Personal Track Safety (PTS) is the mandatory entry‑level safety qualification required for anyone who needs to work on or near Network Rail tracks in the UK. It proves you understand the rules, hazards, and safe behaviours needed to stay alive in a live railway environment.
🚦 What PTS is
PTS (Personal Track Safety) is a national safety standard used across the UK rail industry. It ensures that anyone accessing the track understands:
How to walk and work safely on or near the line
How to recognise and avoid hazards such as trains, electrification, trip hazards, and poor visibility
How to communicate in safety‑critical situations
How to respond to emergencies, including making an emergency call
How to follow the Safe System of Work set by a COSS (Controller of Site Safety) or IWA (Individual Working Alone)
This is required before anyone is allowed within the railway boundary.
🧩 What the course includes
According to accredited training providers, the PTS course typically consists of:
E‑learning module (must be completed before attending)
Classroom theory
Practical track‑side training
Written and practical assessments
By the end, you must demonstrate safe walking, correct emergency procedures, and proper communication.
📋 Requirements before you can take PTS
To attend a PTS Initial course, you must:
Be sponsored by a rail employer
Be at least 16 years old
Pass a Network Rail medical (fitness, eyesight, hearing)
Pass a drugs & alcohol test (within 3 months of training)
Complete the PTS e‑learning
Have sufficient English language ability for safety‑critical communication
These requirements are set by Network Rail standards.
⚡ Variants of PTS
There are two main types:
PTS AC – for areas with overhead line equipment (most of the UK network)
PTS DCCR – for areas with DC conductor rails (e.g., parts of London & the South East)
Many courses combine both (PTS AC/DCCR).
🎓 After passing
You receive:
A Sentinel card showing your PTS competence
A work experience logbook (you wear a blue helmet until signed off as competent)
Validity: 2 years, after which you must take a PTS Recertification course
Your sponsor orders the Sentinel card, which usually arrives in about 5 working days.
🛠 Why it matters
Working near trains is extremely dangerous: trains cannot swerve, cannot stop quickly, and often run quietly at high speed. PTS training teaches you how to avoid the main causes of worker fatalities—strikes by trains, electrocution, and unsafe movement around the track.
Would you like a comparison of PTS vs COSS vs IWA, or a step‑by‑step guide on how to get sponsored for PTS?
PTS is the entry‑level safety competence; IWA is for one person working alone; COSS is for leading and protecting a whole group. Below is a clean, forensic, side‑by‑side comparison grounded in the rule‑book sources you’d expect (HB6, HB7, HB9).
🚦 PTS vs IWA vs COSS — The Forensic Comparison
1. Purpose of Each Competence
PTS (Personal Track Safety) — Baseline licence to be on or near the line. It does not let you set up protection or lead others.
IWA (Individual Working Alone) — For a single worker to set up their own Safe System of Work (SSoW) without a group.
COSS (Controller of Site Safety) — For someone who plans, sets up, and controls the Safe System of Work for a group.
2. Side‑by‑Side Table
| Function | PTS | IWA | COSS |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it allows | Be on/near the line under someone else’s protection | Work alone and create your own SSoW | Lead a group and create the SSoW for them |
| Authority level | None | Medium (self‑protection only) | High (responsible for group safety) |
| Safe System of Work | Cannot set one up | Sets up own SSoW | Designs, briefs, and enforces SSoW for group |
| Who you protect | Yourself (passively) | Yourself (actively) | Entire group |
| Planning duties | None | Must plan own safe access | Must plan, brief, monitor, and close down work |
| Rule‑book modules | HB1 + PTS Guide 3170 | HB6 | HB7 + HB8 + HB9 |
| Sentinel requirements | PTS only | PTS + IWA | PTS + COSS |
| Typical use case | Labourer, visitor, new starter | Small tasks, inspections, minor maintenance | Full work groups, possessions, line blockages |
| Responsibility level | Low | Medium | Very high (legal accountability) |
Sources confirm these distinctions: HB6 defines IWA duties; HB7 defines COSS duties; HB9 covers how IWA/COSS set up safe systems in possessions.
