6.17.10 vested in safety & audible warning effective august 1, 2010
TRANSCRIPT
6.17.10
Vested in Safety & Audible Warning
Effective August 1, 2010
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Vested in Safety
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Vested in Safety
Why are high visibility garments being required for TY&E employees?
High visibility work wear will make employees more visible, make them stand out from the background and able to be being seen from any direction by approaching equipment. Visibility will be improved during both daylight and nighttime conditions.
High visibility garments are the standard for TY&E employees in the railroad industry.
The garments increase visibility to: - Train and on-track equipment movements - Vehicular traffic when required to provide flagging - Employee locations in the work environment - Railroad property security
The high-visibility garments will also comply with Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) regulations for flagging or working on the right-of-way of any federally funded roadway.
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Vested in Safety
BNSF TY&E Safety Rule S-21.1 “Personal Protective Equipment”
• Effective August 1, 2010
Key changes:
• BNSF TY&E requirement to wear high visibility garments
• Safety glasses optional in locomotive cabs
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Vested in Safety
Enhanced visibility garments are required wherever PPE is required except when inside locomotive cabs.
Enhanced visibility garments include vest, shirt, coat or raingear; and
• Must be standard orange color
• Vests must be of tear-away design
• Meet or exceed ANSI Class II or ANSI Class III reflective standards
• RCO vests are considered acceptable enhanced visibility garments
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Vested in Safety
PPE Exceptions:
• Personal protective equipment is not required in office buildings, vehicle parking areas, passenger vehicles, passenger-carrying rail cars and passengers getting on/off passenger-carrying rail cars.
• Safety glasses are optional inside vehicles and locomotive cabs when windows and doors are completely closed.
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Vested in Safety
BNSF Standard Transportation Vest
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FAQs Vested in Safety
1. Q: Are high visibility garments known to aid in the prevention of accidents and injuries?
A: Yes. High visibility is one of the most prominent needs for workers who must perform tasks near moving
vehicles or equipment.
The need to be seen by those who drive or operate vehicles or equipment is industry recognized as a critical issue for worker safety. The sooner a worker in or near the path of travel is seen, the more time the operator has to avoid an accident.
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) recognized this fact and included regulations for anyone flagging or working on the right-away of a federally funded roadway.
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FAQs Vested in Safety
2. Q: Are high visibility garments required for all BNSF TY&E employees?
A: Yes. Enhanced visibility garments are required wherever PPE is required except when inside locomotive cabs.
PPE Exceptions:Personal protective equipment is not required in office buildings, vehicle parking areas, passenger vehicles, passenger-carrying rail cars and passengers getting on/off passenger-carrying rail cars.
Safety glasses are optional inside vehicles and locomotive cabs when windows and doors are completely closed.
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FAQs Vested in Safety
3. Q: Can a person modify or enhance a garment to achieve ANSI Class II standards by adding reflective striping or other reflective material?
A: No. All high visibility garments must be certified as ANSI Class II by the manufacturer.
4. Q: Are train crews required to provide engine whistle warning to TY&E employees and individuals wearing high visibility garments if they are on or near the
track?
A: Yes. Train crews are required to provide engine whistle warning to employees and individuals wearing high visibility garments if on or near the track, unless located beyond the farthest rail of adjacent track or similar distance.
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FAQs Vested in Safety
GCOR 5.8.2 Sounding Whistle
5.8.2 (8) amendment – changed to read:
(8) - o Regardless of any whistle prohibitions• Approaching men or equipment or other individuals on or
near the track unless located beyond the farthest rail of adjacent track or similar distance. Whistle warning is not required for members of the same crew associated with movement of their engine unless necessary to warn or alert a crew member.
After sounding initial warning for men or equipment or other individuals, sound whistle signal (4) intermittently until the head end of train has passed the men or equipment or other individuals.
• While operating within Audible Warning Limits
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FAQs Vested in Safety
5. Q: Are train and yard crews required to provide engine whistle warning to members of their own crew when they are on or near the track?
A: No. Engine whistle warning is not required for members
of the same crew associated with movement of their engine unless necessary to warn or alert a crew member.
6. Q: Do Remote Control Operations (RCO) vests meet high visibility standards?
A: Yes. Current vests meet the enhanced visibility requirements.
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FAQs Vested in Safety
7. Q: Do Remote Control Operations (RCO) belts meet high visibility standards?
A: No. Employees must either utilize a BNSF standard vest with a belt pack or an RCO vest.
8. Q: Can an employee purchase their own enhanced visibility garment for use on BNSF property?
A: Yes, but it must be:
- Standard orange color- ANSI Class II or ANSI Class III- Vests must be of tear-away design
Enhanced visibility garments include vest, shirt, coat or rain gear.
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FAQs Vested in Safety
9. Q: What precautions should be taken to ensure high visibility garments or vests do not become snagged or caught on equipment?
A: Employees must ensure that clothing of any type does not snag or get caught on equipment. BNSF high visibility vests incorporate a tear-away feature and should be adjusted to fit close to the body.
