Research
Brief
Non-technical skills for rail: development, piloting, and
evaluation of a training course
T869 - June 2012 - updated August 2012
Introduction
Non-technical skills (NTS) are generic skills that underpin and
enhance technical tasks and improve safety by helping people to
anticipate, identify and mitigate against errors. NTS are more
general than technical skills and can be applied to a range of
tasks and procedures. Examples of non-technical skills are
conscientiousness, communication, rule compliance and
workload management.
Reviews of incidents and accidents in the industry have
consistently shown that NTS are key contributors to these events.
While behavioural preferences form part of the train driver
selection criteria (as part of RSSB projects T628 and T948, new
assessment techniques have been designed to better measure
behavioural preferences in candidates applying for the train driver
role), at the start of this project there was very little formal
coverage of NTS in other areas of the driver competence
management system. Until very recently, training programmes for
operational staff within the GB rail industry have been based
largely on rules and traction training, and ongoing competence
development has been concerned only with technical skills.
Crew Resource Management, a form of NTS training, was
introduced in the aviation industry in the 1970s, and it has since
spread to various other safety critical industries such as nuclear,
healthcare, and shipping. In more recent years, this form of NTS
training has been introduced to rail industries in Australia, USA
and Canada. Evaluations of this training suggest that it can
reduce safety occurrences attributable to human error.
RSSB project T869 was commissioned to produce and pilot a
NTS training course and other reinforcement activities for drivers
which would also be relevant to other safety critical roles in the
industry. This work builds upon previous RSSB work in this area.
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Non-technical skills for rail: development, piloting, and evaluation of a training course
T869 - June 2012 - updated August 2012
Aims
The aim of this project was to design, produce and pilot a suite of
materials for training and reinforcing NTS. Long-term, the vision
is for this suite of materials to be adopted and adapted as
appropriate by other companies, and for other operational roles,
integrating into existing technical training programmes as
necessary.
In delivering T869, RSSB sought to meet the following objectives:
Phase 1
 Identify suitable companies to lead in the development and
piloting of the training.
 Identify the NTS relevant to the train driver role.
 Conduct a brief training needs analysis to identify gaps in
current NTS training provision.
Phase 2
 Develop a stand-alone NTS training course for front line
staff and their managers.
 Develop activities to reinforce the development of NTS,
including the provision of feedback on skills development.
Phase 3
 Pilot the training course with two train operating companies.
 Evaluate the training.
Phase 4
 Create a suite of materials and guidance (including
guidance on how to integrate with technical training and
other competence management activities).
Method and
methodology
Throughout the T869 project, work has been carried out in line
with good research, development and evaluation practices. As
appropriate, the methods have been guided by lessons learnt by
rail companies in other countries and by other safety-critical
industries in integrating NTS in competence management
systems.
The methods used to identify and confirm which NTS are
important in the role of the train driver, and develop behavioural
markers, are detailed in the first deliverable.
The methods used to develop training and reinforcement
activities, and to evaluate the training, are provided in the second
deliverable (the final project report).
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Findings
The courses were positively received by participants. Ratings and
comments on the course suggested that the training was
perceived to be useful, and provided tools to enhance
competence and safety within the industry.
Evaluation of the pilot training courses for drivers and their
managers (based on a sample of 29 drivers and 12 managers)
demonstrated significant improvements in non-technical skills
(based on self-reports and manager ratings of drivers on the job).
Significant improvements were demonstrated across managerial
skills (as perceived by managers themselves), specifically the
understanding of NTS and relevance to the driver role, and
knowledge of what should be documented and why.
Improvements were also seen in attitudes to safety, and in safety
culture ratings, although these did not reach significance.
Over the course of the project, an increasing number of
companies have begun to formally consider NTS and explore how
NTS can be integrated into training and competence
measurement.
Deliverables
Deliverable 1: Non-technical skills for rail - a list of skills and
behavioural markers, for train drivers, with guidance notes
(updated 2012)
This report includes:
 A general introduction to NTS.
 An overview of the methods used to identify NTS and map
them to the driver role.
 A validated list of NTS applicable to the train driver role.
 Behavioural markers (examples of good and poor
behaviour), definitions and typical driver tasks for each
NTS.
The NTS and behavioural markers in the first deliverable formed
the focus of subsequent training and development activities in the
rest of the T869 project.