3. What Each Role Actually Does on Site
PTS
Understands basic track hazards
Follows the COSS/IWA instructions
Must not enter the railway boundary without a valid SSoW
Cannot make safety decisions or set protection
Think of PTS as the “driving licence theory test” of the railway world.
IWA (Individual Working Alone)
Agrees the work limits with the signaller, ES, or SWL depending on context
Sets up their own protection (e.g., line blockages, warning systems)
Must maintain continuous situational awareness
Cannot supervise others
HB6 explicitly defines these duties.
IWA is essentially a “solo COSS” with reduced scope.
COSS (Controller of Site Safety)
Plans the Safe System of Work
Briefs the group using the SSoW pack
Ensures everyone signs in and understands the briefing
Maintains group safety throughout
Splits groups if needed (recent rule‑book updates emphasise this)
Gives up the line or possession correctly at the end
HB7 and HB9 define these responsibilities.
COSS is the “site safety manager” for track workers.
4. Hierarchy of Competence (Lowest → Highest)
PTS — You can be on track under supervision
IWA — You can protect yourself
COSS — You can protect everyone else
5. When Each Is Used (Real‑World Examples)
PTS only
Labourer in a possession under a COSS
Vegetation worker inside a fenced green zone
Surveyor escorted by a COSS
IWA
One person inspecting a lineside cabinet
One engineer doing a quick fault‑find
One technician walking a short section of track
COSS
Track renewals
Drainage teams
OHL/Signalling groups
Any multi‑person work on open line or in possessions
6. Which Is Hardest to Qualify For?
PTS — Easy (entry level)
IWA — Moderate (requires experience + planning ability)
COSS — Hardest (requires experience, planning competence, and legal accountability)
If you want, I can also produce:
A flowchart showing when PTS/IWA/COSS applies
A step‑by‑step route from PTS → IWA → COSS
A forensic breakdown of how a COSS actually sets up a Safe System of Work on a live line
Train cleaners need PTS because their job often brings them inside the railway boundary, where trains can move at any time, and where electrification and track hazards can kill in seconds. Even if they never “work on the track”, they still enter an environment governed by the same safety rules as track workers.
Below is the clean, structured, forensic breakdown you prefer.
🚦 Why Train Cleaners Need Personal Track Safety (PTS)
1. They work in areas classed as “On or Near the Line”
Many cleaning tasks happen in:
Depots
Sidings
Stabling roads
Carriage sheds
Turnback platforms
Yards where trains move without warning
These areas are legally part of the railway infrastructure. If you step inside the boundary fence, you must hold PTS.
2. Trains move quietly and unpredictably
Cleaners often work:
Between units
Beside units
Crossing tracks to reach a train
Near drivers shunting stock
Near remote‑controlled depot movements
A modern EMU or DMU can roll silently at 5–10 mph. A cleaner with headphones, a vacuum, or a bin bag is vulnerable.
PTS teaches:
Safe walking routes
Where to stand
How to avoid “squeeze points”
How to recognise a moving train early
3. Electrification hazards
Many depots and sidings have:
25 kV overhead line equipment (OLE)
750 V DC third rail
PTS teaches:
Safe clearances
What not to touch
Why metal tools, mops, and long poles are dangerous
Why you must never climb on stock unless authorised
Even cleaners who “only do interiors” still walk under OLE or beside conductor rails.
4. They must understand the Safe System of Work (SSoW)
Cleaners work under:
A COSS (Controller of Site Safety)
A SWL (Safe Work Leader)
A depot protection system
PTS ensures they understand:
What the briefing means
What the limits of the safe area are
Why they must not wander outside the protected zone
What to do if the protection fails or a train approaches
Without PTS, they cannot legally be briefed into an SSoW.
5. Emergency procedures
If something goes wrong—fire, medical emergency, runaway vehicle—cleaners must know:
How to make an emergency call
How to stop trains if necessary
How to evacuate safely
How to report a near miss
PTS covers all of this.
6. Legal and insurance requirements
Network Rail and TOCs/FOCs require:
Anyone inside the boundary must hold PTS
Anyone signing into a COSS briefing must hold PTS
Anyone walking on ballast or crossing tracks must hold PTS
It’s not optional; it’s a compliance requirement.
