Personal Track Safety

Personal Track Safety (PTS) 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.

The principal hazards include collisions between a rail vehicle and a track worker, electrocution from traction power sources (third rail, fourth rail, OHLE) and trips and falls. The last could compound the other two (e.g. a worker could fall onto an electrified third rail). 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 lineside 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. It is important that a lookout is kept (often working as a team). In order that trains can indicate their presence to workers, orange high visibility clothing must be worn. Clothing that is yellow, green or red is disallowed because those colours are the colours of signal flags.