Conrail Contractor Orientation Course
Contractor Operating Guidelines

Part 1 - General Safety Rules

Once you have read this course and completed  the evaluation you will be forwarded a course completion card (within 14 days) and will be placed on the administration database page (within 48 hours). You must be on the administration database page to be allowed to work on-site at Conrail , for/with Conrail  work groups, unless, as in the case of emergency or short notice work, special provisions are made to cover safety issues in a thorough on-site job safety briefing.  

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If you have not yet registered, please make sure that you go to the registration page and register. If you take this course and are not properly registered it may slow our response down in placing your name on the completion database.

This course is divided up into 5 parts for your convenience in reviewing  this course

Part 1 - General Safety Rules

Part 2 - On-Track Protection for Roadway Workers

Part 3 - On-Track Protection for Employees in Charge, Lone Workers, Watchmen, Flagmen, and Roadway Maintenance Machine Operators

Part 4 - Environmental Requirements

Part 5 - Task Specific Safety Requirements

Course Introduction

A Message from Conrail’s Chief Safety and Environmental Officer

At Conrail, the health and safety of every one of our employees, of our contractors’ employees, and of communities we serve is our first priority.  We believe that all accidents are preventable through individual effort and by creating an environment that promotes a culture of safety.

Our company policies, and governmental regulations, require that every person who works on our property be thoroughly trained in all safety requirements.  As a contractor to Conrail, it is the responsibility of your employer to ensure that you are properly trained.  Conrail is providing this program as a service to you.  The course covers the minimum safety requirements that you must follow.  In cases where your company’s safety rules are different than Conrail’s, you must always follow the more restrictive rule. 

It is your personal responsibility to know and comply with all applicable safety rules at all times while on our property.

On Conrail, safety takes priority over all other considerations.  Production, deadlines, quality or service may never be used as an excuse to shortcut safety.  If at any time during you feel that any task you are required to perform may cause potential harm to yourself, to another person, or to the environment, please think twice before performing that task and ask for help from your supervisor.  Remember, only you can ensure that we all stay safe and healthy.

Neil P. Ferrone , Chief Safety and Environmental Officer, Conrail

Conrail Seven Point Safety Message

1.      Safety is the first priority

2.      Do not perform work that cannot be safely accomplished

3.      Make a safe move, not a fast move

4.      Do not take shortcuts

5.      Work the safest way possible, and use the safest methods

6.      Wear your protective equipment; it can save you pain and misery

7.      There are three ways to handle hazards – avoid, eliminate, compensate

Job Safety Briefings

At Conrail, every employee, contractor, and visitor must participate in job safety briefings prior to and during their work shift.  These job briefings are an integral part of our safety program.

You must participate in a job safety briefing at the following times during the day:

·          Prior to beginning your shift

·          As the work changes during the day

·          As conditions change, for example weather or traffic

·          Whenever a new person joins the work site

It is your responsibility to be sure that you participate in a safety briefing at those times; that you receive all the information you need to work safely; and that you thoroughly understand the information.  If for any reason you are asked to begin work without receiving a job briefing, or you feel that changes to the work or conditions warrant a new briefing, you must ask for a briefing to be conducted, and should not begin or continue work until you are satisfied you have the necessary information.

A copy of the Conrail Job Briefing Guidelines Card is found on this web site.  If you are responsible to conduct job briefings, you should download and become familiar with those cards, which outline the process to be followed to develop and deliver the job safety briefing.

To download a .pdf version of the Conrail Job Briefing Guidelines Card, click here.

Job Safety Briefing Guidelines

Before beginning any task, be sure that a complete job safety briefing is conducted with all individuals involved in the task.  The principles of a job safety briefing are as follows:

What

A communication tool used by professionals to make sure that every team member knows what is to be done and how it is to be done safely, and that every team member is alert and focused on the job.

Why

To ensure that the job is done right the first time – no injuries, no damage, and up to Conrail standards.

When

At the beginning of the job and at any time during the job as conditions change or new tasks are started.

Where

On the job, at the work site, in the locker room, or wherever else the whole crew can get together.

How

Plan the job.  What needs to be done?

·          What steps will be taken?  How will each step go?

·          What tools, equipment, and materials will be used?

·          What are the conditions of the job location?

·          What are the existing and potential hazards?  (Beyond the job, location, and tools, these include but are not limited to weather, traffic, time of day, Personal Protective Equipment.)

·          How will work assignments be made?  (Group?  Individual?  According to individual ability and experience?)