🧩 Summary (Forensic, One‑Line Each)
PTS = licence to be inside the railway boundary.
Cleaners enter depots, sidings, and stabling roads = PTS required.
Trains move silently = high strike risk.
Electrification everywhere = high electrocution risk.
They must understand COSS/SWL briefings.
It’s a legal and insurance requirement.
If you want, I can also map out:
A flowchart showing when cleaners need PTS vs when they don’t
A depot‑specific hazard map (OLE, movements, walkways, red zones)
A step‑by‑step route from cleaner → PTS → IWA → COSS
Which one would help you most?
Below is a clean, forensic, decision‑tree flowchart showing exactly when a train cleaner needs PTS and when they don’t, based on the legal definition of On or Near the Line and real‑world depot practice.
I’ve written it in a way that mirrors the structured diagrams you prefer — crisp logic, no fluff.
🚦 Flowchart: When Train Cleaners Need PTS vs When They Don’t
┌──────────────────────────────┐
│ Are you entering the │
│ railway boundary? │
│ (Inside the fence line) │
└──────────────┬───────────────┘
│
YES │ NO
│
▼
┌──────────────────────────────────┐
│ You NEED PTS. │
│ Reason: Inside the boundary = │
│ legally “On or Near the Line”. │
└──────────────────────────────────┘
▲
│
│
▼
┌──────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Are you cleaning a train in: │
│ • a depot │
│ • a siding / stabling road │
│ • a yard │
│ • a carriage shed │
│ • a turnback platform │
└──────────────┬───────────────────────────┘
│
YES │ NO
│
▼
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ You NEED PTS. │
│ Reason: These areas have live train │
│ movements, OLE/third rail, and SSoW rules. │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────┘
▲
│
│
▼
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Are you crossing any track, walking on ballast, or │
│ moving between units? │
└──────────────┬────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│
YES │ NO
│
▼
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ You NEED PTS. │
│ Reason: Track crossings and between‑unit work = │
│ “On or Near the Line” hazards (train strikes, squeeze points)│
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
▲
│
│
▼
┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Are you cleaning a train on a platform open to the public │
│ (e.g., quick turnaround clean, litter pick, toilet check)? │
└──────────────┬────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│
YES │ NO
│
▼
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ You DO NOT need PTS. │
│ Reason: Public platforms are outside the railway boundary │
│ and protected by station rules, not track rules. │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
▲
│
│
▼
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Are you cleaning a train in a fully fenced, non‑rail │
│ environment (e.g., bus‑style wash area, off‑track facility)? │
└──────────────┬───────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│
YES │ NO
│
▼
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ You DO NOT need PTS. │
│ Reason: No access to live railway infrastructure. │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
🧩 Summary (One‑Line Logic)
Inside the boundary = PTS required.
Depots, sidings, yards, stabling roads = PTS required.
Crossing tracks or walking on ballast = PTS required.
Public platforms = no PTS.
Off‑track cleaning facilities = no PTS.
🔍 If you want, I can also produce:
A depot hazard map (OLE, red zones, safe walkways, movement areas)
A cleaner‑specific PTS checklist
A flowchart for supervisors showing when to brief cleaners into an SSoW
Which one would you like next, Michael?
Here is a clean, practical, depot‑ready PTS checklist specifically for train cleaners — written in the structured, forensic style you prefer. This is not a generic PTS list; it’s tailored to the actual hazards, movements, and behaviours cleaners face in depots, sidings, and stabling roads.
