Worksite Protection
4Tel worksite protection systems utilise advances in smartphone and GPS technology, removing the need for expensive infrastructure or substantial changes to current work-on-track procedures.
Comprehensive worksite planning solution
4PTW is an electronic Permit-To-Work system for managing authorities to support track maintenance activities. The system replaces the traditional track work process of using paper based forms with a mobile application and integrated engineering controls. 4PTW includes a mobile application (app) for use by protection officers (PO) and a central server to integrate this into the train control environment.
Two of the biggest risks to track work activities are:
Location Assurance
Misunderstandings of worksite limits and safe boundaries can lead to hazardous situations for both Protection Officers and operating trains.
Reliance on Verbal Communication
Traditional track work protocol requires Protection Officers to manually call Network Control and wait until a Controller is available to answer.
How 4PTW addresses these risks:
Visual Map Display
4PTW allows protection officers to see their position visually in relation to the limits of their worksite.
Dynamic Alerts
Live alerts are delivered to the app via notifications to warn protection officers of their limits of authority.
Control System Integration
4PTW can be retrofitted into existing control systems for remote management.
Advanced Protection
Track workers are given the same level of protection as a train.
Additional Benefits
View other worksites
Protection officers can use 4PTW to view other active works performed on the network, such as basic information about the work being carried out and the site protection officer’s phone number.
Single/multi-track compatible
The 4PTW app can be used for worksites across single and multi-track lines.
Supports multiple worktypes
4PTW supports multiple worktypes depending on the track work being carried out.
Dynamic Worksite Summary
A detailed breakdown of each worksite.
Protection officers are provided with a summary of their current worksite, including their current limits of authority, control board, occupied line, fulfillment time and the job performed by the worksite team.
Visual Map Display
Worksite limits & location assured.
A visual map provides protection officers with an interactive display of their current location and the boundaries of their current worksite.
Fast Facts
Statistics based on current implementations of 4PTW on the NSW ARTC network, and the NSW country regional network:
4PTW Step-by-step
The 4PTW Process
Using 4PTW does not change the fundamental rules for accessing track, rather it facilitates a more efficient process and provides greater location assurance.
1. Protection Officer contacts Network Control with details of worksite or track vehicle journey.
2. Control Officer creates an authority within the train control system and sends it back via 4PTW.
3. Protection Officer checks authority details against their current location within 4PTW.
4. The authority is committed by the Protection Officer using 4PTW.
5. The work-on-track or track vehicle journey can now commence. Updates are sent through 4PTW.
flexible deployment
Deployment options to suit your network
The system includes a mobile application (“app”) for use by Protection Officers and a central server to integrate it into the train control environment.
4PTW improves the safety, efficiency and effectiveness of track maintenance activities through the use of mobile app technology and integrated engineering controls. It provides a complete solution for all maintenance activities in the corridor without reliance on administrative controls, voice communications or hand-written authorities.
There are three levels of deployment available to meet specific business needs:
Level 1: Electronic messaging between train control environment and PO mobile app
Level 2: Level 1 plus integration with a centralised vital Interlocking
Level 3: Level 1 or level 2 plus on-board enforcement of track vehicles/work trains
Application case study
Country Regional Network
The Country Regional Network (CRN) encompasses 2,386km of operational freight and passenger rail lines across 27,000 hectares of land and infrastructure. The network operator at the time, John Holland Rail, needed a modern, dynamic solution to help manage their worksite teams gaining access to track and performing maintenance across the CRN, especially during peak network times. The ETW app successfully went live in September 2017.
Whilst John Holland no longer operates the CRN, the ETW app, modelled on the 4PTW system is still in use across the CRN today due to its ability to provide accurate location assurance and mitigate verbal communication errors.
4PTW Flyer
Interested to learn more about 4PTW and its functionality? Download our product flyer now or contact us for more information.
