2009 Customer Safety Handbook now available - let's work together on key safety issues

2009 Railroad Customer Safety Handbook

Nothing is more important to CN than the safety of our operations.  Our vision is to be the safest railroad in North America by establishing an uncompromising safety culture that leads to sustained leadership in safety.

CN customers who own or lease sidings, or who load or unload railroad equipment, have a direct influence on our safety performance. We ask for your ongoing assistance to improve safety for our employees, for communities, and for you, our customers. In 2008, train accidents related to our customers or third parties accounted for 14 per cent of our railroad's overall number of train accidents. We can and must do better: one accident is one too many.

For many years, we have issued The Railroad Customer Safety Handbook to highlight the responsibilities of customers to inspect and maintain their track, and other requirements for safe railway operations.  Some of the requirements are those of regulatory authorities, such as the obligation to conduct monthly inspections of your track and to keep records of inspections, defects, and repairs made. 

Note: Customers who fail to inspect their track on a monthly basis, as required by regulatory authorities, or who fail to properly maintain their track, risk having their rail service suspended.   

The Handbook is also a valuable tool to help you educate your employees on the potential hazards of rail operations so that they can safeguard themselves, CN employees and surrounding communities while working. 

Some of the important information and best practices contained in the 2009 Railroad Customer Safety Handbook include:

• Discussion of safety issues related to basic railroad infrastructure and equipment design.
• Overview of the principles involved in keeping railcars on the track and explanation of how loading, balance, weight and securement practices impact railroad safety.

• Safety hazards to be aware of when working with railroad equipment, including closed car loading and Intermodal loading, handbrake design and operation, derails, best practices for moving railcars, the safe operation of railcar doors and the use of blue flags.

• Critical railroad safety concerns, including clearance restrictions, track maintenance and inspection requirements, TEST car, transportation of dangerous goods, RAC TDG specialists.

• CN's safety policy for customers who work on CN property.
• A list of training videos and aids available from CN.
• Other safety resources.
• Communicating in an emergency.

As a CN customer you benefit from our safety improvements through competitive rates, timely delivery, the arrival of goods damage-free and a safer community in which to live and do business.  To learn how to make 2009 the safest year ever, download the 2009 Railroad Customer Safety Handbook.  All CN customers will also soon receive printed copies of the Handbook from their account managers.

Sincerely,

 
Paul C. Miller
Chief Safety and Transportation Officer