Transport Canada addresses safety issues linked to Lac-Mégantic

Written by Jenifer Nunez, assistant editor

Transport Canada is implementing measures to address the Transportation Safety Board of Canada's (TSB) recommendations stemming from its final report on the Lac-Mégantic train derailment.

 

The TSB issued two recommendations and two safety advisories to the department. In response, Transport Canada is requiring railway companies to meet standardized requirements for hand brake application and put into effect additional physical defenses to secure trains; increasing oversight by recruiting additional staff to carry out more frequent audits and creating processes for increased information sharing with municipalities; conducting further research on crude oil properties, behavior and hazards and launching a targeted inspection campaign to verify the classification of rail shipment and requiring certain railways (including shortlines) to submit training plans to Transport Canada for review and conducting an audit blitz of short lines to determine specific training gaps.

“Our government remains committed to strengthening the safety of our country’s railways and the transportation of dangerous goods. The measures we are announcing today build on actions already taken and address the specific recommendations and advisories issued by the TSB,”
said Minister of Transport Lisa Raitt.

The Canadian government says it has responded to all TSB recommendations and advisories on Lac-Mégantic by taking immediate action to further improve railway safety and the safe transportation of dangerous goods by rail and continues to do so.

In July 2013, Transport Canada established a two-person minimum for locomotive crews on trains carrying dangerous goods and imposed stricter requirements for securing unattended trains. In April 2014, Transport Canada ordered the removal of the least crash-resistant DOT-111 tank cars from dangerous goods service and required those that do not meet new safety standards to be phased out by May 1, 2017. In July 2014, Transport Canada proposed new Railway Safety Management System Regulations that will strengthen requirements and help railways better identify and manage safety risks.

 

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