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CN works hard to create a safe workplace by fostering a culture of safety awareness and safe practices. We invest significantly in training, coaching, awareness, motivation and employee involvement initiatives in safety.

CN has created the position of Chief Safety Officer to drive the company's safety initiatives and ensure we remain at the forefront of the rail industry on safety performance.

Enhanced Coaching

A lot of emphasis is placed at CN on coaching employees to become outstanding railroaders. We encourage two-way dialogue between supervisors and employees to clarify expectations and change unsafe behaviours. We also provide supervisors with the tools and support to help them identify employees for special recognition or focused coaching.

The Employee Performance Scorecard

The Employee Performance Scorecard (EPS) process provides the company with the opportunity to recognize employees for their contribution to CN's five guiding principles, including safety. The process includes unionized employees, a first for Class 1 railroads in North America.

More about the EPS

Safety training

Training has always been key to CN's safe practices. Employees in specific operating jobs are required to take mandatory training, such as those involved in the operation of trains, maintain the company's fleet and track and who operate any heavy equipment on CN tracks, in our yards or in our repair facilities.

Alcohol and Drug Policy

We believe compliance with our Alcohol and Drug policy, as well as with applicable rules and regulations, is a key strategy in fostering a safe operation. We also believe increased awareness and education are effective tools to improve compliance.

In Canada, CN enforces the company's Alcohol and Drug policy to minimize risk in all operations. The policy stresses prevention as well as assistance for employees confronting problems. Support services are coordinated through CN's confidential Employee and Family Assistance Program.

Local Peer Safety Programs

The Safety for Everyone (SaFE) program encourages peer-on-peer safety. "SaFE observers" provide positive and constructive feedback to peers during a shift. At-risk behviours are discussed in confidence and corrected on the spot. General observations are noted by the SaFE observer and shared with supervisors for future analysis. See how our employees at the Baton Rouge Subdivision are helping each other stay safe through the SAFE program. (link to story)

Another program, Observation-based Safety Training, encourages peer-to-peer recognition of correct safety behaviour. The training teaches employees how to give and receive positive feedback so that good safety practices thrive in the workplace.

Improving safety through contractor compliance

Since 2002, CN has required that contractors provide their personnel with the proper training on CN's safety policies and guidelines. Once the employees have received the proper CN-specific training, they are provided with a sticker to be affixed visibly on their hard hat and qualification card so that CN employees know that they are familiar with company safety practices. If a contractor's employee does not have the sticker or qualification card, he/she is not allowed to work on CN property.

Health and Safety committees

An important part of promoting safety is collecting and understanding information about incidents and near misses. We currently have nearly 100 joint union-management committees across the United States and Canada. The committees help us to identify the top three causes of injuries and accidents in specific areas and implement solutions locally. Solutions have included providing employees with accident and injury reports for their work areas, developing safe work procedures and educating employees on specific work procedures.

In 2008 we began a process to measure the effectiveness of our Health and Safety committees. Two-thirds of the committees were evaluated in 2008 and the remainder will be completed in 2009. Focused support is being provided to committee members to address gaps and include activities such as increased training and the sharing of best practices.

Giving rule books new LIFE

To ensure safety rules are uniformly practiced across CN's US Region as other railroads join the CN family, we have developed craft-specific safety rule books that adopt the best practices from each organization. The books, called LIFE (Live Injury-Free Everyday), are developed through a collaborative effort of union and management employees and are resulting in higher levels of safety in the workplace.