Stronger Ties - Railway Safety Act Review Report Released

By 250 News

        

The Railway Safety Act (RSA) review report, Stronger Ties: A Shared Commitment to Railway Safety, has been  tabled  in the House of Commons. 

(click on report cover at right to read full report)

The report presents the findings,of a review that started in December of 2006 and  offers more than 50 recommendations to improve rail safety in Canada.

Some of the findings include: 

• CN and CP  have lower accident rates than   similar sized railways in  in the United States.
• 52% of all accidents are not main line  accidents,  rather, they  take place in  rail yards or sidings.  The report says rail companies need to  focus more  attention on safety in the yards.
• While there has been an increase in  the use of rail  for transporting of hazardous goods, there has been a decrease in the number of incidents involving such good.

The report identifies key recommendations to improve rail safety that would require legislative changes, including the following:

• voice recorders be added to locomotives  to  enhance  data already  collected by the data recorders
• The current Work/Rest Rules do not provide a satisfactory baseline framework for managing the risks associated with fatigue in rail operations. The rules should be amended to better reflect current science on fatigue management.
• A robust system of fatigue management plans is needed. Transport Canada should audit them as it does for safety management system plans.
• Fatigue management is also an issue that railways and employees should address in the establishment of terms and conditions of employment 
• Railway companies should be required to obtain a rail operating certificate once they meet regulated baseline safety requirements, prior to commencing or continuing operations.
• Administrative monetary penalties should be included in the RSA as an additional compliance tool.
• Railway companies should be required to file annual environmental management plans with Transport Canada to demonstrate they operate in an environmentally responsible manner.

The  authors of the report were not prepared to  recommend  mandatory  drug or alcohol testing for  operators, citing human rights issues.

There are also recommendations that   call for  the creation of a "culture  of safety" which  would  involve  employees  identifying hazards.

The first step in implementing the recommendations has already been taken. Transport  Minister Lawrence  Canon has given a mandate to the newly created Advisory Council on Railway Safety to address future directions in rail safety, rule making, regulation, policy and other issues of concern.

Email | Print | Facebook | Twitter | Digg | Del.icio.us