This unit involves the skills and knowledge required to implement and maintain rail safety management plans.

It includes identifying safety management plans appropriate to organisational activities, implementing plans, monitoring their effectiveness, and identifying and reporting on non-compliance issues.

People achieving competence in this unit will need to fulfil the applicable state/territory legislated rail safety requirements and to comply with relevant codes of practice and/or guidelines.

No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.

Elements describe the essential outcomes.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.

1 

Identify appropriate rail safety management plans 

1.1

Compliance documentation relevant to rail safety for the activities being carried out is accessed and interpreted

1.2

Relevant personnel are consulted about the content of rail safety management plans

1.3

Rail safety management plans are developed or adapted to meet organisational and regulatory requirements

1.4

Strategies for managing ongoing changes that may affect rail safety management plans are identified and communicated to relevant organisational personnel

1.5

Information relating to rail safety management plans is disseminated to organisational personnel in appropriate language, style and format

1.6

Implications of non-compliance are clarified with relevant organisational personnel

2 

Implement rail safety management plans 

2.1

Implementation of rail safety management plans is planned in collaboration with others to ensure compliance with rail safety management systems (SMSs) and organisational requirements

2.2

Implementation of rail safety management plan work activities is monitored to ensure compliance with rail SMSs and organisational requirements

2.3

Training needs of personnel are identified and supported to ensure they meet their rail safety management workplace responsibilities

3 

Monitor rail safety management plans 

3.1

Actual and potential problems relating to rail safety compliance within the workplace are identified and reported

3.2

Identified problems are reported to appropriate personnel to ensure compliance with rail SMSs and organisational requirements

3.3

Identified non-compliance is reported and recorded in accordance with legislative requirements and organisational policies and procedures

3.4

Recommendations on improvements to rail safety management plans are submitted to appropriate personnel in accordance with organisational and/or regulatory requirements

3.5

Records are maintained in accordance with organisational and regulatory requirements

Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.

Range is restricted to essential operating conditions and any other variables essential to the work environment.

Non-essential conditions can be found in the Companion Volume Implementation Guide.

Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria on at least one occasion and include:

• adapting to any changes in legislation and regulations as they relate to rail safety management systems (SMSs)
• applying relevant legislation and workplace procedures
• communicating effectively with others
• identifying breaches of organisational rail SMSs and taking appropriate action, in accordance with organisational policies and procedures
• identifying rail SMSs for a particular activity
• modifying activities and taking appropriate actions to manage the implementation of organisational rail safety management plans depending on contexts, risk situations and environments
• monitoring rail SMSs
• reading, interpreting and applying relevant documentation
• undertaking compliance monitoring and reviews of organisational rail SMSs
• working collaboratively with employees and management to implement organisational rail SMSs.

Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria and include knowledge of:

• components of rail SMSs and plans
• options and resources for providing training and learning opportunities for employees about rail safety management
• procedures and tools for monitoring and reviewing rail safety management plans, and related policy and procedures
• relevant legislation, regulations, permit and licence requirements relating to rail safety management
• responsibilities of organisation and employees for implementing rail safety management plans
• SMSs.

As a minimum, assessors must satisfy applicable regulatory requirements, which include requirements in the Standards for Registered Training Organisations current at the time of assessment.

As a minimum, assessment must satisfy applicable regulatory requirements, which include requirements in the Standards for Registered Training Organisations current at the time of assessment.

Assessment must occur in workplace operational situations or, where this is not available, in simulated workplace operational situations that replicate rail workplace conditions.

Assessment processes and techniques must be appropriate to the language, literacy and numeracy requirements of the work being performed and the needs of the candidate.

Resources for assessment include:

• a range of relevant exercises, case studies and/or simulations
• relevant and appropriate materials, tools, equipment and personal protective equipment currently used in industry
• applicable documentation including workplace procedures, regulations, codes of practice, SMSs and operation manuals.