RAILROAD SYSTEMS OPERATIONS  

  

Program Description :

Since 1985, human factors accidents have accounted for approximately one-third of all railroad accidents and half of all yard accidents. In 2007 (January to November), 885 human factor-caused accidents occurred, which was 38 percent of the total accidents The reduction of human factors accidents requires examination of current railroad operating practices, industry trends, and anticipation of the future safety of the industry as practices evolve. Yard and terminal accidents may be caused by shortcomings in operating practices that include the methods and materials that are used to train and test employees in the performance of their jobs, the methods and materials that are used to perform specific jobs and tasks, the rules that govern job and task performance, and the general interaction of employees with the job environment and supervisors. Operating practices can result in human factors accidents for a variety of reasons. For instance, lack of training may cause accidents because the training methods are inadequate or inappropriate, because the training materials lack readability or are inappropriate for the education level of the employees, or because the testing methods are lax. Disproportionate numbers of human factors accidents in specific job categories or environments currently provide the best indication that operating practices should be critically examined