Common Railroad Health and Safety Issues
Sanitation: Provide proper washing and bathroom facilities where employees are working.
Haz-Com: Chemical safety keeping all employees informed about the chemicals that are present, and making MSDS available at all times.
Machinery: All machinery must be in compliance with OSHA, ANSI and NFPA regulations (guarding, power, controls etc)
Wiring: All electrical wiring must meet safety codes (NEC for infrastructures, NFPA for machinery and equipment)
Noise: Necessary to conduct noise level studies based on exposure periods and the use of proper hearing protection.
Floor openings: Any floor levels that may create a slip, trip or fall hazards must be properly identified and or guarded.
Floor level: While working on an elevated area permanent or temporary, proper safety guarding must be in place.
Flammable Liquid Storage: Any chemical that is flammable must be stored in a proper NFPA approved cabinet or storage area.
Electrical Arc Flash: As per NFPA 70E all electrical distribution and motor control centers must have ARC Flash studies performed in order to verify that the current carrying equipment meets the safety codes.
High Voltage Distribution: All electrical panels and equipment must have warning and voltage signs applied to the distribution centers, they must be inspected and tested on frequent basis.
Fire Extinguisher: Usage of the proper class, frequent inspections and training for employees.
Gantry and Overhead Cranes: Inspection before use, capacities displayed, annual certification of inspection, proper and visible controls.
Portable Tools: Inspection, maintenance, area classification tool usages.
Forklifts: Operator training, capacity displayed, daily (shift) inspections before use, routine maintenance and service.
Safety Training: All employees must attend and be trained. Refresher training must be done on annual basis or more frequent based on the job hazard and safety risks.
Accident Reporting: It is every railroad employers, managers and supervisors responsibility to notify OSHA in the event of a "recordable / reportable" accident occurs (depending on the states definition of recordable injury).
Near Miss Reporting: Employers should encourage their employees to be more pro-active in reporting any near miss incident(s), this valuable information that can prevent a "recordable" injury.
Contractor Safety: Any contractor that performs any type of function or work at your facility you are responsible for their safety, they must comply with your safety standards at all times. When any contractors are on your property you automatically are considered to be a "Multi-Employer" site.
Excavation: Proper planning must be done to prevent any utilities from being damaged, permit usage, proper shoring, and continuous monitoring.
P.S.M (Process Safety Management): If you store chemicals that are covered under the OSHA PSM regulation you must adopt PSM policies and procedures.
Hazardous Waste Storage: Hazardous waste must be stored in a designated area that is identified, and any satellite hazardous waste stations must be also identified.
Emergency Response: In the event of a major disaster such as; spills, earthquakes, hurricanes, terror etc. you must have a plan in place what ever it may consist of, and all employees must be aware what to do.
Hazardous Classifications: All areas must have a hazardous classification evaluation performed (electrical, chemical, traffic) and proper signs and parameters of the boundaries identified.
Respiratory Protection: All employees that are engaged with loading, unloading, working on or around areas that pose any types of respiratory hazard (chemical, dust, etc) must have proper category of personal respiratory protection available.
Power Transmission (Mechanical): Any mechanical power transmissions such as belts, pulleys, chains and sprockets must have proper guarding in place to prevent anyone from accidentally coming in contact.
Egress: All designated exits and or emergency exits must be free of any obstacles and or materials that will limit free access at all times.
Portable Ladders: All portable ladders must be inspected before each use and removed from service if any defects are noted. They all must have their capacities displayed and manufacturers safety decals in place.
Confined Space Entry (Permitted and Non-Permitted): Areas and equipment that fall under the category of a “Confined Space” must have proper signs displayed and a confined space entry procedure in place with employee training.
Scaffolding: All scaffolding must be inspected before used, a “ready for use” tag attached, and proper use of scaffolding must be always applied.
Petroleum Storage: This needs to be looked at from several different rules and regulations, spill control, spill prevention, area classification, PSM covered etc.
Slings, Wire Ropes and Chains: All rigging equipment such as slings, ropes and chains must be inspected before each use, removed from service if damaged and or the rating / inspection tags is missing.
Welding and Cutting: All welding and cutting must be performed by a competent, certified individual(s), the use of “Hot Work Permits” must be employed, and proper ventilation in place.
Hot Work Permit: Welding, cutting, grinding, use of hand tools manual and powered a permit must be issued depending on the area and area classification.
Lockout Tag out Block out: Also known as Hazardous Energy Control (HECP), when working on around any energy source(s) such as electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic, steam, chemical and mechanical, for the purpose of cleaning, adjusting, repairing or servicing proper means of power isolation must be employed.
Personal Protective Equipment: All employees must have their own personal protective equipment available at all times such as safety glasses, gloves hearing protection, fall protection, safety shoes, helmets, respiratory, etc. replacements must be also available upon request.
Fall Protection: All employees that are working on any elevated areas or structures including equipment must use their own personal fall protection, it must be inspected before each use, and a semi-annual certified inspection performed on the fall protection equipment.
Blue Flag Protection: Any employee working on railroad equipment must be protected by a “Blue Flag”.
Emergency Showers / Eyewash: All facilities must have emergency showers and eyewashes available, identified, tested and in proper working order. Any areas that are chemical storages areas such as hazardous waste must also have designated emergency showers and eyewashes.
Spill Control: Every facility that loads, unloads, stores and handles any chemical that is in form of liquid, powder must have a spill control program in place, such as secondary containment, inspection maintenance and any other form of program that will 1) prevent a spill, 2) control a spill, 3) minimize the spread of a spill.
SWPPP (Storm Water Pollution Prevention Program): All facilities that perform any type of outdoor activity must have a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Program such activities include: service and repairs, fueling, loading unloading, storage, processing etc.
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