🚦 Cleaner‑Specific PTS Checklist (Operational, Real‑World Use)
✅ 1. Before Entering the Railway Boundary
Valid PTS Sentinel card (in date, with photo visible)
Correct PPE:
Orange hi‑vis (RIS‑3279‑TOM compliant)
Safety boots with ankle support
Hard hat (if required by depot rules)
Gloves suitable for cleaning tasks
No prohibited items:
Headphones
Phones in hand
Metal poles or long tools near OLE
Fit for duty:
No alcohol/drugs
Not fatigued
Able to concentrate in a moving‑train environment
✅ 2. On Arrival at the Depot / Sidings
Sign in at the depot office
Check depot protection status (shunt signals, blue lights, depot protection boards)
Attend the COSS/SWL briefing
Understand the Safe System of Work (SSoW)
Know the safe walking routes
Know the limits of the safe area
Know where trains may move
Confirm emergency arrangements
How to raise the alarm
Where the safe refuge points are
Who the Person in Charge is
✅ 3. Safe Walking & Movement
Walk facing oncoming movements where possible
Stay on designated walkways
Never walk between vehicles unless briefed and authorised
Maintain 3‑point awareness:
Where you are
Where the train is
Where it could move next
Keep clear of:
Squeeze points
Points & crossings
Unlit areas
Curves where visibility is poor
✅ 4. Working Around Trains
Only approach a train when the COSS/SWL confirms it is safe
Check for:
Movement indicators
Driver in the cab
Shunter instructions
Depot protection boards
Never assume a train is “off”
Keep clear of:
Brake pipes
Couplers
Underframe equipment
Maintain escape routes at all times
✅ 5. Electrification Awareness
25 kV OLE areas:
Never raise tools above head height
Maintain required clearance distances
Treat all overhead wires as live
750 V DC third rail areas:
Never step over the rail
Keep cleaning liquids away from conductor rail
Avoid metal tools near the rail
Never climb on stock unless authorised and protected
✅ 6. Cleaning Tasks – PTS‑Relevant Behaviours
Secure all equipment so nothing rolls onto the track
Keep bin bags and cloths away from moving stock
Do not leave items on walkways or near wheels
Use lighting in dark areas
Report any hazards immediately (spills, trip hazards, broken lights)
✅ 7. Emergency Procedures
Know how to make an emergency call
Know the location of:
Emergency stop plungers
Refuge points
Fire extinguishers
If a train moves unexpectedly:
Stop work
Move to a place of safety
Inform the COSS/SWL
🧩 8. Quick “Am I Safe?” Self‑Check (30 seconds)
Am I inside the boundary?
Do I know where trains can move?
Do I know today’s safe walking routes?
Do I know who is protecting me?
Do I know how to escape if something moves?
If any answer is no, you stop and ask the COSS/SWL.
🔧 Want this as a printable one‑page checklist?
I can format it into a single‑page depot‑ready sheet, or create a laminated pocket‑size version with red/amber/green hazard cues.
Here is a clean, supervisor‑ready flowchart showing exactly when cleaners must be briefed into a Safe System of Work (SSoW). It’s written in the same forensic, operational style as your previous diagrams — crisp logic, no ambiguity, and aligned with real depot practice.
🚦 Flowchart for Supervisors: When to Brief Cleaners Into an SSoW
┌────────────────────────────────┐
│ Will the cleaner enter the │
│ railway boundary? │
│ (Inside the fence line) │
└──────────────┬─────────────────┘
│
YES │ NO
│
▼
┌──────────────────────────────────┐
│ SSoW BRIEFING REQUIRED │
│ Reason: All persons inside the │
│ boundary must be under a COSS/ │
│ SWL-controlled SSoW. │
└──────────────────────────────────┘
▲
│
│
▼
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Is the cleaner working in a depot, siding, stabling │
│ road, yard, or carriage shed? │
└──────────────┬───────────────────────────────────────────┘
│
YES │ NO
│
▼
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ SSoW BRIEFING REQUIRED │
│ Reason: These areas have live movements, OLE/third rail, │
│ and require controlled protection. │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
▲
│
│
▼
┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Will the cleaner cross any track, walk on ballast, or move │
│ between units? │
└──────────────┬────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│
YES │ NO
│
▼
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ SSoW BRIEFING REQUIRED │
│ Reason: Track crossings and between‑unit work = “On or Near │
│ the Line” hazards requiring formal protection. │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
▲
│
│
▼
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Is the cleaner working on a public platform (turnaround │
│ clean, litter pick, toilet check)? │
└──────────────┬───────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│
YES │ NO
│
▼
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ NO SSoW BRIEFING REQUIRED │
│ Reason: Public platforms are outside the boundary and │
│ protected by station rules, not track rules. │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
▲
│
│
▼
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Is the cleaner working in a fully fenced, off‑track │
│ cleaning facility (e.g., bus‑style wash area)? │
└──────────────┬───────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│
YES │ NO
│
▼
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ NO SSoW BRIEFING REQUIRED │
│ Reason: No access to live railway infrastructure. │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
🧩 Supervisor Quick Rules (One‑Line Each)
Inside the boundary = SSoW briefing mandatory.
