix of team members to effectively manage personnel competence in accordance with requirements

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1. the health and safety requirements of the area in which the rail welding activity is to take place, and the responsibilities that these requirements place on you
2. the information systems that are in use within your organisation, and how to record data to the system
3. how to obtain and interpret legislative and regulatory documentation
4. how to obtain and interpret company policies and procedures
5. how to prioritise your own and your team's workload to ensure that targets are met
6. the process to be followed to develop and gain agreement on departmental budgets
7. the importance of regularly monitoring departmental budgets and the implications for the business if this is not carried out
8. how to communicate effectively, listen, question, support and coach others to work towards the departmental targets
9. the importance of ensuring that teams have the required skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours in order to weld rails to the required standards
10. how to access training and development programmes once a training need has been identified  
11. the specific health and safety precautions to be applied during the rail welding and their effects on others
12. how to complete and review risk assessments
13. the hazards and risks associated with carrying out activities
14. the methods and practices that should be used to minimise hazards and risks
15. the importance of ensuring employees wear protective clothing and other appropriate safety equipment during the rail welding  
16. the importance of having access to up to date data and information such as drawings, specifications, manufacturers' manuals and other documents needed in the rail welding process
17. who to contact if clarification is required on the rail welding tasks to be completed
18. who should be involved in authorising any changes required to the rail welding activities
19. the methods used to calculate how long it should take to complete specific work tasks
20. the procedure for purchasing/obtaining materials and other consumables necessary for the rail welding activities
21. the health and safety hazards associated with rail welding and fabrication processes, including techniques to minimise them.
22. the classification and properties of rail grades and profiles, including the metallurgy and weldability of cast metals, steels, aluminium alloys and other engineering materials in common use.
23. the development of modern track technology, including standards and abbreviations
24. the design principles, different types of loading, in-service defects, failure types and the influence of ambient conditions on rail constructions
25. the principles of quality assurance and quality control as applied to rail welding
26. the factors affecting welding stress and distortion in welded rail and how these effects can be measured and minimised
27. the characteristics and application of rail welding and cutting processes, including aluminothermic welding, flash-butt welding, arc welding, mechanical cutting and gas cutting
28. the operation, maintenance and calibration requirements of the principal components of welding and ancillary equipment
29. the application of cutting and arc welding processes to rail including repair and maintenance
30. the development of arc welding procedure specifications for rail welding
31. the production and use of process manuals
32. the use of Non Destructive Testing as applied to rail welds and track components
33. the special requirements and necessary activities in the application of rail welding (such as rail industry documentation, standards and specifications)
34. the need for, and function of plant, auxiliary equipment, jigs and fixtures from the viewpoint of quality, economics and the environment
35. the methods of controlling the properties of welded joints, including strength, toughness, hardness, and corrosion resistance
36. the purpose and application of surveillance programmes and inspection plans for identification and monitoring of in-service defects and acceptance of welds
37. the requirements for measurement, control and recording during welding and allied operations
38. the principles of imperfections and acceptance criteria
39. the remedial actions necessary for welds that do not meet the acceptance criteria
40. the economics of welding operations applied to rail fabrication and renewal
41. the problems of repair welding both for on and off track situations
42. the quality assurance and control methods that are used
43. the personnel involved to ensure that the quality of product outcomes are fit for purpose and their responsibilities to ensure this is achieved
44. the process and procedures to be followed when defective products are identified during and on completion of the rail welding activity
45. the organisational procedure(s) to be adopted for the safe disposal of all types of waste materials
46. how to conduct a systematic plan, do, check, act (PDCA) approach to problem-solving and business improvement
47. how to use "root cause" problem solving analysis using the 5 whys/how technique
48. how to evaluate improvement ideas in order to select those that are to be pursued
49. how improvements to the process are achieved by engaging the knowledge and experience of the people working on the process
50. how to create, review and modify Standard Operating Procedures (SOP's) and correlate work activities into them
51. the techniques required to communicate information using visual control systems (such as card systems, colour coding, graphs and charts, team boards)
52. the extent of your own authority and to whom you should report if you have a problem that you cannot resolve

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1. Lead the rail welding activities by carrying out all the following:

   1. interpret the Health and Safety regulations for the rail welding environment and apply controls, mitigation and protective equipment to address the risk factors associated with welding, cutting, grinding and NDT
   2. obtain accurate details of the rails to be welded
   3. review and interpret the rail welding specification and documentation to assess their characteristics and requirements
   4. clarify any aspects of the rail welding specification or timescales that are unclear
   5. involve the team in planning how the rail welding activities will be achieved
   6. select, check, issue and brief safe systems of work plans, method statements, work package plans, work plans and briefing documents for specified track maintenance or renewal tasks
   7. provide clear and accurate instructions to all the relevant people
   8. advise welding personnel on welding instructions
   9. secure, monitor and control the use of resources to achieve the most effective results
   10. confirm and communicate any changes to the rail welding specification and/or timescales required by the customer
   11. allocate specific jobs/tasks to appropriate and competent personnel
   12. motivate the team to present their own ideas on improvements that could be made to the manufacturing process and procedures
   13. encourage the team and/or individuals to take the lead where appropriate
   14. deal efficiently and effectively with problems affecting the rail welding activities
   15. produce and agree contingency plans when required

