When dangerous goods shipments account for approximately 10 percent of your total traffic volume — like they do for CN — there’s no room for even the slightest mistake. Not even an inch. Not with many lives hanging in the balance.

Strict regulations by Transport Canada and/or the U.S. Department of Transportation, supported by CN policies and procedures, ensure dangerous goods and/or hazardous materials are transported safely.

• The CN Dangerous Goods department performs internal compliance audits.
• The department conducts training and outreach programs for agencies, shippers and local municipal responders (in an effort to promote compliance, competence and due diligence).
• CN's Emergency Response Plan is a model for the emergency response community (and is often used by other agencies as a reference document for their plans).

Ensuring the safe transportation of dangerous goods by railroad has always presented considerable challenges. And always will. But, as far as we’re concerned, if we were not doing something about dangerous goods, we would be doing something wrong. 

As a true industry leader, we take leadership very seriously. We strive to ensure that our employees take responsibility for their work. What do we expect? Getting the job done well? Mostly. Safely getting the job done well? Absolutely.

That’s why CN is a partner, both in Canada and the United States, in Responsible Care®, an ongoing performance improvement initiative established by the Canadian Chemical Producers Association (CCPA) and American Chemistry Council (ACC).

As a partner, we — and that means everyone at CN — are committed to continuous improvement in these areas:

• Employee health and safety
• Public health and safety
• Environmental quality

The principles of Responsible Care® recognize the importance of minimizing risks, meeting or exceeding regulations and standards, and communicating openly with employees and communities.

Come rain or shine, sleet or snow, we apply these principles to all of our activities. Every day.

Communities are not just pretty picture postcards rolling by our windows as we make our way across North America. They are partners. Integral partners, in fact. We work with their community leaders and safety-related organizations to help prevent fatalities and injuries.

This is where TransCAER comes in.

TransCAER (Transportation Community Awareness and Emergency Response) is a training program for communities situated near rail lines where dangerous goods are transported. This is what it involves:

• CN and partner chemical companies conduct information sessions for community leaders and first responders (about what emergency measures to take in the event of an incident)
• Accident simulations are conducted regularly with interested parties to help increase the emergency response capability of first responders.