Deliverable 2: Non-technical skills for rail - developing an
integrated approach to training and investment
This report has been written for those responsible for setting
company policy with regard to competence management, and
those responsible for planning and implementing changes to the
competence management system (CMS). It is designed to assist
RSSB
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Non-technical skills for rail: development, piloting, and evaluation of a training course
T869 - June 2012 - updated August 2012
in decisions about how NTS can be effectively integrated within
the company. The report includes:
 A case for investment in NTS integration.
 Recommendations on how to go about integrating NTS into
all areas of the company (including who should receive the
training, who should train, how NTS can be integrated into
competence management systems, potential challenges,
and recommendations for ongoing evaluation).
 Further information on the T869 project methodology
(including evaluation results from the pilot courses).
 Frequently asked questions.
Deliverable 3: NTS course materials and corresponding tools
for managers
These materials are available to RSSB member companies only
via the SPARK web portal.
Benefits/
Implementation
The T869 project provides industry with:
 A clear description of the generic skills required of a train
driver to help him or her anticipate, identify and mitigate
against threats and errors as part of the train driver role.
The behavioural markers provided with each skill have been
specifically developed to be observable, specific and free
from jargon. Where the markers are difficult to observe, the
training tools provide managers with questions to ask to
determine whether a marker has been evidenced. The
typical driver tasks listed by each skill will help to illustrate
how NTS underpin technical tasks. This will enable drivers
to better understand what is expected of them, and people
involved in the competence management of drivers (eg
driver managers, instructors and trainers) to measure NTS
in an objective way and provide meaningful feedback.
 A core set of NTS training materials
The core content of the course is applicable to other safety
critical roles, and RSSB members can customise the
training to suit their own companies and operational roles.
The materials provide a consistent basis for NTS training
and reinforcement across the industry.
 A method for identifying NTS, mapping on to operational
roles, developing and evaluating training and integrating
NTS into competence management systems
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The principles of this work, and the methods used, can also
be applied to other operational roles. Research has shown
that the NTS required of many operational roles are very
similar.
 Evaluation information and lessons learned
The training course has been evaluated to assess whether
it results in changed behaviour. Over time, it will be possible
for companies to monitor whether this corresponds with a
reduction in incidents and accidents. Advice and guidance
on how to best integrate NTS training and reinforcement
activities has been provided.
 Positive safety benefits
Over time, it is expected that if NTS are trained and
reinforced and appropriately integrated into competence
management systems, that this will result in safer behaviour
and subsequently, a reduction in incidents and accidents.
In order to maximise the benefits from this research,
individual companies would need to:
 Raise awareness and understanding of the relevance of
NTS at all levels of the company.
 Build manager, instructor and assessor competence in
NTS; how to objectively measure NTS and provide
meaningful feedback.
 Customise the training materials to enhance the
relevance to their company and staff.
 Commit to ongoing development and reinforcement of
staff NTS.
 Use NTS and behavioural markers for development
purposes only, and not use them to 'assess' drivers in
the sense of passing or failing them.
RSSB
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Non-technical skills for rail: development, piloting, and evaluation of a training course
T869 - June 2012 - updated August 2012
Next steps
A launch event for this research was held on 21 June 2012 at
which delegates were requested to indicate their level of 'NTS
maturity' on a five-point scale. All 13 companies who provided a
response indicated that there was interest in NTS, but
implementation ranged from none (8%, due to limited resources),
to smaller scale implementation with a small group of staff (46%)
through to full implementation across the front line staff
population (46%, including Arriva Trains Wales and members of
the First Group). No respondents considered NTS yet to be
integrated into the competence management system, fully
understood by managers and all front-line staff and constantly
developed.
Responses indicated that companies are making plans to further
integrate NTS for other roles and to fully incorporate NTS into
competency investigation and recruitment.
The Rail Industry Skills Forum, which sponsored this work, has
recommended this important research to railway companies in
Great Britain.
Following the launch event, ORR said
'Non-technical skills underpin every aspect of professional
behaviour, and the most progressive industries worldwide are
increasingly recognising the benefits of improving their staff's
competence in this area. Continuous improvement in NTS will be
vital in ensuring the rail industry makes best use of its most
valuable asset - its people - in operating a safe and efficient mode
of transport. The industry, the travelling public and staff
themselves can all benefit from the kind of approach advocated in
this work, and the Office of Rail Regulation strongly supports the
efforts being made by RSSB and the rail industry to improve the
competence of rail staff in non-technical skills.'
Contact
For more information please contact:
Michael Woods
Head of Operations and Management Research
R&D Programme, RSSB
enquirydesk@rssb.co.uk
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RSSB