2. Carry out all **the following whilst leading rail welding activities:

   1. interpret weld drawings and weld symbols, understand and apply the correct codes, standards and welding procedures
   2. review and verify that welder qualifications are valid, assign welders and control their deployment
   3. select the correct welding and associated equipment and verify that it is serviceable and calibrated
   4. select, supply and control the traceability of verified parent materials, check joint preparation, fit-up and cleanliness before welding
   5. identify welding consumables, verify welding consumables against documentation, and control their storage and supply
   6. control the welding parameters, techniques, sequences, preheating, heat input and heat treatment
   7. apply visual inspection to the control of weld finish and dimensions, and control of the shape and dimensions of the welded rails
   8. assign appropriate non-destructive testing of the welds
   9. assess inspection and test reports and identify the factors affecting weld defects and apply acceptance criteria from relevant codes, standards or specifications
   10. identify the nature and extent of production problems, evaluate and select solutions, and control weld repair and rework
   11. prepare, review, maintain and archive inspection reports and weld quality records

3. Prepare and plan rail welding activities by carrying out all of the following:

   1. select materials, equipment and consumables based on weld drawings and application standards or contract specifications
   2. compile and review welding procedures for welded components in accordance with specifications, national and international standards
   3. interpret and apply standards to the qualification of a welding procedure, recognising the main variables and its range of qualification
   4. determine the main variables for a particular welder/welding operator  qualification and its range of qualification, and initiate and maintain welder qualification tests and records
   5. select and apply appropriate plant, fixtures, jigs or positioners to improve weldability or productivity    
   6. analyse welding production rates and costs and schedule welding and handling activities to achieve requirements

4. Lead Quality Assurance and Quality Control activities for rail welding by carrying out all of the following:

   1. produce and implement effective quality control procedures.
   2. interpret and apply relevant standards (such as ISO 9000, and ISO 3834) to storage, supply, control and traceability of materials and consumables, including calibration of equipment
   3. recognise the basic factors related to personnel and equipment that influence weld quality, and control them to achieve specified results
   4. develop surveillance plans and inspection programmes in accordance with application standards or contract specifications, and demonstrate correct use of acceptance standards for in-service defects and weld imperfections
   5. apply appropriate methods of measurement to the control of welding and allied operations
   6. control welding quality, residual stresses and distortion through measurement of welding parameters and measurement and control of welding sequence and heat input

5. Lead one of the following activities :

Rail welding using aluminothermic and flash – butt processes

1.  determine the safe systems of work for track access, mechanical and oxy-fuel gas cutting, aluminothermic and flash-butt welding processes, and NDT for rail welding
2.  select appropriate procedures for specified rail types and materials.
3.  select appropriate welding and inspection personnel, equipment and consumables to be applied
4.  select and apply appropriate testing and measurement techniques and apply acceptance criteria to results  

or

Rail or track component repair using arc welding
5. determine the safe systems of work for track access, grinding/gouging, welding processes and NDT for rail repair
6. identify and measure in-service defects and direct application of grinding/gouging and NDT for preparation or the surface for repair
7. produce a welding procedure qualification, recognising the problems of making repair welds
8. select appropriate welding personnel, equipment and consumables to be applied to a specific weld repair procedure
9. select and apply appropriate testing and measurement techniques and apply acceptance criteria to results

6. Create and maintain management data and information to include the following:

   1. rail welding work plans/delivery schedules

plus supporting documentation associated with three of the following
2. quality records/defects
3. problem history/resolution
4. resources/materials requisitions
5. budgets
6. equipment performance
7. equipment maintenance
8. equipment downtime/failure
9. equipment utilisation
10. health and safety
11. staff development and training
12. department procedures/work instructions
13. tests and trials
14. regulatory compliance

7. Identify and implement improvements in the delivery unit/inspection department to achieve four of the following:

   1. reduced production costs
   2. reduced lead times
   3. improved quality
   4. improved equipment/tooling efficiency
   5. improved staff utilisation
   6. improved working practices
   7. improved equipment downtime
   8. improved equipment utilisation
   9. improved use of production/inspection technologies
   10. improved use of information technology
   11. improved health and safety
   12. improved visual management systems/documentation
   13. improved resource planning
   14. improved staff development and training
   15. reduction in waste
   16. reduction in energy usage
   17. improved environmental impact
   18. improved customer service
   19. other specific improvement

8. Ensure welded rails complies with three **of the following:

   1. organisational guidelines and procedures
   2. equipment manufacturer's operating specification/range
   3. British, European or International standards or directives
   4. recognised compliance agency/body standards or directives
   5. health, safety and environmental requirements
   6. customer standards and requirements

9. Complete the relevant documentation to include one **from the following:

   1. job cards
   2. company-specific recording system

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​Additional Information

You will be able to apply the appropriate behaviours required in the workplace to meet the job profile and overall company objectives, such as:

• strong work ethic
• positive attitude
• team player
• dependability
• responsibility
• honesty
• integrity
• motivation
• commitment

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2

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2020

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Current

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Original

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Semta

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SEMEM4-38

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Corporate Managers and Senior Officials, Engineering, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies, Functional Managers

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1121

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Engineering; leading; design; process; maintenance; quality; customer; function; features; objectives; manufacturing; installation; commissioning; testing; carrying out; problems; specifications; quality; research; evaluate; rail; welding

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