Sentinel card (LUCAS) pts

The Sentinel Card is one of the most important safety systems used in the rail industry. It gives rail workers a ‘passport’ to work on UK rail infrastructure. The Sentinel system uses the latest smart card technology, a secure and reliable database with access via multiple platforms such as smartphones. This allows simple and effective verification of workers’ competence and ability to work in real time. Sentinel provides the rail industry with a permit-to-work system that allows people to work safely on infrastructure. Sentinel is owned and operated by Network Rail, for the industry, and is supported by the Sentinel Scheme Rules. The Sentinel Scheme Rules apply to everyone using the Sentinel system and outline the responsibilities, policies and rules that must be followed.

What is a Sentinel Card and who needs one?
The Sentinel Card, formerly known as the Personal Track Safety (PTS) card, demonstrates that a person has achieved the required level of competence and is working for an approved employer. Without a Sentinel Card, Network Rail cannot know whether a person has attended approved courses or is working for an unauthorized employer. A Sentinel card provides a simple and secure way of checking that everyone working on the railway has completed the relevant training and qualifications. When railway workers report to the site, they simply need to present their card – if they don’t have a card, they won’t be allowed to work. It is simple to check and means that any maintenance, renewal or improvement work is carried out by properly trained people with the right skills, safely at all times and that their skills are up to date.

Since 1999, Sentinel has been the ID card scheme of choice to ensure that people working on or near Network Rail infrastructure have basic skills and are medically fit to do so. The system, owned and developed by Network Rail, is based on a central database and common system for checking that people have Personal Track Safety (PTS) or Industry Common Induction (ICI), other critical skills and medical fitness to work , as well as the drug and alcohol test, ensure a responsible and competent work system.
The Sentinel system was significantly updated in 2013, using electronic chip technology in newly formatted cards. This enables near-real-time proficiency checks using a variety of authentication methods, such as smartphones, computer access or simply scanning a QR code on the new cards. It is now possible to check your card with the central database almost in real time using your internet connection. In 2014, Transport for London became the first other rail entity to adopt the system.
System updates have been made since 2016, with user experience at the fore. In 2021, Network Rail (High Speed) became the second rail entity to join the system, allowing them to validate Authority to Work on their infrastructure.
What does a person have to do to get a Sentinel Card? To obtain a Sentinel card, a person must find an employer to sponsor them for a training course. The training course is delivered by an authorized trainer in a licensed training center using only Network Rail approved training materials.
A Sentinel card is only available to an approved company as that company has agreed to monitor working hours, distribute personal protective equipment and accept responsibility for that person on Network Rail infrastructure. You don’t need to already have a job as a company can sponsor a person for entry level Personal Track Safety.

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Sentinel card (LUCAS) pts

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