HOW THE PWI CAN HELP YOU TRANSITION INTO THE POST-LOCKDOWN WORLD

Here’s hoping we’re not jumping the gun with this article in hedging our bets that the UK is not going to curveball into further lockdowns. Presuming this is the case, many of us are now facing the challenge of the transition to this new “new normal” as places of work reopen, deferred physical operations resume, and all with social distancing and anti-Covid measures still in place. It is perfectly natural to feel a level of anxiety and apprehension over this next phase, especially given the amount of time we’ve been living under the constraints of “lockdown normal”. So, as the UK starts to embark on the journey out of lockdown, what does “new normal” look like and how can the PWI support you?

KNOWLEDGE RESOURCES

The greatest asset we can take from the last twelve months and apply going forward is knowledge. The PWI knowledge community has been immensely productive throughout the pandemic. Our adoption of online tools has enabled us to deliver more talks and presentations to a wider audience than ever before. Some of these industry talks have been directly focussed on Covid-19, such as the SPOLKS (Special Online Knowledge Shares) series, with experts explaining how rail operations have had to adapt quickly and safely. As a PWI member, through our online Knowledge Hub you have access to all this captured knowledge in the form of videos, articles and presentations. Please tap into this unique library of data and use the search facility to find material relevant to you.

SUSTAINABLE RAIL

It’s no coincidence that the European Commission has named 2021 as the “year of rail” with a continent-wide drive to promote rail as the sustainable transport of choice, as the world refocuses on the twin challenges of decarbonisation and adapting to climate change. Only time will tell how far use of road and rail will recover towards their pre-Covid levels, but we do know that companies everywhere are now set up for remote working. That means the demand for office space will fall – and so will the numbers of those who routinely commute.

Here in the UK, and within the PWI community, we are playing our part in the effort to reduce carbon emissions by arguing for the expansion of railway electrification, by seeking the active encouragement of modal shift to rail, and by understanding how the emissions associated with engineering work can be eliminated or reduced. How can you get involved? You could volunteer as a PWI Ambassador (focussing on sustainability); or you could find out what your company and other companies you work with are doing to reduce CO2 emissions and to cope with more extreme weather events. We’d love to hear about what you and your colleagues are doing in this area. With a legal target of net zero CO2 emissions by 2050, sustainability is set to be the “hot topic” for decades to come.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

While the rail industry may not have suffered Covid-induced displacement to quite the same degree as the hospitality and retail sectors, it is evident that the constraints imposed by the pandemic and lockdown have caused some in the industry to put their personal development on hold. Employment concerns, home schooling, and loss of support networks have taken their toll but as UK society moves towards something resembling pre-Covid functionality, the PWI is keen to help members pick up the threads and keep track of developments and opportunities in the world of railway infrastructure engineering.

The Institution has set out to deliver a full programme of training courses in 2021 – in a mixture of online and face-to-face formats. We’re planning to deliver a normal sized programme of seminars running between July and November and we’ll be on the ground offering help on development – and textbooks – at Rail Live in June, and at Infrarail in September. Online Section meetings continue and at least some are likely to move to in-person format from September. Our professional registration manager is always happy to supplement the advice on formal Engineering Council registration provided on our website.

We’re always on the lookout for interesting Journal articles. If the topics you’re working on interest you, they’re likely to interest many of our other members too, so why not write one of them up as a potential Journal article? Authorship is a very effective way of getting noticed! Finally, our website hosts an array of useful development tools, including My CPD for recording what you’ve experienced and achieved in a structured way, and guidance on CV writing and interview techniques.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT

One of the biggest challenges the pandemic has inflicted on us all is the physical disconnection of communities. Yes, online tools helped to alleviate this, both socially and professionally, but living physically isolated from others has felt unnatural and unsettling for many. And worrying reports on the state of the nation’s mental health have appeared several times over the last year. Now, we face meeting in person once more, whether at social or professional events or just back in the workplace. Regardless of the setting and the numbers involved, it is only human to face this change with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. So, how can we help?

Firstly, for those feeling a bit lonely and bereft of company, you can join any of our Section meetings online, and then pop along to local face-to-face Section meetings once they resume. Most, if not all, online Section meetings are open around 15 minutes before formal start time, which allows additional socialising. Some meetings include a similar period after the formal meeting has concluded.

Secondly, if you are experiencing unusual stress or significant levels of fear or concern over an impending transition back into a physical work environment, please consider talking to your GP, or a friend, colleague, manager that you trust, or a confidential support service. Many employers including Network Rail and Transport for London provide confidential support and there are a number of charitable organisations who also offer advice and trained counselling. Network Rail’s Safety Central website has relevant advice and is available to all in the industry at: https://safety.networkrail.co.uk/healthandwellbeing/living-with-mental-health/

The site also carries the contact details for sources of confidential support: https://safety.networkrail.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Mental-Health-support-group-contacts.pdf

Lastly, TfL advice for employees is provided on their private intranet, however general advice on dealing with stress or mental health concerns, together with contact details for sources of confidential support are freely available at: https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/taxis-and-private-hire/licensing/health-and-wellbeing

HEALTH & SAFETY

The rail industry responded very quickly and efficiently to the health and safety challenges raised by Covid-19. We had to – because putting the safety of staff and passengers first is fundamental to our industry’s successful operation. As we move out of lockdown and particularly as those who’ve been working at home start to work at office and site locations, is it imperative that all understand and take account of changes in the safe working regime that have been implemented in the lockdown period. Nick Millington’s article on page 10 of this Journal is a great place to start for an insight into the major changes that have been made affecting how and when we work on railway infrastructure.

If you’re returning to working in an office or site environment after a prolonged period of working from home, make sure that you’re fully up to date with any changes in processes, procedures, and standards that have occurred while you were at home. If you’re at all unsure, ask your supervisor or manager to bring you up to date.

We know that lack of familiarity with workplace settings can increase the risk of accident and industrial illness. If you’ve been away from a particular working environment for several months, recognise that you’re likely to be at least a little unfamiliar with it, and take extra care to confirm that you’ve got the measure of all the hazards present and are applying all the risk controls necessary to stay safe and healthy. Keep an eye out for others too: teams are safest when each member is monitoring their teammates safety as well as their own. Finally, it’s helpful to remember that companies working on railway infrastructure operate “worksafe” procedures, so if you’re in any doubt about your own or others’ safety, stop and raise your concern with the person in charge of the work: always better safe than sorry…

We really hope this article helps in any post-Covid transitions that you are facing, and we would love to hear your stories going forward.