All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source. |
SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY |
REGISTERED QUALIFICATION: |
Occupational Certificate: Railway Safety Inspector |
SAQA QUAL ID | QUALIFICATION TITLE | |||
102158 | Occupational Certificate: Railway Safety Inspector | |||
ORIGINATOR | ||||
Development Quality Partner-TETA | ||||
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY | NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK | |||
- | OQSF - Occupational Qualifications Sub-framework | |||
QUALIFICATION TYPE | FIELD | SUBFIELD | ||
Occupational Certificate | Field 11 - Services | Transport, Operations and Logistics | ||
ABET BAND | MINIMUM CREDITS | PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL | NQF LEVEL | QUAL CLASS |
Undefined | 330 | Not Applicable | NQF Level 06 | Regular-ELOAC |
REGISTRATION STATUS | SAQA DECISION NUMBER | REGISTRATION START DATE | REGISTRATION END DATE | |
Reregistered | EXCO 0425/24 | 2018-07-01 | 2025-12-30 | |
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT | LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT | |||
2026-12-30 | 2029-12-30 |
In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise. |
This qualification does not replace any other qualification and is not replaced by any other qualification. |
PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION |
Purpose:
The purpose of this qualification is to prepare a learner to operate as a Railway Safety Inspector. A Railway Safety Inspector inspects railway operations, audits railway safety management systems and investigates railway occurrences in order to effectively promote and monitor the enforcement of safety compliance and continuous safety improvement in the rail environment in accordance with prescribed standards and legislation. A qualified learner will be able to: Rationale: In South Africa, we have approximately 288 railway operators. In terms of Act 16 of 2002, as amended, each operator is required to be in possession of an annual Safety Permit in order to operate. In order to apply for a permit, each operator has to demonstrate that they have implemented a Safety Management System (SMS) which complies with, among other things, the following: Historically, railway safety management systems have been developed at head office level while implementation and monitoring at depot level has been performed by managers, supervisors, and safety, health, environment, and quality (SHEQ) officers on an ad hoc basis. The numerous audit findings identified when the Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) conducts audits on operators is evidence of the ineffectiveness of the current practices. The Railway Safety Inspector (RSI) qualification will produce inspectors with a wide range of skills including functional engineering knowledge in the key railway disciplines as well as hazard identification and risk assessment skills, auditing, inspecting and investigating skills and knowledge of how to develop and assess railway safety management systems. The RSI qualification will provide railway safety inspectors with the necessary confidence and competence to carry out their core business of conducting audits, inspections, and investigations and to make findings and recommendations relating to any of the key technical disciplines of a railway system. The RSR currently employs an inspectorate of approximately fifty persons at various levels including interns, trainee inspectors, junior inspectors, inspectors and principal inspectors. It is estimated that at least forty of these individuals are currently in need of a railway safety inspector qualification. The RSR is growing fast, and the RSI qualification should become mandatory prior to appointment as a Railway Safety Inspector. The qualification has been developed based on the knowledge and skills required in order to succeed as a railway safety inspector in the RSR ambit. However, it will be just as applicable to the numerous railway operators in South Africa. The target audience is, therefore: The content of the qualification is such that it could easily be transported to Southern African Development Community (SADC) region or other selected countries in Africa. The minimum entry level for this qualification is an Level 4 with mathematics and science as well as three years of relevant experience. A candidate who achieves the qualification of railway safety inspector will have a good all round knowledge of railway engineering and will be equally valuable as an internal auditor, inspector or investigator or as an external regulator. |
LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING |
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
RPL for access to the external integrated summative assessment: Accredited providers and approved workplaces must apply the internal assessment criteria specified in the related curriculum document to establish and confirm prior learning. Accredited providers and workplaces must confirm prior learning by issuing a statement of result or certifying a work experience record. RPL for access to the qualification: Accredited providers and approved workplaces may recognise prior learning against the relevant access requirements. Entry Requirements: Level 4 qualification with Mathematics and Physical Science and a minimum of 3 years of relevant work experience in the railway and environment. |
RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? |
Y |
QUALIFICATION RULES |
This qualification is made up of the following compulsory Knowledge/Theory and Practical Skill Modules:
Knowledge/Theory Modules: Total number of credits for Knowledge Modules: 135. Practical Skill Modules: Total number of credits for Practical Skill Modules: 105. This qualification also requires the following Work Experience Modules: Total number of credits for Work Experience Modules: 90. |
EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES |
1. Inspect railway operations in accordance with prescribed procedures, standards, and legislation.
2. Audit railway safety management systems in accordance with prescribed procedures and standards. 3. Investigate railway occurrences in accordance with prescribed procedures, standards, and legislation. |
ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA |
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2: Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3: Integrated Assessment: Integrated Formative Assessment: The skills development provider will use the curriculum to guide them on the stipulated internal assessment criteria and weighting. They will also apply the scope of practical skills and applied knowledge as stipulated by the internal assessment criteria. This formative assessment leads to entrance into the integrated external summative assessment. Integrated Summative Assessment: An external integrated summative assessment, conducted through the relevant Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) Assessment Quality Partner is required for the issuing of this qualification. The external integrated summative assessment will focus on the Exit Level Outcomes and Associated Assessment Criteria. |
INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY |
Germany and Great Britain were the two countries used to complete an international comparability exercise as they are seen as best practice countries with minimum railway safety challenges.
Germany: Programme: Deutsche Bahn Integrated Learning and Qualification Services Provider. Training ideology. A modern qualification system should be based on international safety standards with the following international directives: A holistic understanding of improving performance and safety: Deutsche Bahn Education and Training System Development: Great Britain: Programme: Her Majesty Railway Inspectorate. Training ideology. Vision: Zero. Excellence: Results: Railway Inspectorate: Her Majesty Railway Inspectorate has been in existence for 175 years. Keeping Britain's railways safe. Inspectors keep railways safe by: How we ensure safer railways: Inspectors are trained to: Inspection focus key themes: Inspector training covers the following: Enforcement: Enforcement is a firm and fair process, and inspectors are trained to: Conclusion: This qualification is comparable to what is found in the chosen international best practice countries, in terms of what the qualification covers and the level of skills, knowledge, and experience that the qualifying learner would have to acquire. |
ARTICULATION OPTIONS |
Horizontal Articulation:
Vertical Articulation: |
MODERATION OPTIONS |
N/A |
CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS |
N/A |
NOTES |
Qualifying for external assessment:
In order to qualify for an external assessment, learners must provide proof of completion of all required modules by means of statements of results and work experience records. Foundational Learning competence is not a prerequisite for access to the external integrated summative assessment. Additional legal or physical entry requirements: None Criteria for the accreditation of providers Accreditation of providers will be done against the criteria as reflected in the relevant curriculum on the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) website. The curriculum title and code is Railway Safety Inspector: 325705002. This qualification encompasses the following trades as recorded on the NLRD: This is not a trade qualification. Part Qualifications None. |
LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS QUALIFICATION: |
NONE |
PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS QUALIFICATION: |
This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here. |
NONE |
All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source. |