Title: FRA's Current Safety Regulations and Rulemaking Proceedings | US Department of Transportation
Headings: FRA's Current Safety Regulations and Rulemaking Proceedings
FRA's Current Safety Regulations and Rulemaking Proceedings
before the
FRA’s Railroad Safety Program
The National Rail Safety Action Plan
Reducing Train Accidents Caused by Human Factors
Improving Track Safety
Improving Hazardous Materials Safety and Emergency Response Capability
Strengthening FRA’s Safety Compliance Program
Passenger Rail Safety Initiatives
Collision Hazard Analysis
Report to Congress on Push-Pull Operations of Rail Passenger Trains
Passenger Safety Rulemakings
Passenger Safety Research and Development
Conclusion
APPENDIX
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Content: equipment; signal and train control; and miscellaneous. In the five years from 2001 through 2005, the great majority of train accidents resulted from human factor causes or track causes. In recent years, most of the serious events involving train collisions or derailments resulting in release of hazardous material, or harm to rail passengers, have resulted from human factor or track causes. Accordingly, human factors and track are the major target areas for improving the train accident rate. Reducing Train Accidents Caused by Human Factors
Development of Rulemaking to Address Leading Causes of Human Factor Accidents
Accidents caused by human factors constitute the largest category of train accidents, accounting for 37 percent of all train accidents over the last five years. Some human factors are addressed squarely by FRA regulations. For example, FRA’s regulations on alcohol and drug use by operating employees were the first such standards in American industry to incorporate chemical testing, and they have been very successful in reducing accidents resulting from substance abuse. FRA also has regulations on locomotive engineer certification, and FRA enforces the hours of service restrictions, which are wholly governed by statute.