Contractor induction

At V/Line, we are committed to providing and maintaining a safe work environment for everyone. 

We comply with the Rail Safety National Law 2012, the Occupational Health & Safety Act 2004 and other relevant statutory and regulatory requirements.

We are required by law to take all necessary actions to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of all employees, contractors and visitors. 

Contractors working with V/Line are expected to comply with our policies and standards and to conduct their business dealings in an ethical manner. This includes standards of personal behaviour, equal opportunity, harassment and bullying, theft, fraud, removal of property, environment, security and privacy.

All contractors working on the V/Line network are required to read and understand the following online content before starting work.

After registering and reading the online content you will be issued with a "Statement of Completion" for having completed the induction. This will be then sent to your email address.

Contractors performing rail safety work for V/Line will need to upload a copy of this statement to their Rail Industry Worker profile against the V/Line Operator role. 

Rail Safety Work contractors must also comply with other requirements as per the information in the Rail Industry Worker program.

Register for contractor induction here


Rail Industry Worker program

The Rail Industry Worker program is owned and endorsed by the Australasian Railway Association (ARA) on behalf of its members to provide a single national competency management system for people working in rail.

Updates and bulletins for the program are posted online at Rail Industry Worker News and are included in a monthly newsletter.

This is the primary method of communication for all Rail Industry Worker matters and all users should stay informed by registering to receive these important updates.

V/Line has been working with the ARA to provide an industry-led solution for contractor management that meets regulatory requirements and complies with Rail Safety legislation.

This requires that each Rail Safety Worker has the competence to carry out that work.

A governance committee which consists of members from ARTC, RailCorp, Metro Trains, Department of Planning Transport and Infrastructure SA, Queensland Rail, Aurizon, John Holland and V/Line aims to achieve outcomes that are as consistent as possible and will work for all parties across Australia.

Rail Industry Worker cards

It is a requirement that all contractors performing Rail Safety Work for V/Line hold a current Rail Industry Worker (RIW) card.

Where a third-party contractor is deemed a Rail Safety Worker in accordance with Rail Safety National Law, the contractor shall comply with all the V/Line requirements of the RIW Card system.

The need for RIW card centres around the task being completed. If the task is rail infrastructure related, then a RIW card is required regardless of the location on the rail reserve.

There are also some definite situations where it is mandatory that a RIW is held by the third party:

  1. Whilst working under any Rail project held occupation or V/line occupation working under Permit to Foul, regardless of task to be completed, and regardless of location on the rail reserve.
  2. Where the work requires access to the danger zone.
  3. Third parties cannot hold track warrants. If a track warrant is organised by V/line for the third party then again, regardless of what the task is, an RIW card is required as it is a V/line controlled safe working situation.
  4. The third party may elect to install a delineation barrier between the track and their work site to isolate danger zone. This does not negate the need for an RIW card if the tasks undertaken behind the barrier by the third party are rail-infrastructure related.

RIW card may be exempted subject to approval by V/Line under following scenarios:

  1. If the works are non-rail infrastructure related, an exemption from RIW card Handbook (Revision 1 | Date of Issue: 15/04/2020) requirement can be granted if the works are outside the danger zone.
  2. A third party may hold an occupation and if the works concerned are not rail infrastructure related, the third party may not need RIW cards.
V/Line reserves the right to remove from its site any person who is found to be acting in a manner that is dangerous or offensive to V/Line employees, third parties, or members of the public, or in a manner which is likely to cause harm to the environment. 

At a minimum, Rail Safety Work contractors are required to hold the following two roles: 
  • V/Line Operator
  • Around the Track Personnel - National (Construction or non-Construction)
All Rail Safety Work contractors must hold the additional role-specific competencies for the work they are performing and have the role verified as current by the Rail Industry Worker Service Desk Verifications team.

V/Line contractor Matrices

For all other V/Line RIW competency requirements please refer to the ARA’s National Skills Matrices which includes V/Line specific Contractor Induction requirements. In the RIW system, select the relevant V/Line role in line with the ARA’s National matrices. E.g.  For ‘Rail Labourer’ choose ‘V/Line – Rail Labourer.’

If you are unsure as to whether you are a Rail Safety Worker, download the Rail Industry Worker Guidelines for more information. For additional RIW competency queries please contact competency@vline.com.au.