Imperial Training

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Any potential employee must undergo a PTS Medical and a Drug and Alcohol Test before attending a “Personal Track Safety” course.

When you embark on your chosen rail career, you will be issued with a Sentinel smartcard once you successfully complete either a assessment or a course, which links you to your account on the NetworkRail online database – which is known as Sentinel – which holds details of the holders’ PTS Medical, Drug & Alcohol status and any assessments and training courses that have been successfully completed.

Details of competencies attained can include:

  • Medical Certificate (usually lasts 10 years, but dependent on age)
  • Drug & Alcohol Results
  • PTS (AC or DCCR) (expiry 2 years)
  • Track Induction, OLEC, Lookout, PICOP, COSS, IWA, ICI LU Assessments or others…

The medical assessment for these certificates must be undertaken by an accredited medical provider, such as Tec Medicals authorised by RISQS under the authority of Network Rail.

Tec Medicals are registered appropriately and regular audits are undertaken to ensure that we meet the quality control levels for the specific standards of performance and training needed to reliably undertake the medical assessments.

In order to complete any training on the railway, delegates have to be registered on the sentinel system, the Sentinel system operates online and records all the railway training events / Medical and competencies that you will eventually hold. Once you have the sentinel number you will be able to book the Network Rail Pre Employment Drugs and Alcohol & Medical screening, this is a mandatory requirement for the Personal Track Safety (Network Rail Standard NR/L2/OHS/00124 Competence Specific Fitness Medical Requirements)

Medical Assessment

  • The Basic PTS Medical assessment for Network Rail involves the following medical modalities and components.
    • Medical questionnaire
    • Medical questionnaire
    • Height and Weight
    • B.M.I.
    • Blood Pressure
    • Pulse
    • Blood Glucose Level
    • General Health
    • Mobility
    • Vision testing
    • Colour Testing
    • Hearing Test

Drugs & Alcohol Screening

  • For the Network Rail Drug and Alcohol Screening, individuals need to provide a urine sample for analysis. The sample is sent to our RISQS approved UKAS Accredited Laboratory for testing. The laboratory tests the sample for traces of:
    • Amphetamines (incl. Methamphetamines)
    • Benzodiazepines
    • Cannabis
    • Cocaine
    • MDMA
    • EDDP (Methadone metabolite)
    • Opiates
    • Propoxyphene
    Results can take up to 3 days to come through, and longer if there are any contraindications. Positive samples will lead to a 5-year suspension, notified on your Sentinel profile. Alcohol is assessed using an intoximeter (breath test), and results are immediate.

What do I need to bring?

  • Valid Sentinel Card (or your Sentinel Number)if you have a sponsor
  • Photo identification ie Passport or Photocard Driving Licence
  • Proof of National Insurance Number ie National Insurance Card or Pay Slip
  • List of any prescribed (or over the counter) medicines/drugs taken within the last 14 days
  • Glasses or hearing aids if normally worn
*Please note if any of the above are not available on the day of the appointment, the medical will not be carried out. Another appointment will be required and the fee will still apply. Persons with minor medical conditions (e.g. Wears Glasses or Colour Blind) may still be issued a PTS – though the Sentinel Card will have an indicator to inform the Controller of Site Safety (COSS) to that person’s ailment. Where an individual fails to meet the specific medical standards on the day of the medical, depending on the issue, it is still sometimes possible to ask the candidate’s G.P. for a report. This can then be used to issue a PTS Medical Certificate – this is sometimes the case, for example, where candidates show high blood pressure on the day of the medical. The object of the medical assessment is to ensure that employers meet their duty of care so that individuals working in this potentially dangerous environment are not subject to increased risk of harm to themselves or their colleagues, or in some cases members of the public, due to any foreseeable underlying medical condition. Network Rail operates a zero-tolerance policy on Drugs and Alcohol. If you return a “Positive” (Fail) result from your Drug & Alcohol test, your Sentinel Card will be cancelled and you will be prohibited from working on any Network Rail or London Underground infrastructure for a period of five years. This applies to new workers as well as workers who have worked on rail for many years. We are able to conduct PTS Medicals at our conveniently located facilities, throughout the UK – or alternatively (subject to minimum numbers) we can come to you.

Results

  • Results can take up to 3 days to come through, and longer if there are any contraindications. Positive samples will lead to a 5-year suspension, notified on your Sentinel profile.

    There are no longer any paper based medical certificates issued. Everything now is uploaded onto Sentinel. You must have a sentinel profile in order for your results to be issued. For more information please call 0208 611 2512.

Cancellation

If less than 14 days notice is given of a cancellation of a booking, part of a booking, or a candidate fails to attend at the appointed time and place or fails to bring with them specified photographic identification or such documentation and/or information as is required for their test or examination then the full fee will be charged. If a booking is made within 14 days of the appointment, the booking cannot be rescheduled or refundable. Same day bookings will be charged in advance of attendance and cannot be cancelled or rescheduled. Candidates must ensure that they can attend their scheduled appointment before finalising their booking. Appointments that are rescheduled on the day of the appointment will incur the full fee of the appointment.