QTS Training is an NSAR Gold rated provider of railway safety critical and on-track plant training. In this article, Training Manager Dom McKenna explains why the company has developed a series of new safety critical training courses for its own workforce.
The railway is a dangerous environment – and the risks it poses shouldn’t be underestimated, particularly by those who work on and around it. Because, while track worker safety has been steadily improving since the early 20th century, accidents still happen.
Even during possessions, electricity, plant, and machinery pose a serious risk to workers. Safety must come first – a message that will resonate with many industry professionals.
That means ensuring people know the risks and understand the safety protocols, particularly if they’re new to rail. But complacency can be just as dangerous; over time, railway workers might become so familiar with their working environment that they forget how dangerous it truly is.
The importance of safety critical training
The answer is training – and it should be an ongoing process. Only by continuously training teams – refreshing their knowledge and reminding them of the risks – can we ensure sites remain safe. Sometimes, it’s about changing mindsets – challenging the assumption that ‘the way we’ve always done things’ is best.
And that’s why QTS recently developed several new safety critical training courses for employees – including a safety critical communications course, a Responsible Manager (RM) course and a Controller of Site Safety (COSS) Skills Development Course.
These courses are designed to highlight the importance of safety protocols, building on industry standard training. Because, if the professionals responsible for site safety are properly trained – if they have an up-to-date understanding of line blockages, possessions, safe work packs (SWP), and Network Rail standards – they can guide and protect teams more effectively, creating a strong safety culture. And that brings clients peace of mind; they know work is being delivered safely and compliantly.
The RM course includes several modules:
• Understanding the 019 Standard & Modules.
• Understanding Safe Systems of Work Hierarchy.
• QTS’ expectations.
It equips RM’s with the knowledge and understanding they need to ensure SWPs are prioritised, planned, and completed in accordance with Network Rail Standards and client organisations’ processes and procedures.
The COSS course, meanwhile, aims to:
• Refresh current COSS knowledge.
• Provide a better understanding of working within possessions.
• Provide a better understanding of LCV process.
• Enable a better understanding of Line Blockages.
• Assist when tasked with taking a Line Blockage.
• Help professionals understand the different types of Line Blockages.
• Develop and improve COSS briefing skills.
My team and I drew on industry experience and lessons learned to design these training courses. I began my own rail career in a labouring role while I was still studying chemistry at university. And today, my time on the frontline helps me relate to QTS’ track teams, developing more effective training – courses informed by firsthand experience.
We’re already delivering this training to our teams in Scotland and the UK, and it’s been well received.
Addressing rail’s trainer and assessor shortage
But developing and delivering effective training is only half the battle. The rail industry is struggling with a critical shortage of trainers and assessors – an issue that will only worsen as more qualified professionals reach retirement age.
Over time, this shortfall could have an impact on operations, leading to workforce shortages, assessment backlogs, and even safety risks.
As an industry, we must take action. QTS is currently upskilling three young professionals: two will become COSS trainers, and one will take on an assessor role. As a team, we have decades of collective experience; now, it’s about ensuring this knowledge is passed on to the next generation.
Because trainer and assessor roles can be hugely rewarding. They require a mix of subject matter knowledge, strong people skills, and administrative abilities. I’d strongly encourage school leavers to consider a career in rail – there are so many brilliant opportunities, as I’ve discovered over the course of my own career.
And safety remains at the heart of everything we do. Working together as an industry, we can continue to deliver on Network Rail’s vision – “everyone home safe, every day.”
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