(a) Each railroad's certification program shall include procedures for the mentoring of persons who have not been certified by the railroad. Each railroad shall identify potential scenarios in which mentoring of non-certified persons will be provided.

(b) After FRA has approved a railroad's certification program pursuant to this part, the railroad shall not permit or require any person to perform work on a signal system or signal-related technology on its territory that requires certification unless the railroad first determines that:

(1) The person is a certified signal employee who has been certified by the railroad and qualified on all applicable signal system equipment and signal-related technology deployed on the railroad; or

(2) The person is working under the direct and immediate supervision of a mentor or qualified instructor.

(c) If the railroad elects to classify its certified signal employees into more than one occupational category or subcategory pursuant to § 246.107:

(1) The railroad shall address in its certification program how mentoring will be provided for certified signal employees who move into a different occupational category or subcategory of certified signal service; and

(2) Mentors shall be certified within the occupational category or subcategory of the task being performed by the person or persons working under their direct and immediate supervision.

(d) If allowed by the railroad's certification program, any work on a signal system performed by a person whose signal employee certification has been revoked shall be performed under the direct and immediate supervision of a mentor or qualified instructor.

(e) Each railroad's certification program shall address how mentoring will be provided to ensure that mentors are located in close proximity to each person or persons they are mentoring to allow the mentor to take immediate action to prevent a violation of § 246.303(e) from occurring. Each railroad's certification program shall also address how mentors will be held accountable for the work performed by persons working under the mentor's direct and immediate supervision. Any records of tests performed by persons working under the direct and immediate supervision of a mentor shall reflect the mentor's name.

(f) Each railroad shall adopt and comply with a program meeting the requirements of this section. When any person (including but not limited to a railroad; any manager, supervisor, official, or agent of a railroad; any owner, manufacturer, lessor, or lessee of railroad equipment, track, or facilities; any employee of such owner, manufacturer, lessor, lessee, or independent contractor or subcontractor) violates any requirement of a program which complies with the requirements of this section, that person shall be considered to have violated the requirements of this section.