Depots, sidings, yards, sheds = briefing mandatory.
Crossing tracks or walking on ballast = briefing mandatory.
Between‑unit work = briefing mandatory.
Public platforms = no briefing.
Off‑track cleaning facilities = no briefing.
🔧 If you want, I can also produce:
A supervisor’s one‑page decision card (laminated‑style)
A parallel table comparing SSoW types (Red Zone, Green Zone, Line Blockage, Possession)
A flowchart for COSS/SWL showing how to choose the correct SSoW for cleaners
Here is a forensic, supervisor‑grade flowchart showing how a COSS/SWL chooses the correct Safe System of Work (SSoW) for train cleaners. It’s written in the crisp, decision‑logic style you prefer — no ambiguity, no generic training-centre fluff, just operational reality.
🚦 Flowchart for COSS/SWL: Choosing the Correct SSoW for Cleaners
┌───────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Will cleaners enter the railway │
│ boundary (inside the fence line)? │
└──────────────┬────────────────────────┘
│
YES │ NO
│
▼
┌──────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ SSoW REQUIRED │
│ Proceed to choose the correct type. │
└──────────────────────────────────────────┘
▲
│
│
▼
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Is the cleaning task on a public platform only │
│ (turnaround clean, litter pick, toilet check)? │
└──────────────┬─────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│
YES │ NO
│
▼
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ NO SSoW REQUIRED │
│ Reason: Public platforms are outside the boundary. │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
CONTINUE ONLY IF CLEANERS ARE INSIDE THE RAILWAY BOUNDARY
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Will cleaners be working in: │
│ • a depot │
│ • a siding / stabling road │
│ • a yard │
│ • a carriage shed │
└──────────────┬───────────────────────────────┘
│
YES │ NO
│
▼
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ These areas ALWAYS require an SSoW. │
│ Next: choose the correct protection method. │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────┘
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
CHOOSING THE CORRECT TYPE OF SSoW
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Will cleaners cross tracks, walk on ballast, or work │
│ between units? │
└──────────────┬─────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│
YES │ NO
│
▼
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ A formal protection method is required: │
│ • Line Blockage (LB) │
│ • Possession (T3) │
│ • Separated Green Zone (if available) │
│ Choose based on traffic, visibility, and depot rules. │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
▲
│
│
▼
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Are cleaners working on a train that is static, isolated, │
│ and protected by depot protection (shunt signals, DP boards,│
│ blue lights, interlocks)? │
└──────────────┬───────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│
YES │ NO
│
▼
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Use a DEPOT PROTECTION SSoW: │
│ • Depot protection system active │
│ • No movements permitted │
│ • COSS/SWL controls access │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
▲
│
│
▼
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ If depot protection is NOT available or not sufficient, │
│ escalate to: │
│ • Line Blockage │
│ • Possession │
│ • Additional lookouts (if permitted by local rules) │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
🧩 Summary (COSS/SWL Logic in 6 Lines)
Public platform = no SSoW.
Inside boundary = SSoW mandatory.
Depots/sidings/yards/sheds = always SSoW.
Crossing tracks or between‑unit work = Line Blockage / Possession.
Static train under depot protection = Depot Protection SSoW.
If protection is weak or unavailable = escalate to LB or Possession.
🔧 If you want, I can also produce:
A parallel table comparing each SSoW type (LB, T3, Green Zone, Depot Protection)
A COSS/SWL pocket card summarising the decision logic
A cleaner‑specific SSoW selection matrix (task × location × risk)
Which one would you like next, Michael?
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