CPA Bulletin

44 CPA Bulletin > February 2022 www.cpa.uk.net rail plant association RAIL PLANT ASSOCIATION: 1 Time for a Recap? Now is probably a good time to look back at our published discussion points from 2021. We started 2021 talking about the Plant Operating Scheme (POS), the way this scheme has evolved, raised safety standards, and shed some light on the roles and responsibilities of POS staff. We’ve also discussed at length the challenges and expectations of fatigue risk management. This is such an important topic that will change cultures on rail working. You can look back at the May 2021 issue of the CPA Bulletin for the RPA’s thoughts on that. We also shared some really interesting points about the Rail PPS reliability system. Network Rail later wrote a bit more on the Rail PPS tool which was a great insight. This led to our following article which raised the concern for on-track plant incidents. A growing number of events has caused concern and Network Rail have responded with a Plant Safe Working Group led at Director level in Network Rail. The RPA has two volunteers assisting Network Rail on this. Our final article for 2021 focussed on the history of the RPA with some interesting ‘frequently asked questions’, answered. The Market Normally, we would use this section to discuss ‘operational challenges’. But it is probably a good time at the start of a new year to talk about ‘commercial issues’ for a change. Our rail industry is facing unprecedented challenges to deliver works in an ever more cost-efficient way. Reduced income from passengers combined with the pressures on the Treasury due to Covid are clear for all to see. We are also fully aware of cost pressures within our own businesses - increased labour, fuel, haulage and raw material costs. Whilst we cannot control inflation, we can pull together as an industry and help the situation. We can, and often do, work together to review the standards which are mandated. We can challenge current standards and propose more cost-effective ways of achieving the same or even enhanced levels of assurance. We can work together to remove duplication and unnecessary steps in processes. Collectively, we can improve, modernise and reform our industry to become more cost-efficient. Although we can see some quick wins and streamlining opportunities, there is a strong undercurrent causing the OTP communities some concern. Plant operators. In decades past, the fluctuation of work opportunities (some weeks are flat out followed by days of no work) have been a pain, but manageable. This was due to the rail paying better hourly rates to operators. That helped ensure the peaks and troughs of work were always resourced adequately. Today however, is a different matter. Weekend only shifts are no longer attractive to the plant operator, the construction world offers 40-50 hours of mid-week day shifts at a much increased hourly rate of pay. Those who came to the rail to ‘top up’ their pay with a Saturday night shift, are no longer financially driven to do so. Combine this with the 30+ OTP operator Sentinel competencies required to work on rail plant, and we have an enormous barrier to entry to overcome. As a result, RPA members are struggling to attract new plant operators and the age demographic for our existing plant operators is getting older. Product Acceptance (PA) Process At the request of some of our RPA members, we wanted to discuss how the PA process affects us. Product Acceptance (PA) is the process used by Network Rail to provide assurances that products, materials and equipment that are used on or around the infrastructure are safe, reliable and fit for purpose. When reviewed against the scope of the Network Rail standard NR/L2/ RSE/100/05, equipment that interacts with the infrastructure is required to follow the process, and this includes OTP, their attachments and other portable plant. This is also mandated through the application of the rail industry standard, RIS 1710 PLT. As OTP suppliers we are required to apply this process to get all items of OTP and attachments approved for use on the infrastructure. ALL ABOARD! Welcome and Happy New Year. It’s remarkable how fast 2021 has passed, and despite the ongoing challenges of Covid-19, we hope 2021 was a good year for you and 2022 is even better. First of all, a big thank you to the RPA members who overcame the challenges of Covid-19 and still managed to provide on-track plant and people to our railways. We should all hold our heads high and be proud of our achievements.