Information Bulletin: Result of gaps in railway supervision

This Information Bulletin is being issued to provincially-regulated railways and is subject to the Railway Act, Railway Safety Act, and associated regulations.

Date of Revision: March 10, 2020

 

Topic

This Information Bulletin is to advise that Technical Safety BC has performed a risk assessment examining railway operations that do not adhere to the Information Bulletin entitled Railway Supervisor Transfer Process. 

The safety of rail operations may be jeopardized by supervisors who have not been trained or provided with the knowledge to effectively manage railway safety. This is commonly seen when a railway introduces a new supervisor to their operations. A railway’s failure to follow the Railway Supervisor Transfer Process may create an unsafe condition, and is a barrier to effective compliance auditing.

 

Recommended actions

Provincially-regulated railways should ensure that the supervisor in charge of railway operations is familiar with the railway’s Safety Management System, and understands the railway’s responsibilities to railway safety.

Whenever there is a new supervisor who will be responsible for a railway’s SMS, the incoming supervisor should consult and follow the Railway Supervisor Transfer Process. 

 

Compliance

This Information Bulletin serves as notice that in the future, when a Technical Safety BC railway audit is planned and new supervisor is representing the railway, it is important that the Railway Supervisor Transfer Process is followed.

If the railway has not followed the Railway Supervisor Transfer Process, then at the beginning of the audit, the Technical Safety BC railway safety officer will determine if the audit can continue.

Should the audit be terminated, the railway company will receive another notification for a more comprehensive follow-up audit. The cost of this additional audit will be charged to the railway over and above the railway’s annual fee. These costs will include:

• The hours incurred by the railway safety officer, including travel time;
• Any cost incurred for accommodation; and
• Any additional travel costs (i.e. flights or ferry charges)

 

Arne Vigen
Technical Leader, Railway
Technical Safety BC

For additional information, please contact Technical Safety BC’s railway program administration at 778 396 2063 or email railway@technicalsafetybc.ca.