This unit involves the skills and knowledge required to maintain mechanical rail signalling and infrastructure connected to electromechanical equipment.

It includes preparing, carrying out and completing the maintenance of mechanical rail signalling equipment and infrastructure.

Persons 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, rules and/or guidelines.

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

ELEMENTS

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

Elements describe the essential outcomes.

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

1

Prepare mechanical signalling equipment and infrastructure

1.1

Work health and safety (WHS)/occupational health and safety (OHS) procedures for a given work area are identified, obtained and applied

1.2

Hazards are identified, risks assessed and control measures and workplace procedures implemented

1.3

Safety hazards that have not previously been identified are noted on job safety assessments and existing risk control measures are implemented

1.4

Maintenance is sequenced in accordance with job specification

1.5

Appropriate rail safe working person/s is consulted to ensure work is coordinated effectively with others involved on the worksite

1.6

Location of equipment to be maintained is determined from job specifications and diagrams

1.7

Materials needed for maintenance are obtained in accordance with workplace procedures and checked against job specification

1.8

Tools, equipment and testing devices needed to conduct maintenance work are obtained in accordance with workplace procedures and checked for correct operation and safety

2

Carry out mechanical signalling equipment and infrastructure maintenance

2.1

WHS/OHS risk control measures and workplace procedures for carrying out work are followed

2.2

Chemicals, lubricants and consumables are used and disposed of in accordance with material safety data sheets (MSDS)/safety data sheets (SDS) and WHS/OHS codes of practice

2.3

Rubbish, weeds and obstructions are removed from equipment and housings

2.4

Visual inspections and checking of operational equipment are performed to identify any equipment faults

2.5

External surfaces are prepared/painted in accordance with organisational standards to protect equipment

2.6

Internal surfaces and operational components are cleaned and lubricated to ensure operational effectiveness

2.7

Maintenance is carried out in accordance with relevant industry standards and workplace procedures

2.8

Existing methods for dealing with unplanned situations are discussed with appropriate person/s and documented in accordance with workplace procedures

2.9

Unplanned situations are dealt with safely in a manner that minimises risk to personnel and with the approval of authorised person/s

2.10

Maintenance is carried out efficiently without waste of materials, damage to apparatus, the surrounding environment or services using sustainable energy practices

3

Complete mechanical signalling equipment and infrastructure maintenance

3.1

WHS\OHS work completion risk control measures and procedures are followed

3.2

Approval to conduct a check of equipment operation is obtained in accordance with relevant rail operational rules and procedures

3.3

Track clearance check is made before conducting equipment operation check to ensure safe train movement

3.4

Authorised equipment check is carried out in accordance with workplace procedures to identify any equipment faults

3.5

Operational effectiveness of equipment is confirmed through observation during train movements, as required

3.6

Equipment faults are identified, recorded and corrective action is taken

3.7

Equipment is locked and secured to prevent unauthorised access

3.8

Work completion is documented and appropriate person/s notified in accordance with workplace procedures and relevant report/s completed

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 two separate occasions and include:

interpreting specifications correctly

maintaining equipment in accordance with workplace procedures

using chemicals and tools safely

testing that equipment is fully functional after maintenance

checking that technical/operational specifications are met and that equipment is in compliance with work orders

applying effective fault diagnosis techniques

ensuring safe trained movement through work area

following relevant codes of practice, work health and safety (WHS)/occupational health and safety (OHS) and environmental protection procedures and requirements

completing relevant technical reports, records and documentation

dealing with unplanned events

applying rail safe working practices and relevant standards, codes and rail safety regulations

applying relevant WHS/OHS) requirements, including:

implementing workplace procedures and practices

using of risk control measures

applying sustainable energy principles and practices

completing rail mechanical signalling equipment and infrastructure maintenance

preparing rail mechanical signalling equipment and infrastructure for maintenance.

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:

mechanical rail signalling equipment and infrastructure maintenance requirements and techniques, safe working practices and relevant standards, codes and regulations, including:

basic rail operations encompassing:

rail terminology

train dynamics

essentials of safe movement of trains

purpose of rail signalling

rail signalling, regulations and codes encompassing:

codes - philosophy and format

how to read and apply a code

codes that apply to rail signalling - relevant to a rail network

technical manuals and catalogues encompassing:

typical format

how to read and apply information

environmental and heritage awareness encompassing:

purpose of environmental and heritage regulation

typical issues affecting electrotechnology services and systems

meeting requirements

enterprise work activities records encompassing:

purpose and extent of maintaining work activities records in an enterprise

types of records for maintaining work activities in an enterprise

methods for recording and maintaining work records

work records required by regulation requirements

electrical safe working practices encompassing:

risk management and assessment of risk

principle and purpose of risk management

processes for conducting a risk assessment

hazards associated with low voltage (LV), extra-low voltage (ELV) and high currents

arrangement of power distribution and circuits in an electrical installation

parts of an electrical system and equipment that operate at LV and ELV

parts of an electrical system and equipment where high currents are likely

safety, selection, use, maintenance and care of test equipment

safety characteristics of electrical testing devices

safe use of electrical testing device

checks and storage methods for maintaining the safety of testing devices

rail safe working practices encompassing:

rail enterprise safety standards and procedures

rail safe working requirements

possessions protection and management

rail signalling, drawings and diagrams

drawing types and applications encompassing:

drawing layouts and conventions

drawing symbols

cable and equipment schedules

rail signalling principles - mechanical encompassing:

overview of mechanical rail signalling

purpose of elements of a mechanical rail signalling system - signals, point actuating systems, locking and train detection systems, control input devices, indicators, diagrams and monitors, interlocking and safe working systems

rail signalling - mechanical equipment encompassing:

equipment and their components

operating principles

servicing procedures

rail signalling - point actuating devices encompassing:

equipment and their components - point machines, detectors, claw/clamp locks, swing nose mechanisms and in-bearer mechanisms

operating principles

servicing procedures

rail signalling - interlocking systems - mechanical encompassing:

equipment and their components

operating principles and parameters

servicing procedures

rail signalling - electro-pneumatic equipment encompassing:

equipment and their components - compressors, air lines and control valves

operating principles and parameters

servicing procedures

safe working practices and relevant standards, codes and regulations

relevant manufacturer specifications

relevant WHS/OHS legislated requirements

relevant workplace documentation

relevant workplace policies and procedures.

Assessors must hold credentials specified within the Standards for Registered Training Organisations current at the time of assessment.

Assessment must satisfy the Principles of Assessment and Rules of Evidence and all regulatory requirements included within the Standards for Registered Training Organisations current at the time of assessment.

Assessment must occur in suitable workplace operational situations where it is appropriate to do so; where this is not appropriate, assessment must occur in suitable simulated workplace operational situations that replicate 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 must include access to:

a range of relevant exercises, case studies and/or other simulations

relevant and appropriate materials, tools, facilities, equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE) currently used in industry

resources that reflect current industry practices in relation to servicing mechanical rail signalling equipment and infrastructure

applicable documentation, including workplace procedures, equipment specifications, regulations, codes of practice and operation manuals.

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 may be found in the UEE Electrotechnology Training Package Companion Volume Implementation Guide.

Electrotechnology

Rail Signalling