Report Questions Flashcards
Managed a graduate electrical engineer - how did you assess his level of competence? How was his work checked?
Relevant skills, knowledge and experience.
Provide coaching and training.
Higher level of involvement and checking of work to improve their abilities to undertake the work.
Ensure work aligns with their development plan and that the purpose of the work is clearly set out.
What are ROGS, what role were you under ROGS? How did you comply with it? When are ROGS/ORR the regulating body, and when is it the HSE/CDM? Is it either or, or can they both be the regulator?
tbc
What is Assurance (in the context of ROGS)?
Under ROGS, Infrastructure Managers must have a written Safety Authorisation that is endorsed by the ORR. This states how the Infrastructure Manager will ensure a safe railway. The key aspect is managing ‘change’ in risk to the operational railways, which may include: bring into use new areas of stations or depots; changing the frequency that something is inspected; or temporarily removing station egress (to allow other works to happen). LU manages this via the Assurance process set out in S1538, as well as the wider suite of LU Standards. The complexity and novelty of the ‘change’ to the railway governs the level of evidence and checking required to ensure safety, and is categorised as follows:
• Class 1: Significant complexity and/or novelty so that hazards can not be analysed with reference to experience with existing system or systems.
• Class 2: Hazards associated with the change to the system object or interface are novel but sufficiently simple and well understood so that hazards can be analysed with reference to experience with existing system or systems.
• Class 3: All hazards controlled by existing standards or existing System Hazard Log mitigations.
• Class 4: No safety or security hazards associated with the change.
The Project Engineer is responsible for ensuring S1538 is adhered to, and thereby LU fulfils it’s legal obligations by complying with it’s Safety Authorisation. This involves obtaining acceptance from the relevant accredited discipline engineers.
What are the Rail and Other Guided Transport System Regulations (ROGS)?
ROGS (latest revision is 2013) were introduced to ensure railways are safely constructed, operated and maintained. They cover the mainline railway, metros (including London Underground), tramways, light rail and heritage railways. There three key duties holders:
1. Infrastructure Managers (IM) – anyone responsible for developing and maintaining infrastructure, or for managing and operating a station. 2. Transport Undertakings (TU) – anyone that operates a vehicle in relation to any infrastructure. 3. Entities in Charge of Maintenance (ECM) – anyone that is responsible for the safe maintenance of a vehicle and registered on the national vehicle register. 4. Transport Operators (TO). Any IM or TU is also classed as a TO.
ROGs require all duty holders to have and maintain a written Safety Management System (SMS) that has been endorsed by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR). The resultant Safety Certificate (for TUs) and Safety Authorisation (for IMs) can be audited and revoked at any time. Companies must also have appropriate risk assessments and safety verification processes (e.g. S1538 for London Underground), as well as processes for managing safety critical work. They must also cooperate with everyone required to run a safe railway.
For mainline railways, each operational vehicle must have an ECM assigned to it and companies also must produce annual safety reports.
What is a Safety Management System (in the context of ROGS)?
A Safety Management System (SMS) is the total approach to the management of accidental death or injury to workers and the general public and/or damage to the environment due to activities (i.e. risk), incorporating the as low as reasonable practicable (ALARP) risk principles.
What is the difference between approving and accepting assurance documentation under ROGS?
Acceptance means the contractor is self assuring and London Underground accepts the document produced under this assurance process. this is generally a light touch review.
Approving means taking more ownership of the design and thoroughly checking it to ensure it complies with LU requirements
What is Quality Control? What is Quality Assurance?
Quality Assurance (QA) is the assurance of end result (process orientated), focused on defect prevention. The principles are:
- Define Requirements
- Plan the tasks
- Execute the work
- Monitor performance
- Improve through feedback
Quality Control (QC) is the means by which QA is achieved (product orientated). It is a way of ensuring defects are identified, and the goal is to highlight defects on products before they are released. The principles are:
- Assign key duties
- Set up QC plan/procedures for reviews and checks
- Ensure tasks (on site) are carried out in accordance with procedures
- Inspect/test/monitor output or results
- Report findings/implement changes as needed
Why do you think there is a skills shortage of engineers in the UK? What would you do to help address it?
Definitely a skill shortage in the UK of engineers. I think the biggest problem is that school children have limited exposure to engineering as a possible career when they are at school. Therefore i believe STEM is a great place to start, followed by improving work experience and summer placements for University students.
“The Northern line platforms do not have sufficient capacity for passenger numbers.” How is this measured and are TfL therefore putting the public in danger by running the service as they are?
Bank/Monument station complex is the fourth busiest underground station on the network and experiences high levels of congestion. Operational controls are regularly implemented to manage congestion including non-stopping trains, closing gate lines, diverting the DLR, and fully closing the station. The incidences of operational control measures are increasing and in 2010, overcrowding caused a full station closure on a Saturday. In 2017, staff implemented operational control measures on 108 documented occasions as a direct result of overcrowding at the station. In 2017 the am 3 hour peak passenger demand exceeded 120,000, with the pm peak exceeding 117,000. With increased demand, operational controls, non-stopping train services and station closures will be required on an ongoing basis to maintain safe operating levels. In the long term, the control measures are expected to increase in severity and frequency until the ability to maintain viable operations at this station will be at risk.
Without implementing Bank Station Capacity Upgrade project, the first pinch point for Northern line customers are the stairs at the Bank end of the Northern line platforms. Increasing the frequency of the trains should mean fewer passengers per train, and therefore fewer passengers on the platform. However, due to the location of the pinch point, it is unlikely that passengers will be able to get off the platform before the next train arrives which will additionally increase the journey time that passengers face when moving through the station.
What is Bank’s Benefit Cost Ratio?
BSCU Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR) 3.5:1. This dropped (due to an increase in the EFC) from 4:1 but remains above tfL’s business case pass mark threshold of 1.5:1, and above the contractual requirement of 2.4:1 as stipulated in the agreed contractor Works Information WI100.
How many times can scaffolding be reused?
Scaffolding can be re-used but must be inspected and any that are significantly damaged must be thrown away.
What are some considerations when reusing TWs?
- Must not be damaged.
- Must be suitable for the requirements of the design brief.
When must a scaffold be inspected? What regulations relate to these requirements?
The requirements come from the Working at Height Regulations 2005 and state a scaffold must be inspected:
• before it is used for the first time and then every 7 days, until it is removed.
• each time it is exposed to conditions likely to cause deterioration (e.g. following adverse weather conditions)
• following substantial alteration.
What is the recommended scaffolding/guardrail distances?
For construction work, the top guardrail should be a minimum of 950mm above the working platform and any gap between the top rail and the intermediate rail should not exceed 470mm. The Regulations also require toe boards to be suitable and sufficient to prevent people or materials from falling (used to be 150mm but now should be appropriate for the specific situation).
How were the tunnelling works managed and controlled?
The primary mechanism for the management and control of the works is the DRM and its
output – the RESS sheet. In summary the DRM is the daily review of all the relevant
information from the tunnelling operation, from which subsequent actions can be taken,
including the initiation of an emergency response.
The output from this review is the ongoing authorisation of tunnelling works through the
RESS sheet, or the authorisation for any minor changes to sequence / support to ensure that
the works are carried out safely and with minimal impact to the surroundings.
The DRM is managed by CSL, who run the meeting and ensure that all necessary data is
available for review. It will be held daily at a set time, 10am, whilst tunnelling activities are
ongoing. The likely attendees for the meeting will be the following, only some of whom are
mandatory attendees:
CSL, Gallldris, LUL.
