05.05.17
RSSB develops new guidance to improve NTS of rail staff
New staff training guidance has been announced this week to boost the skills of railway workers to create a safer train network in the UK.
The RSSB has stated that it is developing guidance that was launched in 2012 to improve the non-technical skills (NTS) of staff and reduce risk for passengers on the railway.
NTS are defined as social, cognitive and personal skills that can enhance the way staff carry out technical tasks and procedures to better equip them to make the railway safer for passengers.
RSSB stated: “There is a growing appreciation within the rail industry of the importance of NTS. They form an important part of competence and competence management because they can improve the management operational risk by helping to manage threats and errors when they occur.
“They can also help safety critical staff to be aware of their own performance and to how to improve.”
The new NTS training materials include work improving the awareness of dispatchers, guards, shunters, fitters and engineers, train controllers as well as drivers.
Previous work on NTS by the RSSB has improved safety at the platform train interface by improving the concentration and anticipation of risk in dispatch staff.
It is also used to better strategies to improve staff response when there has been an incident. The guidance can also be integrated into existing training courses of companies, to allow for flexibility and to maximise the benefits for organisations.
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