Client Name: Network Rail
Division: Rail
Start and End Date: 1st April 2015 to 31st September 2021
Project Overview
Vital are a current supplier to NR for the provision of temporary frontline labour resource. Covering the provision of track labour, safety critical and semi-professional grades all within a live rail environment and covering all NR regions and routes.
Achievements included:
• 25% of NR national labour requirements supplied by Vital (based on historic data provided in this PQQ)
• 25,299 shifts supplied per quarter (on average).
• Sentinel verified database of 2,608 operatives (87.15% primary sponsored).
• 948 operatives deployed nationally each week (on average).
• 1204 operatives supplied weekly at peak.
• Interacting with 143 NR stakeholders covering every NR delivery unit (DU).
• 20,831 face to face safety briefings conducted using the Vital safety and wellbeing vehicles.
Services provided:
• Primary supply of safety critical, track, civils, signalling & telecoms, electrification & plant, welding and protection staff nationwide.
• Managing fatigue risks through our bespoke planning/rostering system with embedded HSE fatigue risk algorithms.
• Nationwide apprentice programme and new entrants into the industry, from diverse and underrepresented groups.
• Continuous training and upskilling of workforce through structured internal programmes.
• Physical and mental health monitoring.
• Continuous innovation as detailed in added value section below.
• Mobilised workers in over 400 Vital vehicles.
• 13 rail depots nationwide providing local resources, administered by dedicated regional account directors, who each oversee a local delivery team of resource coordinators, training & compliance administrators and health & safety professionals. These teams interface directly with their NR counterparts in both the maintenance and works delivery functions.
• A 24-hour on call service, 365 days a year to fulfil emergency resource requirements and respond to accidents and incidents.
• Responsible for all aspects of the workforce management solution from initial recruitment and selection, through training, competency management, career development, planning and shift allocation along with on-site auditing of quality and health and safety performance.
Examples of Management and Delivery of Planned, Reoccurring Labour Provision
Planned Maintenance Teams (450,000 hours per annum)
Vital supply maintenance teams in all our primary areas, Scotland, LNE South, LNW North and South. We generally get rosters in advance and for consistency, we have the same core teams working week to week who have developed close and productive relationships with their NR counterparts.
Planned Works Delivery (300,000 hours per annum)
We supply a wide array of competence within works delivery from track renewals to civils and off-track capability. We cover track renewals in all contracted areas weekly and have a large presence within the civils works delivery departments supplying joiners, bricklayers and artisans. We have been covering off track throughout the contract, including drainage, troughing, fencing repairs and de-vegetation.
Reoccurring Seasonal Activity (works generally last for a 3 month period equating to 50,000 hours per annum)
Works include leaf fall patrols, seasonal de-vegetation and heat patrols. The requirements reoccur annually - e.g. the leaf fall patrol orders are submitted in July and start at the end of September and prior to the workforce being submitted, we check availability of competent staff and also make sure they are available within the geographic area.
Quality Deliverables:
• Individual skills matrix for all workers provided to NR for checking and continually monitoring that the frontline labour worker possesses all the qualifications, experience and skills required by the NR to carry out the services outlined under the order/call off.
• Worker feedback requested from NR on their ability, attitude to safety and timekeeping.
• Processing and acknowledging orders in accordance with the NR’s order management system – COOM.
• Ensuring timesheets submitted for approval and payment are in accordance with procedures set out by NR.
• Validating that hours worked by the frontline labour worker are reported in line with NR’s timesheet template as required and authorised by a NR representative.
• Ensuring timesheets shall contain all information required by NR and in line with the defined central receipting process and self-billing process if applicable.
Safety Deliverables:
• The workers fatigue is managed upon receipt of the call off order and prior to work commencement. This process is fully automated (using our Peoplesoft technology) and is undertaken for every worker on every assignment. The rules contained within this automation are compliant with HSE & NR standards.
• All allocated and approved drivers are put through a comprehensive independent assignment via online assessment platform IAM Roadsmart which is the UK's leading road safety system, helping to improve driving and riding skills through courses and coaching.
• Provide each worker with briefing on relevant statutes, laws, regulations, code of conduct and lifesaving rules applicable to the NR’s business and operation. Ensuring each worker supplied is Sentinel sponsored, competent and fit for work.
• Ensuring the worker is always informed and compliant with NR’s working practices and requirements, including standards, policies and procedures relating to health and safety.
