Canada celebrates Rail Safety Week

Written by Jenifer Nunez, assistant editor
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Although safety is always a focus, the Canadian railway industry celebrates Rail Safety Week April 25 through May 1.

 

There were 164 vehicle versus train incidents in Canada in 2015 of which 14 resulted in fatalities; there were 53 trespasser versus train incidents in Canada in 2015 of which 31 resulted in fatalities and there have been 14 trespasser accidents in Canada in the first three months of 2016, seven in 2015.

Canadian Pacific and the CP Police Service (CPPS) will be educating the public throughout Rail Safety Week about the importance of safe, smart decisions in and around railway property, 365 days a year.

In conjunction with Operation Lifesaver and other stakeholders, CP is reminding motorists, cyclists and pedestrians that any route that includes illegally crossing railway tracks or using railway tracks as a short cut is the wrong route. During the week, CP and CPPS will conduct rail safety blitzes in communities across its network with participation from other police agencies and schools to educate the public about the role we each play in staying safe.

“Railway tracks are not an extension of a public pathway, nor are they a safe shortcut,” said Laird Pitz, CP vice president and chief risk officer. “While Rail Safety Week is a good reminder, rail safety requires ongoing vigilance every minute of every day. Crossing incidents can have tragic consequences for all involved, but it’s important to remember – they are preventable.”

During Rail Safety Week, CPPS will be visible in the community educating people about the dangers of trespassing on railway property. CPPS will focus on high traffic areas where the railway sees high instances of trespassing or dangerous behavior around the railway right-of-way.

“For the past 35 years, Operation Lifesaver has been dedicated to preventing as many crossing and trespassing incidents as possible by raising awareness of rail safety among Canadians,” said Mike Regimbal, Operation Lifesaver Canada national director. “The support and involvement of communities, rail operators and governments over those years has resulted in lives saved and injuries prevented, with the past year being our best on record. Yet, for all there is to celebrate, we must also remember that there is still more to be done, because every injury or death is entirely preventable.”

Although the number of crossing and trespasser incidents and fatalities has declined year-over-year, one incident is one too many.

Canadian National also kicked off its annual railway safety awareness campaign encouraging communities and the public to work together to reduce trespassing on railway property and stressing the importance of safety at level crossings.

On the first day of Rail Safety Week, CN debuted virtual reality 360-degree videos that educated viewers about the potentially devastating consequences of trespassing and disregarding railway safety devices.

“Trespassing fatalities along railway tracks are entirely preventable and tragedies at railway level crossings can be avoided by simply obeying crossing signals,” said Stephen Covey, chief of police and chief security officer at CN. “Through this initiative, CN is providing new ways of teaching kids, teens and adults to be safe near trains and railroad property and is asking them to spread the word and help save lives.”

CN Police officers will have custom Google Cardboard viewers to demonstrate the 360-degree rail safety videos throughout Rail Safety Week through May 1. Visitors to CN’s Rail Safety Pledge website can view the videos on a desktop, laptop or mobile device, and visitors with access to any Google Cardboard viewer can experience this immersive virtual reality environment.

CN says it is the first railway in North America to use this immersive 360-degree video and virtual reality experience to educate the public on the importance of rail safety. For the first time, starting during Rail Safety Week, CN is inviting the public to take The Safety Pledge online, which they can easily share with their Facebook friends and Twitter followers.

“Rail safety is everyone’s responsibility,” continued Covey. “By looking out for each other and working together, we can help keep our communities safe and prevent fatalities and injuries on or near railroad property. Together we can save lives and help bring crossing and trespassing accidents down to zero.”

The Safety Pledge asks people to share rail safety tips in their community, talk about rail safety at their local schools, or report unsafe behavior around trains or railway property.

BC Safety Authority (BCSA) joined the BC Provincial Committee on Rail Safety Public Outreach to promote Railway Safety Week, as well.

“Safety is our top priority in the operation of British Columbia’s railway systems,” said Eric Samuelson, BCSA Compliance & Enforcement and Railway Safety manager. “We endeavor to provide the public with a high level of confidence that our province’s rail operations are safe as we transport people, goods and materials.”

“Railway safety is a shared commitment in British Columbia; it is a responsibility of the province, railway owners and operators, regulators, as well as the public,” added Samuelson. “As we promote Railway Safety Week, we would like to remind the public to follow all the rules and signals at railway crossings and not to trespass or walk on railway tracks.”

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