scope:

This module sets out the minimum requirements for the training and competency assessment of Non-Technical Skills of individuals who undertake signal engineering activities on Network Rail managed infrastructure.

It applies to all individuals who undertake maintenance, faulting, repair, installation, inspection, design, testing or the management of change to signalling equipment and systems on Network Rail managed infrastructure, unless the employer can demonstrate fundamental equivalence in the assurance of employee competence by using an alternative system.

Non-Technical Skills are the cognitive, social and personal resource skills that complement technical skills and contribute to safe and efficient  task performance. They are the skills that describe how a task is done, and how the approach to a task can mitigate against risk and errors.

The Parent competencies in scope for this Competence Standard Module are set out in Table 1.

Purpose

This module confirms that individuals who undertake signal engineering work are competent and hold the appropriate competences to perform the work safely and correctly. 

This document should be read in conjunction with NR/L2/SIG/50035 and provides the detailed requirements for the award and maintenance of the competencieswithin the Non-Technical Skills Competence Framework. 

Non-Technical Skills ensure that the competence of signalling staff includes the attitudes and depth of understanding that is needed to properly appreciate the importance of applying all the relevant design, installation and testing processes. 

The poor use of Non-Technical Skills has been a contributory factor in many incidents and accidents including Clapham Junction in 1988 and Waterloo in 2017.