Individual Working Alone Question

[Allanw]

I plan on taking the Individual Working Alone - IWA - ticket in the near future.

My question, when working during the hours of darkness what protection methods are you allowed to use?

 

[Tom Quinne]

You can request a line blockage, you'll be in effect green zone whilst you have it.
Even during daylight you'll need a LB to walk round or past limited clearance sites or areas of green zone only working.

 

[Marklund]

Safety Central Key Point Card

INDIVIDUAL WORKING ALONE (IWA)
Only a person with a valid Sentinel Card endorsed IWA or COSS
can work alone on or near the line. If your Sentinel Card only
shows COSS with a red triangle you must not work alone.

IWA working at least 2 metres from any line

You must keep at least 2m from any line open to train
movements.

The only exception to this is if you are working within an
Engineering Supervisor’s worksite. To create a Safe System of
Work in an Engineering Supervisor’s worksite you must meet the
following criteria.
1) sign in and out, in person with the Engineering Supervisor
2) Train/OTP movements must be at extreme caution (no greater
than 5mph)
3) be in a safe position if a Train/OTP movement takes place
within your site of work
If you cannot meet these conditions you are working open line.

IWA working open line looking up every five seconds

An IWA should only work on an open line if they can look up
every five seconds if no other Safe System of Work is available
e.g. a Line Blockage or Equipment Warning.
You can only carry out Patrolling, Inspecting or Examining
duties.
Look up at least every 5 seconds.
You must be in a position of safety for at least 10 seconds
before an approaching train arrives.
Be able to reach your position of safety without crossing any
open line other than the one you are working on.
You must NOT rely on the above arrangements during darkness,
poor visibility or in a tunnel.

You'll obviously only be able to take line blockages you'd be qualified for, or have someone to perform the duties for you.

Do you currently have PTS?

 

[Elecman]

You can walk past a Limited Clearance area without a Line Blockage but obviously not work there, but not pass or work in a No Refuge area without an LB

 

[Allanw]

I have PTS.

During the hours of darkness I assume I can work in a Fenced area.

Also can ATWS and TOWS both be used during the hours of darkness?

 

[signallerscot]

This will all be covered on the IWA course.

 

[twpsaesneg]

Most of the big contractors are very reluctant to let IWAs out any more. I used to have my IWA but let it lapse - noone will sign off a SSoWPs pack without me having an entourage of protection staff.

Never heard of a IWA using ATWS for protection though it's theoretically possible. TOWS is great if you can get the key to it and it's still maintained.

Of course if you're NR maintenance different rules apply (not a dig, but in the contracting world Red-Zone is effectively banned).

I used to COSS and IWA for both contractors and Network Rail as staff, but everthing has tightened right up now.

Taking T-12's and T-2's used to be nice and easy!

Where IWA will benefit you is if you're working in a blockade, as I found it a lot easier to sign in with the ES to do my inspection, verification and survey works. Again, SSoWPs dependent now.

 

[Marklund]

This will all be covered on the IWA course.

And??