Authors: U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)

Date of Publication:  1991

Sponsoring Agency:  U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)

Performing Organization:  U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)

Report No: NTSB/SS-91/01

Abstract:

The transport of hazardous materials is a rapidly growing segment of the railroad industry. In 1989, for example, more than 1.52 million carloads of poisons, chemicals, pesticides, and other hazardous materials were transported by rail, an increase of 66 percent over the 0.92 million carloads transported by rail in 1985. Because the volume of hazardous materials transported by rail is high and because many of the materials, if released, can pose a substantial danger to life, property, and the environment, their transport must be made as safe as possible.

The National Transportation Safety Board has had a long-standing concern about the safe transport of hazardous materials by rail. In 1978, the Safety Board held a public hearing on tank car safety, and in 1980, the Board conducted a special investigation on tank car performance. These activities resulted in recommendations for improved protection on certain tank cars. Between January 1985 and February 1988, the Safety Board investigated 80 railroad accidents involving hazardous materials, which resulted in additional recommendations to Federal and State agencies, railroads, and safety-related organizations urging various actions to improve the safety of the transport of hazardous materials by rail.

In 1988, the Safety Board began a safety study to determine whether the recurring problems seen in the earlier accidents were continuing. As part of this study, the Safety Board conducted investigations of 45 selected railroad accidents or incidents that occurred during a 1-year period that began in March 1988. The Board also reviewed reports of its past major accident investigations and special studies, studies performed by other organizations, and the training on hazardous materials provided by some railroads. The study addresses needed safety improvements for the transport of hazardous materials by rail.

The safety issues discussed in the study are as follows:
 

• The adequacy of the protection provided by some tank cars for the risks associated with certain products transported in these tank cars;
• Emergency response planning for railroad accidents involving hazardous materials; and
• Training of railroad personnel in the handling of a hazardous materials emergency.

As a result of the safety study, recommendations were issued to the Research and Special Programs Administration and Federal Railroad Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation; the Association of American Railroads; Class I railroads and railroad systems; Guilford Transportation, Inc.; MidSouth Rail Corporation; the American Short Line Railroad Association; the Chemical Manufacturers Association; the American Petroleum Institute; the National Fire Protection Association; the National
League of Cities; the National Association of Counties; the International Association of Fire Chiefs; the International Association of Chiefs of Police, and the National Sheriffs' Association.

The recommendations focused on the following safety concerns:
 

• The need to transport the more dangerous hazardous materials in tank cars that provide better accident protection;
• The need for railroads and communities to develop and coordinate written emergency response plans and procedures for handling releases of hazardous materials;
• The need for railroads to improve hazardous materials training for employees; and
• The need to establish methods to evaluate a railroad employee's level of knowledge of emergency procedures and the ability to apply such knowledge.