Run a night possession on the 1,500 volt traction overhead

What is going on

A night possession on the Sunshine to Deer Park up line, work order WO-26-4377, runs from 0:30 am to 4:30 am on Saturday 13 September. The work is fourteen dropper replacements, a registration arm adjustment at structure 1226 and an inspection of the section insulator at structure 1231, in overhead wiring section 34. Traction switching schedule TS-26-0187 is validated and rail traction access RTA-26-0442 is requested. Track protection is provided by the rail operator. Last month a worker climbed a structure before the access was issued, recorded as INC-2026-046, and the Rail Traction Manager wants radio confirmation of the access to every crew member before anyone touches a structure. The down line remains live and trains may run on it.

Your brief

Plan and run the possession: brief the crew with the new access confirmation rule, perform the traction switching to schedule, take the traction access, complete the maintenance and inspection safely with the live down line adjacent, test and verify the work, cancel the access and hand the section back on time with complete records.

Work through it

You do not need to do it all. Doing a few of these will show you what the work is like. Your ticks and notes stay on this device.

• Read the access authority procedure and the network safety rules policy, and review TS-26-0187, RTA-26-0442, WO-26-4377 and INC-2026-046 in the registers.
• Prepare the possession briefing and job risk assessment, covering track protection, the live down line and its safe approach distances, night work lighting, elevated rail vehicle use, fatigue under the fitness for work policy and the rescue plan.
• Confirm with the rail operator's track protection that the possession is in place, then perform the traction switching steps to schedule with read back, proving de-energised and applying portable earths at structures 1218 and 1240.
• Take the rail traction access from the network controller by read back, complete the access form, and confirm by radio to every crew member that the access has been issued before any structure is climbed.
• Replace the fourteen droppers and adjust the registration arm at 1226 to the client's tolerances, recording measurements on the work order.
• Inspect the section insulator at 1231, record its condition in the asset inspection register with a priority, and raise a work order if replacement is needed.
• Test and verify the completed work, confirm all workers and plant clear, remove portable earths, cancel the access, and perform the restoration switching to schedule before handing back to the rail operator.
• Update the work order with hours and completion, the switching register with execution times and the access register with cancellation.

What someone in this role would produce

• Possession briefing and job risk assessment
• Completed access form and access register entry with radio confirmation noted
• Switching program register execution record for TS-26-0187
• Work order with measurements and completion
• Asset inspection register entry for the section insulator