Safety Advisory: Contractors working on provincial railway properties

This Safety Advisory 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

The following advisory is to address contractor work being performed on and around provincially regulated railways and their property.

Under the Railway Safety Management System (SMS) Regulations, each provincially regulated railway is responsible for safe railway operations on its property. This includes the conduct of contractors hired or granted permission to perform railway works on that railway’s property as they must adhere to all applicable railway rules and regulations while on site.

 

Recommended actions

Technical Safety BC reminds railways that they are responsible for the activities of contractors on that railway’s property, and that this responsibility includes, but is not limited to, the following obligations:

1. Providing a site orientation
2. Providing site-specific training
3. Monitoring to ensure compliance to rules and regulations

 

Compliance

A railway’s failure to provide adequate supervision and oversight to a contractor may result in enforcement measures being taken against the railway. Railways are responsible for any contractor’s failure to comply with SMS regulations, or for any non‐compliances or violations to railway rules or regulations that a contractor may have caused.

 

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.