Workplace assessment of Track-Welders

The national rail welding group, composed of Network Rail and Civil Engineer's Conference (CEC) Welding Engineers is compiling a system for workplace assessment of welders that can be used by all.

Workplace assessment of track welders was introduced by EIMC in 1996 and was quickly adopted by other contractors as a replacement for the then annual skills test. Workplace assessment served two main purposes at its inception; it brought a real and cost effective dimension to the 12 monthly tests and it also fulfilled the requirements of Safety Critical Work Regulations, part of the Transport and Works Act. The system is now accepted as good practice and is written into several standards.

The system being developed by the National Welding Group is based on the tried and tested systems of Balfour Beatty Rail and First Engineering with input from all interested parties. The key driver is to have common documentation across the industry, this will be helpful in many areas; audit, recruitment, HR records and personal awards such as NVQs and SNVQs.

A procedure for aluminothermic welding is quite well advanced and the group hope to produce similar systems for electric arc welding and weld inspection quite quickly.

The documents to be used will include the main record system, assessment plans, question plans, feedback sheets, appeals procedures and question banks.

All workplace assessment systems are about competence, they are not about demonstrating a level of education. The procedures require that the candidate demonstrate competence by actually carrying out his/her regular work. It is required that this competence can be evidenced over a range of situations and that the candidate has the required level of underpinning knowledge to support his/her practical skills. The group producing the procedures has a good balance of practical knowledge, theoretical background and training skills. Engineers, Educationalists and Administrators are all inputting to the work.

The system will be vested with IoRW and made available to all. The only company requirements to operate the system are the provision of Assessors and Verifiers with the required TDLB D/AV units and occupational qualifications at the appropriate levels.

Bob Sawdon Vice Chairman IoRW Management Committee

Thanks to Richard Pickles of Carillion Rail for his excellent work in drafting the documents.