Personal Track Safety is a system of safer working practices employed within the United Kingdom designed to ensure the safety of railway workers who have to work on or near the line. A PTS Certificate is required before anybody is allowed to work within the boundary of Network Rail tracks. All BTS track-working employees have undergone a medical and passed a drug & alcohol test before studying, working towards and finally becoming qualified on our Avondale-sponsored “personal track safety” course.

PTS ensures that rail workers are aware of their surroundings so that they do not enter situations where the aforementioned accidents are likely to occur, are able to move around the line-side safely and are able to react appropriately to circumstances (e.g. the approach of a train).

Compared to road vehicles, trains have a much greater stopping distance at the same speed, but often travel much faster than road vehicles. Unlike road vehicles, they cannot swerve out of the way of obstructions. Trains cannot be relied upon to stop for rail workers. Hence it is the duty of the track worker to remain or retire to a safe location on the approach of a train. The job of our trained “lookout” is also crucial and is often working as part of our core team and if you wonder why our uniform changes from Khaki to Orange in this type of work, it is because in order that trains can indicate their presence to our crew, orange high visibility clothing must be worn.