Prepare work areas for signal engineering activities

This standard is about preparing work areas for signal engineering activities and covers the provision of supplies and services to enable work activities to take place, thus ensuring the health, safety, and welfare of all persons involved.

You will be required to prepare work areas prior to signal engineering activities taking place. The work areas could include signalling infrastructure, off-site areas, and adjacent land. The preparations must take account of all relevant environmental considerations. The quality standards and accuracy to be achieved will be in line with your organisation's procedures. The signalling equipment in this standard can be for overground or underground rail transportation systems and can apply to newer systems, such as the European Train Control System (ETCS).

The level and extent of responsibility includes both your own safety, that of work colleagues, passengers and the public. Where necessary, authorisation must be obtained before work is carried out on signalling infrastructure. You will be expected to work within approved procedures and specifications and will work within the limits of your own responsibility and authority.

During this work, you must take account of the relevant worksite operational requirements, procedures, and safe working practices as they apply to you.

Your underpinning knowledge will provide a good understanding of your work and will provide an informed approach to applying problem-solving techniques and procedures when preparing work areas prior to signal engineering activities.

You will comply with any organisational procedures, and legislative or regulatory health, safety, and environmental requirements applicable when preparing work areas prior to signal engineering activities.

This standard is for all those overseeing or supervising signal engineering activities.

P1 maintain safe working practices and comply with all relevant health and safety regulations, directives, and guidelines
P2 identify any necessary changes to safety requirements upon site arrival and report to the relevant person(s) without delay
P3 source and follow the appropriate schedules, diagrams, and related specifications for the work being carried out as approved by your organisation
P4 ensure that the work environment is suitable for the work activities to be undertaken
P5 prepare the work areas following the correct specifications so that they are ready for the engineering activities to be carried out
P6 make sure that required safety arrangements are in place to protect other workers from activities that can disrupt normal working
P7 prepare appropriate documentation and report progress/completion of activities in line with your organisation's procedures
P8 address problems within your control and report unresolved issues

K1 the relevant health and safety regulations, directives, guidelines, and safe working practices and procedures defined by your organisation, as appropriate to the activity and your working area
K2 your responsibilities in respect of health, safety, and environment. This should include the limits of your personal responsibility, your legal responsibility for your own health and safety and the health and safety of others
K3 the importance of wearing protective clothing and other appropriate types of safety equipment and where to obtain it from
K4 how to locate and access the site
K5 hazards associated with working on signalling infrastructure
K6 environmental and safety risks associated with working with hazardous substances and materials
K7 how to source and follow schedules, diagrams, and specifications relevant to your role, as approved by your organisation
K8 the methods and procedures for preparing the work area
K9 the consequences of not preparing work areas in accordance with your organisation's procedures
K10 planning arrangements and mitigation to minimise disruptive effect on normal operations and neighbours
K11 the relevant data management processes and technologies for recording information
K12 the relevant reporting lines, timeframes, and procedures as approved by your organisation
K13 the escalation and emergency procedures, as approved by your organisation
K14 the interfaces and impact of the work that you are undertaking on others
K15 the limits of your own authority and responsibility and those of others involved

1. Types of health and safety legislation, regulations and safe working practices and procedures, as applicable to the work location and activities, could include:

   • control of substances hazardous to health
   • safe work plans
   • track access restrictions
   • track work instructions
   • track possession
   • task risk control sheets
   • current rule book
   • regulations for working under OLE and in the vicinity of DC lines (where appropriate)
   • equipment disconnections
   • manual handling
   • reporting of injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences
   • safety signage legal requirements
   • PPE

2. Schedules, diagrams, and specifications could include:

   • organisational work schedules
   • technical diagrams and schematics
   • blockages and site limits
   • isolation certificates
   • maintenance and installation specifications
   • project timelines and deadlines

3. Types of work area could include:

   • trackside infrastructure
   • cable routes and troughing
   • control centres
   • equipment housings
   • wireless infrastructure
   • access and laydown areas
   • civil integration points
   • maintenance access points
   • power supply sites
   • temporary works

4. Types of signalling engineering activities could include:

   • installation
   • maintenance
   • fault finding
   • testing
   • other industry specific signalling activity

5. Types of documentation to prepare and report could include:

   • preparation checklists
   • progress reports
   • safety inspection forms
   • work completion records
   • handover documentation