10. Q: Since I only work during the day shift, why do I need high visibility workwear and reflective materials?
A: A BNSF standard for high visibility workwear is appropriate given that great variability in illumination conditions that can exist in daytime or evening hours due to
weather, daylight savings time, and the potential for unexpected work activities or delays that may require employees to work beyond normal shift hours. BNSF
high visibility workwear should protect workers in all possible lighting conditions, day or night.
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Audible Warning
Audible Warning - AW
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Audible Warning
Effective August 1, 2010
BNSF will implement a rule/process referred to as:
Audible Warning (AW)
This process will be outlined in System Special Instructions Item 21 and in the Train Dispatcher’s, Operator’s and Control Operator’s Manual (TDOCOM), Rule 44.14
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Audible Warning
Audible Warning (AW) A process to allow a TY&E employee performing tasks adjacent to a track controlled by a BNSF train dispatcher or control operator to have additional warning of an approaching train
AW is not required; however, it may be established at an employee’s discretion when the employee determines his or her personal safety would be enhanced.
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Audible Warning
1st step:
Prior to establishing AW, crew members should determine if conditions allow tasks to be performed on the side opposite where a train may approach on an adjacent main track or controlled siding.
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Audible Warning
AW does not relieve employees from compliance with TY&E Safety Rule S-1.6.1 – Movement of Equipment
• Expect the movement of trains, engines, cars or other equipment at any time, on any track and in either direction
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Audible Warning
The employee requesting AW will provide:
• Engine Number and employee identification• Limits requested for AW such as switches, mile posts or
railroad identifiable points• Reason for requesting AW
When AW is requested and established:
• Train dispatcher/control operator will place blocking or restrictive tags on control machine.
• Notify all train movements into the limits and maintain blocking until the requesting employee advises that AW is no longer needed.
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Audible Warning
Train Dispatcher Operator Control Operator Manual
TDOCOM Rule 42.7 and 44.14 - Audible Warning (AW)
When a request to establish Audible Warning (AW) is receivedfrom TY&E employee, do the following:
− Notify any train currently within or closely approaching the requested limits that AW is being established, or instruct requestor to call back after the train passes.
− Place restrictive tag to protect the AW limits (tag to read AW (eng and/or name).
− Advise the requesting employee that AW has been established.
− Advise any subsequent movements through the affected area of AW establishment.
− Maintain tag and notification to subsequent movements until advised by requesting employee that AW is no longer needed.
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Audible Warning
Trains operating through the limits must:
• Set engine headlight to bright with ditch lights on• Ring bell continuously• Sound whistle signal 5.8.2 (8)
Trains are not required to reduce speed where AW is established unless otherwise restricted.
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FAQs Audible Warning
1. Q: Am I required to establish AW under any of the conditions described in the rule?
A: No. AW is intended to be established at an employee’sdiscretion.
2. Q: Can BNSF AW procedures be established at any location on the railroad?
A: No. BNSF AW procedures can only be established where an employee will perform tasks adjacent to a track
controlled by the train dispatcher or control operator.
3. Q: Can AW be established while operating on a foreign railroad?
A: No. BNSF AW procedures are only in effect on BNSF.
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FAQs Audible Warning
4. Q: Can foreign road employees establish AW while operating on BNSF?
A: Yes.
5. Q: Can AW be established over the phone with the train dispatcher?
A: Yes. AW may be established through any permitted and available communications between the crew member establishing AW and the train dispatcher.
6. Q: Are field employees required to record the limits and other AW information on a prescribed form?
A: No. Employees but may use signal awareness/position of switch forms, as appropriate.
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FAQs Audible Warning
7. Q: Am I required to provide precise or exact information as to the limits my train occupies when establishing AW or to use specific verbiage?
A: No. Employees are required to provide:- Engine number- Employee identification
- Limits requested - Reason for requesting AW
8. Q: Is there prescribed verbiage that must be used when releasing AW?
A: No. An employee granted AW must advise dispatcher when AW is no longer needed. This may be done by any available means of allowable communication between the employee who established AW and train dispatcher.
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FAQs Audible Warning
9. Q: Can an employee other than the employee who established AW notify the train dispatcher that it is no longer needed?
A: No. The employee who established AW is the only employee who may notify the train dispatcher when AW is no longer needed. Members of the same crew may relay this information in the case of a communications failure.
10. Q: If a train dispatcher notifies me that AW has been established, what am I required to do?
A: Trains operating through the limits must:- Set engine headlight to bright with ditch lights on
- Ring bell continuously - Sound whistle signal 5.8.2 (8)
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FAQs Audible Warning
11. Q: While operating within the limits of AW, is it required to make contact with employee who has established AW?
A: No. However, employees are encouraged to communicate with each other regarding the movement of trains.
12. Q: While operating within the limits of AW, can I dim my headlight, discontinue sounding the horn or ringing
the bell if requested by the employee who established AW?
A: No. Trains operating within the limits of AW must set engine headlight to bright with ditch lights on, ring
engine bell continuously and sound whistle signal 5.8.2 (8) regardless of any whistle prohibitions.
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FAQs Audible Warning
13. Q: Can AW be established in yard limits or restricted limits?
A: No. In yard limits and restricted limits, the dispatcher or control operator may not be aware of all train
movements within these limits and therefore unable to notify approaching trains that AW is in effect. Yard limits and restricted limits are a type of main track authorization per GCOR 6.3.