What is a competency or job role suspension?

A suspension is the temporary removal of a cardholders job role or competency. There are two types and levels of suspension:


Job role suspension is the temporary removal of a cardholders job role. 

  • National Role/Network Operator specific – suspended from specific work site/s in a specific capacity, or 
  • Employer based specific – suspended from a specific work site/s in a specific capacity.

 

Competency suspension is the temporary removal of a cardholders competency or unit of competence.

  • Network Operators can suspend/restore National and Network competencies, or
  • Premium Functionality Employer can suspend/restore Employer based competencies.
       

National and Network

National and Network suspensions can be placed for any of the following reasons:

  • Any incident that results in the cardholder demonstrating reckless act or legislative breach, or
  • Organisational breach;
  • The cardholder is the subject of any action resulting from Drug & Alcohol Testing;
  • Safe working breach;
  • Wherever a time-based remedial action is considered with a training/mentoring program to up-skill the cardholder;
  • Competence and/or performance has, or may have, the potential to impact safety or is called into question;
  • The cardholder is unable to meet competency requirements or re-certification is not granted;
  • Advice has been received that the cardholder no longer meets the requirements of the National Health Standards; 
  • Cardholder has contravened a Fatigue Management Program; and/or
  • Other valid reason as determined by the Network Operator. 


Only Network Operator Administrators and the RIW Service Desk have permission to lift and place the suspension of a National or Network job role or competency.


Employer 

Premium Functionality Employers have the ability to create their own individual job roles and competencies to manage their workforce (refer to our articles How does a Premium Functionality Employer create an employer based job role? and How does a Premium Functionality Employer create an employer based competency?).


As such, Premium Functionality Employers reserve the right to suspend, modify or reinstate a Rail Industry Worker’s site specific role or competency.              


This could be placed for any of the following reasons:

  • Overstaying fatigue limits
  • Safe working breach
  • Rail Industry Worker is carrying out any work in an unsafe or unsatisfactory manner
  • Infringement of any safety rule or regulation
  • A person is performing work for which he/she is not suitably qualified
  • A person is guilty of misconduct
  • A person has a non-negative alcohol or drug result
  • It is considered that the person is unsuitable to work in the vicinity of railway tracks or any of the equipment associated therewith, including not holding the necessary certification or licences required
  • Other valid reason as determined by the owner of the employer job role or competency.


Note: If a Rail Industry Worker is involved in a serious safety breach (including drug and alcohol), or the Employer believes that the Rail Industry Worker should be blocked for other reasons, the Contractor in Charge or the Employer should notify the relevant Network Operator to request that a Network block be placed on the Rail Industry Worker. The Network Operator will then determine whether a Network block is required.

           


Related articles:



RIW Knowledge Centre Link:

https://support.riw.net.au/support/solutions/articles/51000029935



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