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Ensuring Safety with Reliable Track Warning Services
David Hodkinson, Head of Track Warning Services
RSS Infrastructure is the UK’s leading supplier of Track Warning Services and has invested in state-of-the-art technology that can increase safety and productivity. Our teams are experts in their field, dedicated to providing quality and safety with every installation on the network. Our experienced teams plan and install Automatic Track Warning Systems (ATWS) sites throughout the UK to meet clients’ needs. From planning to completion, we focus on exceptional service and support, helping ensure smooth and efficient rail operations.
Our Track Warning Systems
Our portfolio of Track Warning Services comprises a dedicated planning team conducting site surveys and safe work planning, as well as the installation of several track warning systems such as Automatic Track Warning System (ATWS), Semi-Automatic Track Warning System (SATWS), and Lookout Operated Warning System (LOWS), along with providing additional protection in line blockages. Moreover, we also utilise geofencing technology to ensure the safety of the workforce.
Improving Worker Safety and Productivity
Automatic Track Warning Systems (ATWS) are vital for improving track worker safety and productivity in the railway industry. They provide an audible and visual warning to workers of approaching trains or on-track vehicles, allowing them to move to a safe location and avoid the risk of accidents. Using ATWS helps improve worker safety and productivity by reducing setup and take-down time, maximising the time spent on tasks. Additional features such as remote monitoring, adaptable warning distances and integration with other systems enhance these systems’ safety and productivity benefits.
Daylight Working Reduces Fatigue
Furthermore, daylight working increases safety and efficiency, providing cost savings for contractors. We estimate that working conventionally during night-time line blockages results in up to a 70% drop in production while still paying the workforce 100% of their time. Working under a Track Warning System during daylight can increase productivity by over 100%, resulting in more paid hours and drastically reducing driver fatigue related to early-hours driving.
Contact Track Warning Services Division
For reliable project delivery, contact us today at 0330 113 0004. Led by David Hodkinson, our experienced team of Track Warning Services experts are ready to assist.
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More on Track Warning Services
Automatic Track Warning Systems (ATWS) provides advanced warning of approaching trains to work groups operating within a Protected Area; this will be identified on the ATWS design plan. These sites are usually static and can cover several lines and junctions. The ATWS uses strike-in/strike-out treadles at specific locations on the track. An audible or visual warning is triggered when trains pass the strike-in treadle. The alarm stays on until the train passes over the strike-out treadle, cancelling it.
Track Warning System products include semi-automatic systems (SATWS), which is approved for Open Line and ALO. The intelligent design provides improved, autonomous railway alerts to your workforce. The treadle detects trains approaching, and the SATWS Controller cancels them as they clear the worksite, hence the term Semi-Automatic. The automatic announcement eliminates fatigue and personnel issues caused by the standard Lookout warning. The Semi-Automatic system’s simplicity makes it scalable and reliable for most infrastructure tasks, allowing safe and controlled access when needed. Fully radiographic SATWS capabilities minimise the need to run cables, reducing installation staff and time.
RSS Infrastructure is the leading provider of mobile lookout warning systems in the UK. Our mobile patrolling teams are suitable for transient sites requiring patrolling, surveying, and T-22 walkouts. LOWS uses a radiographic signal to warn workers about approaching trains. The LOWS controller protects the workgroup during the shift, maintaining site safety and productivity. LOWS technology can use several red zone prohibited areas, increasing customer productivity.
Our LOWS systems can deliver an audible and visible warning across a 1000m worksite. SIL4 certification increases the system’s reliability. Distributing announcement devices along the working perimeter is unobtrusive while giving a louder and better visual signal than an unassisted lookout. The device can be used as a visual warning during night-time work and in section 61 noise abatement areas. Many of our clients use LOWS with site warden warning to ensure worker safety.
RSS Infrastructure has also invested significantly in the ZKL 3000 RC, which is designed to protect track workers without transferring risk. This ground-breaking Additional Protection unit has the technology to protect those working in line blockages while gathering data for the first time, with exceptional measurement and analytics.
