Lee Shann
Senior Rail Operations Specialist, Rail Operations, RSSB
Some of us might have seen an emergency on a train where the guard has stepped in to look after a passenger who is unwell or not coping.
And we also might have witnessed those ugly confrontations where the guard intervenes over anti-social behaviour and they themselves become the target for abuse and sometimes violence.
Much of the time these guards are on their own, unless they are fortunate enough to have a medical professional or an off-duty policemen in the carriage.
So, being an effective railway guard is clearly much more than checking tickets, giving the ready-to-start signal, or dealing with defective equipment. It's also about managing risk when guards are present on a train: keeping passengers, and themselves, safe.
Training is the route to minimising risk. But because guards' roles and responsibilities can vary between operators, different training needs have arisen in different organisations. As a result, there's been no consistent approach to managing the training and competence of guards across industry—until now.
Consistency for guards, whatever the operator
RSSB was approached by passenger operators, who advised us of an opportunity to align guard training across the industry. We worked to create GOGN3678 Iss 1, Guidance Note on Competence and Training for Guards. This new standard is aimed at organisations that train and manage staff in guard roles, and associated activities, on the GB mainline.
With support from industry stakeholders, we undertook a risk-based training needs analysis for staff in guard roles, using industry-agreed activities and tasks specific to guards. The output from it can now be applied to designing and implementing training, focusing on essential areas and aligning with industry-agreed activities.
Up to now, if an improvement in training had been made by one train operating company, it would not have been applied universally. But with a standardised training framework in place, staff responsibilities can be better matched to training content. This will improve the quality and delivery of training across the industry and, by extension, improve safety too.
Saving significant costs
If adopted, the GOGN3678 framework could save the industry £4.7 million over 5 years. Some of the potential benefits include improved guard performance and a subsequent reduction in service delays, with a predicted saving of £1.9 million. Improved training for guards could also reduce the consequences of onboard train assault or abuse, and of injuries to staff from slips, trips or falls, with a potential saving of £1 million.
There are other potential benefits of implementing the framework too—not least, simply helping train operators to meet their obligations. All they have to do is give it the ready-to-start signal.