Norfolk Southern, the operator of a freight train laden with toxic chemicals that derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, about a year ago, will participate in a federal program that allows employees to confidentially report safety problems. The agreement was reached, the company and federal officials announced Monday. .
The program is one of a series of steps Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has called on Norfolk Southern and the nation’s other major freight railroads to improve safety in the wake of the derailment. Participants were invited to participate.
Railroads pledged to participate in March, but in the months that followed pushed for changes to the program to address concerns about how it worked. None of the major freight rail companies, known as Class I railroads, had formally agreed to participate until Monday’s announcement.
Norfolk South’s participation in the program, known as the Confidential Crisis Reporting System (C3RS), will be limited in scope. The railroad plans to implement his one-year pilot program for about 1,000 employees in Atlanta. Elkhart, Ind.; They are members of two unions and are just a fraction of the company’s roughly 20,000 employees.
“Norfolk Southern has taken a good first step, and other Class I railroads are backing up that story with action and joining this near-miss reporting system to confirm their commitment to keeping America’s rail system safe,” Buttigieg said. It’s time to protect it.” said in a statement.
Alan H. Shaw, CEO of Norfolk Southern Railroad, said in a statement that the company is “committed to establishing the gold standard in rail safety, and we are the first to jointly deliver on that promise.” We are proud to be a Class I railroad.” Develop and launch a C3RS program. ”
The federal program, modeled after similar programs for pilots and other aviation personnel, allows railroad employees to report safety issues without worrying about potential discipline. But freight rail companies expressed concern that workers could use the program as a way to protect themselves from punishment after making dangerous mistakes.
The Association of American Railroads, an industry group, said Monday that other major freight railroads remain committed to joining the program.
“This commitment remains the same,” said Jessica Kahanek, a spokeswoman for the group. She added, “AAR and its member railroads, collectively and individually, have been in good faith discussions with the administration and railroad workers about program enhancements.”