Notice2023-21497
Safety Advisory 2023-06; Roadway Maintenance Machines-Importance of Clear Communications and Compliance With Applicable Rules and Procedures
Primary source
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Published
September 29, 2023
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Railroad Administration
Abstract
FRA is issuing Safety Advisory 2023-06 to emphasize the importance of rules and procedures regarding the safety of roadway workers who operate or work near roadway maintenance machines (RMM). This safety advisory recommends that railroads and contractors review and update their rules regarding the safety of roadway workers who operate or work near RMMs, communicate those changes to their employees, and monitor their employees for compliance with existing rules and procedures and updated rules and procedures, if implemented. In addition, this safety advisory recommends that railroads and contractors conduct additional safety briefings to raise workers' awareness of the hazards associated with operating and working around RMMs.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 188 (Friday, September 29, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 188 (Friday, September 29, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67433-67434]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-21497]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
Safety Advisory 2023-06; Roadway Maintenance Machines--Importance
of Clear Communications and Compliance With Applicable Rules and
Procedures
AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of safety advisory.
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SUMMARY: FRA is issuing Safety Advisory 2023-06 to emphasize the
importance of rules and procedures regarding the safety of roadway
workers who operate or work near roadway maintenance machines (RMM).
This safety advisory recommends that railroads and contractors review
and update their rules regarding the safety of roadway workers who
operate or work near RMMs, communicate those changes to their
employees, and monitor their employees for compliance with existing
rules and procedures and
[[Page 67434]]
updated rules and procedures, if implemented. In addition, this safety
advisory recommends that railroads and contractors conduct additional
safety briefings to raise workers' awareness of the hazards associated
with operating and working around RMMs.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Yu-Jiang Zhang, Staff Director, Track
and Structures Division, Office of Railroad Safety, FRA, 1200 New
Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590, telephone (202) 493-6460.
Disclaimer: This Safety Advisory is considered guidance pursuant to
DOT Order 2100.6A (June 7, 2021). Except when referencing laws,
regulations, policies, or orders, the information in this Safety
Advisory does not have the force and effect of law and is not meant to
bind the public in any way. This document does not revise or replace
any previously issued guidance.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
FRA is concerned about the incidents in the past few years
resulting in fatalities of two roadway workers struck by RMMs on main
line track. Information regarding these incidents, discussed below, is
based on FRA's preliminary findings and the respective railroad's
latest reporting. This safety advisory is not intended to attribute a
cause to these incidents or place responsibility for these incidents on
the acts or omissions of any person or entity.
The following is a summary of the circumstances involved in the
incidents:
In August 2023, an RMM struck and fatally injured a contractor
working on the Housatonic Railroad Company's main line. FRA's
preliminary investigation shows that at the time of his injury, the
contractor was part of a four-person work group. The work group
consisted of two machine operators (each operating an RMM) and two
roadway workers (each working on one of the RMMs). Before the incident,
one of the RMMs (RMM-1) left the work area and traveled south to
conduct repairs.
While waiting for RMM-1 to return, the remaining two roadway
workers on the other RMM (RMM-2), including the worker who was
subsequently fatally injured, dismounted RMM-2 to clear ballast away
from the tie plates in preparation for the drilling and lag screw
installation. One roadway worker used his hands to remove the ballast,
while the other used a backpack blower. When RMM-1 returned to the work
site, the worker using the backpack blower did not clear the track and
was struck by RMM-1 when he did not respond to its approach.
In December 2021, a contractor working on the Norfolk Southern (NS)
was fatally injured when struck by an RMM while working on the main
line. The contractor was working with an NS rail gang and was marking
rail for pickup and had started walking in the gauge of the track when
the machine operator of the RMM made a backup move. The machine
operator did not see the contractor walking in the gauge of the track
and struck the contractor.
These incidents represent the worst-case scenario that can occur
when roadway workers are working on or near RMMs. These incidents
highlight the need for railroads to examine their rules and procedures
for protecting roadway workers who operate or work near RMMs.
Recommendations
In light of the above discussion, FRA recommends that railroads and
railroad contractors:
1. Review, update, and communicate applicable rules and procedures
related to the operation of RMMs to ensure the safety of roadway
workers who operate and work with or around the machines.
2. Increase monitoring of roadway workers, railroad employees, and
contractors for compliance with all existing applicable rules and
procedures (and any updated rules and procedures to result from
paragraph (1)), particularly those involving the operation of RMMs and
roadway workers working on and in the vicinity of RMMs.
3. Conduct additional safety briefings to raise workers' awareness
of the hazards associated with operating and working around RMMs.
FRA encourages all railroad industry members to take actions
consistent with the recommendations of this Safety Advisory. FRA may
modify this Safety Advisory, issue additional safety advisories, or
take other appropriate action necessary to ensure the highest level of
safety on the Nation's railroads, including pursuing other corrective
measures under its rail safety authority.
Issued in Washington, DC.
Amitabha Bose,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2023-21497 Filed 9-28-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P
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