Safety Initiatives to Be Implemented After East Palestine Accident
Train derailments are nothing new, but the recent five derailments of Norfolk Southern in the last month have raised some Federal eyebrows. Last year, the company was cited with 119 derailments. Most recently, Norfolk Southern was cited with the death of one employee after avoiding safety concerns of railroad staff. Thus, Norfolk Southern has promised the addition of 200 temperature sensors to increase safety protocols, but is that enough?
What Are Rail Temperature Sensors?
A rail temperature sensor is used to measure the temperature of the rail switches or normal track. They are placed along the track to prevent railway buckling, freezing switches, and overheating of railway cars. Each sensor contains an 8.800mAh battery pack and five configurable intervals with four temperature limits: LowLow; Low-Normal; High; HighHigh.
The sensor is locked onto the track with strong magnets that offer a capacity of 44 Kg to keep the sensor in place. In East Palestine, Ohio, the train was derailed due to overheating and carrying combustible chemicals, which left the DOT wondering, “Was it human error, avoidance of safety precautions, or simply not upgrading its technology, and how can we prevent future accidents?”
The Federal Railroad Administration
A subdivision of the United States Department of Transportation, the Federal Railroad Administration closely monitors the safety of trains delivering passengers and goods. On March 7, 2023, according to the FRA, “After a series of derailments and the death of one of its workers, we are initiating this further supplemental safety review of Norfolk Southern, while also calling on Norfolk Southern to act urgently to improve its focus on safety so the company can begin earning back the trust of the public and its employees,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. This comes as USDOT continues its own urgent actions to further improve freight rail safety and accountability.”
Call for Safety Culture Reinforcement
Pete Buttigieg has launched an official investigation into Norfolk Southern after the derailments. The FRA will assess each of the following:
- Track, signal, and rolling stock maintenance, inspection, and repair practices;
- Protection for employees working on rail infrastructure, locomotives, and rail cars;
- Communication between transportation departments and mechanical and engineering staff;
- Operation control center procedures and dispatcher training;
- Compliance with federal Hours of Service regulations;
- Evaluating results of operational testing of employees’ execution and comprehension of all applicable operating rules and federal regulations;
- Training and qualification programs available to all railroad employees, including engineer and conductor training and certification;
- Maintenance, inspection, and calibration policies and procedures for wayside defect detectors;
- Procedures related to all wayside defect detector alerts;
- Measures implemented to prevent employee fatigue, including the development and implementation of fatigue management programs required as part of FRA’s Risk Reduction Program (RRP) rule;
- Current status of the hazard and risk analysis required by the RRP rule.
Once the investigation is closed, all findings will be made public by the Federal Railroad Administration.
Want more up-to-date news on all things technology? Stay tuned to PCX for current events.