The rail industry’s peak body, the Australasian Railway Association (ARA), launched the National Track Safety Induction (NTSI) courseware at the RISSB Rail Safety Conference in Melbourne on 26 March. The courseware signifies the first step in a national approach toward harmonisation and consistency in rail specific training across the entire rail industry.
The NTSI courseware is the result of industry collaboration to achieve a national approach for training those required to work safely in the rail corridor and operate under track protection rules, creating efficiencies through reduction in the re-training for workers operating across different networks and states.
“With movement in the industry over the last 10 years towards a national rail system, it is increasingly common for rail maintenance owners, operators, suppliers and contractors to work across multiple jurisdictions; creating unnecessary inefficiencies and impacting on productivity,” said CEO of the ARA, Bryan Nye OAM.
“The NTSI provides common course materials that make it easier for employees to move and work across jurisdictions and for employers to ensure their staff meet national, agreed training requirements and aid in recognition and transferability of employee’s skills in rail.
“This harmonisation will create a safer, more productive and cost effective approach to learning and development activities in the rail industry. For example, the development of one common course is estimated to save individual organisations approximately $80,000 on average, whilst in the long run, developing common courseware for all rail specific training has the potential to save the rail industry in excess of $39.2 million,” said Mr Nye.
The National Track Safety Induction courseware covers the core competency requirements of level 1 track safety awareness that, most importantly, meets the needs of multiple networks across Australia. It is the first time that a rail specific training course will be so broadly recognised and utilised across the industry.
“A great deal of work has been completed to reach this point thanks to the dedication and commitment demonstrated by representatives from 14 accredited rail operators and infrastructure managers who worked in partnership on this initiative, however it is only the start of the journey,” continued Mr Nye.
“Maintaining this consistency and ensuring the quality of training delivery for the National Track Safety Induction is a high priority for ARA and its members,” concluded Mr Nye.
(Source: ARA)