Define safe and unsafe zones, site entrances, equipment locations, and more with geofences so everyone can safely navigate the area. Your teams put on their wearable technology without onsite setup or additional infrastructure. Wearables are updated automatically and in real-time, keeping your teams updated about changes to safe working zones. Crossing a geofence zone boundary activates audible, visual, and vibration alarms. Real-time notifications notify people of potentially dangerous situations, restoring situational awareness.
Our planning team conducts site surveys and safe work planning to protect track employees and minimise the risk of incidents. The team has experience establishing safe work plans for various worksites and frequently communicates with clients to ensure worker safety.
Frequently Asked Questions
Track Warning Systems protect track workers from approaching trains. RSS Infrastructure provides a range of Track Warning System options tailored to specific client needs, including Automatic Track Warning Systems (ATWS), Semi-Automatic Track Warning Systems (SATWS), Lookout Operated Warning Systems (LOWS), and geofencing technology.
Using a TWS significantly enhances track workers’ safety by providing advanced warning of approaching trains. It also improves productivity by allowing work to continue during daylight hours, reducing the need for less efficient night-time line blockages.
An Automatic Track Warning System (ATWS) provides an automated warning to work groups within a defined “Protected Area” when a train approaches. The system utilises track-mounted “Strike in/Strike out” treadles that detect trains. When a train passes over the “Strike in” treadle, audible and visual alarms are activated and remain active until the train passes over the “Strike out” treadle, cancelling the alarm.
While both ATWS and SATWS use treadles to detect trains, a Semi-Automatic Track Warning System (SATWS) relies on a controller to cancel the alarm once the train clears the work site. This semi-automatic approach offers intelligent, autonomous alerts while retaining scalability and reliability.
ATWS provides an audible and visual warning to workers of approaching trains or on-track vehicles, allowing them to move to a safe location and avoid the risk of accidents. Using ATWS helps improve worker safety and productivity by reducing setup and take-down time, maximising the time spent on tasks.
A LOWS utilises a radiographic signal to warn track workers of approaching trains. RSS Infrastructure provides both static and mobile LOWS options. Mobile LOWS, operated by patrolling teams, are ideal for transient worksites, while static LOWS can cover larger worksites up to 1000m.
Geofencing technology uses virtual boundaries to define safe and unsafe zones within a worksite. Workers wear devices that interact with these geofences, triggering audible, visual, and vibration alarms if they cross into a designated unsafe zone. This alerts them to potential hazards and improves situational awareness.
When combined with Track Warning Systems, geofencing technology further enhances safety by providing real-time updates on changes to safe working zones, site entrances, and equipment locations. This integration ensures workers are immediately notified of dangerous situations, offering an additional layer of protection and maintaining safety on rail and infrastructure projects.
RSS Infrastructure invests in additional safety solutions such as the ZKL 3000 RC. This innovative unit protects workers in line blockages and gathers valuable data for analysis and improvement.
In addition to TWS, RSS Infrastructure provides a wide range of integrated infrastructure solutions, including:
- Technical Services: Civils & Construction, Geofencing Services, Magnetic Track Safety Solutions, Rail Operations, and Signalling Services.
- Managed Environments: Arboriculture & Vegetation Management, Ecology Services, and Industrial Rope Access (IRATA).
- Welding Services: Rail Welding.
Projects
Werrington Grade Separation
Werrington Grade Separation was a railway construction project which involved the excavation and transportation of over 50,000m3 of soil and clay to construct a new dive-under underneath the East Coast Main Line.
SATWS for Network Rail Newcastle DU
Network Rail Newcastle DU’s maintenance team needed to regularly inspect their section track and junctions for wear/tear and damage to ensure safe passage of trains all year round.
Magnetic Fencing Project Goring Station
Colas Rail were carrying out a renewals project with ALO working at Goring Station, which involved blocking two lines while keeping the other two open at line speed.
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