FRA has announced a final rule for intercity passenger, commuter, and Class I railroads regarding the establishment and implementation of a critical incident stress plan for employees involved in a critical incident, including those who respond to or witness such incidents. This rulemaking is in response to a mandate in the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008.

Under the provisions, railroads would be required to develop, and submit to the DOT secretary for approval, critical incident stress plans that provide for appropriate support services for their employees who are affected by a “critical incident”—defined as an accident/incident reportable to FRA that results in a fatality, loss of limb, or a similarly serious bodily injury, or one that could be reasonably expected to impair a directly involved employee’s ability to perform his or her job duties safely.

To review the final rule, click here.

Seeks Comments on Rail Side Door Safety NPRM
In related news, FRA is accepting comments through May 27 on a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to create new safety standards that would help improve the safe operation and use of passenger train exterior side doors.

The proposed rule, based on recommendations developed by the Railroad Safety Advisory Committee’s General Passenger Safety Task Force, includes new requirements for both powered and manual exterior side doors and door safety systems on passenger trains. It also proposes to incorporate APTA standards.

See the text here.