Refresher and Safety Courses for Running Staff: Online/Offline Mode
The Ministry of Railways in India has issued a notification to all zonal railways and production units regarding the refresher and safety courses for running staff. During the COVID period, the Safety Directorate had instructed to start online courses, and now that the situation has improved, physical training can be started with necessary COVID precautions. Zonal Railways are advised to ensure that train operations are not hindered while sending staff for physical training. The letter also states that the references of ZRs should be signed by an SAG level officer and seen by PCPO to ensure only serious matters are deliberated upon by the Board.
Government of India (Bharat Sarkar)
Ministry of Railways (Rail Mantralaya)
(Railway Board)
No. E(MPP)2020/3/13
New Delhi, Dated 08.02.2023
The General Manager,
All Zonal Railways/PUs.
Sub: Refresher and Safety courses for Running Staff- Online/Offline mode.
Ref: (i) Board’s letter No. E(MPP)/2020/3/15 dated 19.06.2020.
(ii) Board’s letter No. 2020/Safety/DM/6/14 dated 24.04.2020.
(iii) NR’s letter no. 844-E/Misc/Online-Offline/ Running Staff /2022 dated 10.08.2022.
During Covid Period, Safety Directorate, vide reference (ii) above, had issued instructions to GMs/All Zonal Railways to start online refresher and other safety courses for running category staff. It was aiso advised that efforts may, however, be made to start the regular class room courses at the earliest and ensure that all running staff are given the refresher and other safety courses as per laid down norms.
2. Further, vide reference (i) above, instructions to GMs/All Zonal Railways had been issued, inter —alia, that for safety related trainings. online training may be adopted for the theoretical portion only. For practical portion where hands on training and physical demonstration is required, suitable arrangements needs to be made keeping in view safety aspects.
3. Now, Northern Railway. vide reference (iii) above, has requested Railway Board to issue clear instructions/direction on the issue of online/offline refresher training for running staff.
4. The matter has been reviewed in Board’s office and it has been decided in consultation with Safety, Traction and Traffic Transportation Directorates that since the Covid situation has normalized now, physical training may be started following necessary Covid related precautions/protocol. It may. however, be ensured by Zonal Railways that while sending staff for physical training, train operations are not hindered.
5. It may also be noted that the references of ZRs should atleast be signed by SAG level officer and should be seen by PCPO so that Board receives only serious matters worth deliberations.
D. A. : As above
(A. K. Das)
Joint Director/E (MPP)