The rail industry has marked an important milestone in the harmonisation of competencies with agreement to implement an online, harmonised Safely Access the Rail Corridor (SARC) course for heavy haul members in Western Australia.
The ARA has been working with BHP, Rio Tinto and Roy Hill to build a national, common SARC course to streamline training requirements for contractors entering the rail corridor.
SARC is a unit of competency that everyone who enters any rail corridor in Australia is required to hold. Despite this, many companies still deliver their own bespoke courses.
Members of the ARA Workforce Development team last week began planning the implementation of the agreed SARC course on behalf of the three heavy haul companies, which will now require all their employees and contractors to have completed it.
The ARA has made significant advances in the age-old problem of rail industry worker qualifications and competencies not being recognised from one RIM or operating company to another, which has impeded productivity across the supply chain, and for RIMs and rail operators. Mutual recognition, TAFE delivery and the engagement of all RIMs in an Australian state is a first for the indusry.
By having a common SARC, the three heavy haul companies will now only need to brief or train contractors on risks relevant to their rail corridor and the specific work to which the contractors have been assigned, rather than them having to undergo multiple courses to meet the needs of different RIMs.
North Metro TAFE in WA will deliver the SARC course, ensuring the highest levels of quality and reliability of course delivery.
The ARA aims to have all the WA RIMs recognising a single SARC which will reduce costs to both contractors and rail companies, support safety in the rail corridor and provide critical evidence across Australia of the benefits of mutual recognition of competence.
The Public Transport Authority (PTA) and Arc Infrastructure have agreed to have their safety and training professionals engage with the project with a view to also recognising the national SARC course.
In another significant progression, BHP, Rio Tinto and Roy Hill are also in the process of signing on to the ARA’s Rail Industry Worker (RIW) Program, and the SARC course will be on all heavy haul workers’ new RIW cards.
The Rail Industry Worker (RIW) program is a national competency and safety management system for rail workers in the Australian rail industry. It provides a single electronic record of their health, education and competencies as they work across projects, move between employers and operate on different state networks. The RIW Program helps the rail industry meet its fitness for duty and competency obligations under Rail Safety National Law.
The ARA established the RIW Program in 2012 and has engaged Metro Trains Australia (MTA) to support its delivery.
By using the RIW System, employers can access information on an employee’s or contractor’s fitness for duty, education and competencies in one place, making it easier to minimise risk and protect the health and safety of their workers.