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U.S.Department of Transportation
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
www.dot.gov/affairs/briefing.htm
News |
FRA Proposal Seeks to Improve Working Conditions
For Train Crews, Prevent Hearing Loss
Contact: Steven W. Kulm or Warren Flatau
Telephone: 202-493-6024
Thursday, June 24, 2004 (Washington, DC) Preventing hearing loss in train crews is the aim of a proposed rule being offered
today by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). The proposal is intended to
reduce unnecessary noise exposure and potential hearing loss of railroad employees
who work in locomotive cabs.
"This rule seeks to improve the working conditions for thousands of locomotive
engineers and conductors across America," said FRA Acting Administrator
Betty Monro. "A quieter workspace not only protects against hearing loss,
but contributes to better long-term health as well."
The proposed changes would require manufacturers to design and build locomotives
with quieter cabs and for railroads to maintain them to new standards. Noise
reduction features such as better insulation, relocation of air brake exhaust
piping, and less vibration from cab equipment already are being incorporated
into newer locomotives. The rule supports these and other methods to reduce
interior cab noise to the proposed lower levels.
In addition, the rule would require train crews to use hearing protection
and railroads to provide training in hearing loss prevention, implement hearing
conservation programs and conduct regular noise monitoring.
The FRA believes the changes will reduce the incidence of noise-induced hearing
loss, and that the rule will not impose significant additional costs on the
railroad industry.
This notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) on "Occupational Noise Exposure
for Railroad Operating Employees" is in today's Federal Register. It responds
to a mandate in The Rail Safety Enforcement and Review Act of 1992. In advance
of this proposal, the Railroad Safety Advisory Committee (RSAC), a consensus
oriented rulemaking body comprising representatives from the FRA, the railroad
industry, rail labor, manufacturers, suppliers and others, examined the issue
of occupational noise and recommended that FRA update the existing noise standard.
Comments on the NPRM may be submitted through the U.S. Department of Transportation's
online Docket Management System, http://dms.dot.gov, until Sept. 21, 2004. The
docket number for the proceeding is FRA-2002-12357.
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