Network Rail Engineering Medical

[EllisM]

so I’ve been offered a place with network rail I just need to book a medical exam but I’m so paranoid, my left eye is very weak compared to my right (with glasses) and I need to know how intense the medical exam is, also can anyone tell what the entire medical is like?

Regards Ellis

 

[BloominMan]

Hello Ellis.

There is quite a debate going on about this at the moment.

The older RSSB standards were/are as follows:

With correction if necessary:

6/6 with both eyes (20/20)
6/6 with your best eye
6/9 with your weakest eye (20/30)

There was/is an uncorrected standard of 3/60 - Which is the top letter of the chart with each eye separately with no glasses or contacts.

The newer regulations don't have an uncorrected test of 3/60 but there is a prescription limit. There is a test to make sure you can see 20/20 in both eyes together. 20/20 in the good eye and 20/30 in your weakest eye - Whether you need correction or not.

Though it does state a maximum prescription of -8 myopia and +5 hypermetropia.

Just depends what they do on the day. Let us know. When is your medical and what position may I ask?

I've heard jobs such as track operative have a much more relaxed medical, hearing and vision wise too.

 

[BloominMan]

Forgot to add.

You'll be drug and alcohol tested, vision tests, hearing tests, blood pressure, height and weight.

Think that's it.

 

[Highlandspring]

To meet the Network Rail/Sentinel minimum basic Personal Track Safety visual acuity standard (i.e. NOT a train driver role) you need to be able to achieve at least 6/9 in the better eye and no less than 6/12 in the worse eye, with correction if necessary, and you must have normal colour vision. Some levels of Network Rail medical also require a minimum of 3/60 uncorrected but not for PTS. If you can’t achieve the minimum visual acuity level or have colour vision deficiency then you would be issued with a restricted PTS which requires you to be accompanied on the track at all times.

The medical standards for drivers are different and almost all posts on this forum are made on the basis that you are applying to be a train driver. Don’t be fooled!

 

[hiredgun]

To meet the Network Rail/Sentinel minimum basic Personal Track Safety visual acuity standard (i.e. NOT a train driver role) you need to be able to achieve at least 6/9 in the better eye and no less than 6/12 in the worse eye, with correction if necessary, and you must have normal colour vision. Some levels of Network Rail medical also require a minimum of 3/60 uncorrected but not for PTS. If you can’t achieve the minimum visual acuity level or have colour vision deficiency then you would be issued with a restricted PTS which requires you to be accompanied on the track at all times.

The medical standards for drivers are different and almost all posts on this forum are made on the basis that you are applying to be a train driver. Don’t be fooled!

that's interesting, Highlandspring, is this the case for ALL TOC NON-driving rolls do you think?

 

[EllisM]

Hello Ellis.

There is quite a debate going on about this at the moment.

The older RSSB standards were/are as follows:

With correction if necessary:

6/6 with both eyes (20/20)
6/6 with your best eye
6/9 with your weakest eye (20/30)

There was/is an uncorrected standard of 3/60 - Which is the top letter of the chart with each eye separately with no glasses or contacts.

The newer regulations don't have an uncorrected test of 3/60 but there is a prescription limit. There is a test to make sure you can see 20/20 in both eyes together. 20/20 in the good eye and 20/30 in your weakest eye - Whether you need correction or not.

Though it does state a maximum prescription of -8 myopia and +5 hypermetropia.

Just depends what they do on the day. Let us know. When is your medical and what position may I ask?

I've heard jobs such as track operative have a much more relaxed medical, hearing and vision wise too.

I've been offered a place with network rail as an engineering apprentice, its such a great opportunity and I dont want to fail the medical... my actual medical is in July, thank you for the information.