About the RIW Program

The Rail Industry Worker (RIW) Program is a critical pillar of safety, compliance, and workforce development across Australia’s rail network.

Established in 2013 and owned by the Australasian Railway Association (ARA) on behalf of the rail industry, the RIW Program has grown into a national program, endorsed by the industry, to ensure every rail worker meets stringent competency and safety requirements.

Today, over 90,000 rail workers and contractors participate in the RIW Program. The RIW Program is a unified system of managing competencies, health, safety, and fitness for duty. In an industry where safety is paramount, the RIW Program serves as a single source of truth for workforce credentials, allowing businesses to track and manage their teams efficiently while ensuring compliance with the Rail Safety National Law.

At its core, the RIW Program represents a collaborative effort between industry organisations to harmonise competency standards across Australia, offering a powerful tool for workforce development. By securely holding and managing workforce data, the program enhances decision-making, optimises project deployment, and helps build a stronger, safer rail network.

To learn more about the RIW program download our brochure https://ara.net.au/wp-content/uploads/Rail-Industry-Worker-Brochure.pdf

To find out how your organisation can take part in the RIW Program, email info@riw.net.au. The RIW Program team will help scope your business requirements and costs prior to onboarding and implementation.

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Benefits of the RIW Program

The Rail Industry Worker (RIW) Program prioritises safety, assisting network operators in ensuring that work is carried out by qualified personnel.

By integrating various systems, the program enhances workforce management efficiency, benefiting both workers and employers. Additionally, the program facilitates national harmonisation of job roles and competencies, promoting workforce mobility and industry-wide compliance with safety regulations.

Safer Operations
The RIW Program puts the safety of workers and rail users at the forefront of every shift. The program assists network operators ensure all work is undertaken by suitably qualified workers.

Efficient workforce management
The integration of many systems into the RIW Program supports more efficient workforce management.

Worker Experience
There are many advantages for workers using the RIW card. The RIW Program simplifies how workers can demonstrate their competency and fitness to work, access work sites and complete eLearning.

Harmonisation
The introduction of nationally consistent and standardised job roles unlocks workforce mobility. The harmonisation of competencies and health obligations facilitate the easy movement of workers across work sites and rail networks.

A national system
The industry-wide use of a single credentials program benefits the rail industry and its Workers. There are 90,000+ workers using a convenient, reliable and familiar platform to demonstrate their eligibility to perform work safely.