Talk it through.  Use “how” and why questions to communicate specifically who does what, when, where, why and how.

·          What safety precautions are necessary?

·          How to guard against existing hazards?

·          What to do if a hazard emerges?

·          How are special tools, materials, equipment, and methods to be used?

·          What special precautions need to be taken?  What if a hazard emerges?

·          How to make sure that everyone on the crew stays mentally alert?

Make room for special conditions.  If the job is complex enough, brief it in portions.

·          What portions work best?

·          What changes in job conditions require a re-briefing?

Follow-up.  The person in charge must check frequently to see that the briefed plans and methods are being used, that each person is carrying out assigned responsibilities, an that any hidden hazards are identified and addressed.

Overview of On-Track Protection

On-track protection is the system of steps that every railroad takes to protect workers from being injured along the roadway, and specifically to keep them from being struck by moving trains, locomotives, cars, or other on-track work equipment. 

On-track protection is provided by the operating and safety rules that govern track occupancy by people, trains, and on-track equipment.  The minimum requirements for On-Track Protection are set forth in FRA Regulations.

Conrail’s rules and procedures are in the Conrail On-Track Safety Manual R3, which is available format on this web site.  Contractor management is responsible to read this manual and ensure that all employees working along the roadway (also known as Roadway Workers) are thoroughly knowledgeable of the safety requirements and procedures.  To get a copy of the Conrail On-Track Safety Manual R3, click here.

Job briefings must be provided to every roadway worker prior to beginning work, as specified in this manual.  In addition to Conrail policy, this is also required by FRA regulations.

Types of Roadway Workers

The following are types of roadway workers covered by Conrail’s rules and FRA regulations:

• Roadway Workers are people whose duties include inspection, construction, maintenance or repair of track, bridges, roadway, signal and communication systems, or other equipment or machinery on or near the track, with the potential of fouling a track.

• Employee in Charge is the single person who is responsible for the safety, instruction, performance, and on-track protection of all roadway workers under his or her jurisdiction.  Even when two or more gangs are working together, still a single person must be designated as employee in charge.  This is usually the senior foreman.

• Watchmen and Advance Watchmen watch for trains and warn employees to clear tracks.  These employees must be specifically trained to perform this function, according to Conrail’s procedures and FRA requirements.

• Lone Workers are employees working alone who must provide their own on-track procedures, and must be specifically trained to do so according to Conrail’s procedures.

Conrail General Safety Requirements

Conrail safety rules are spelled out in the book Conrail Safety Rules and General Responsibilities for All Employees.  Contractor management must get a copy of that book from the Chief Safety and Environmental Officer, and ensure that all Conrail rules are followed throughout the project.

Below is a brief summary of those rules, to be provided to every contractor employee.

Alert and Attentive

Report to work each day well rested, and in good condition to work safely.

If you are distracted or your duties are interfered with, stop work immediately.

Drugs, Alcohol or Intoxicants

Possession or use of drugs, intoxicants or alcoholic beverages, while on duty or while on company property, is prohibited.

Employees must not have any measurable alcohol on their breath or in their bodily fluids, or any prohibited substances in their bodily fluids, when reporting for duty, while on duty, or while on company property.

Any contractor employee under suspicion of being under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or in the possession of same, will be removed from the immediate job-site and subsequently released to the custody of a representative of contractor management. Future access to the property will be denied.

 The use or possession of intoxicants, over-the-counter or prescription drugs, narcotics, controlled substances, or medication that may adversely affect safe performance is prohibited while on duty or on company property, except if the below are followed:

·          Medication that is prescribed by a medical practitioner, and used as prescribed

·          AND company management has been advised of its use and has approved

·          AND does not in any way compromise the safety of the employee or others 

Horseplay

Horseplay will not be tolerated at any time on company property or company equipment.

Weapons

Employees or contractor employees may not bring firearms, pocketknives with blades longer than 3 inches, or any other deadly weapons onto Conrail property. 

An employee may possess such a weapon ONLY if he or she is required to use it to perform their duties (for example police or security officers) AND has been authorized to do so by Conrail’s Chief Safety Officer.

Housekeeping

A neat and orderly work area is essential to safety.  Good housekeeping is essential to preventing many injuries, including slips, trips and falls, and to preventing fires; and to allowing access and egress in case of emergency. 

To provide the safest possible work environment, every contractor employee must pitch in to practice good housekeeping.

• Store tools and materials in their correct place

• Keep walkways clear and free of slipping hazards or spills

• Keep entry and access areas and doorways clear

• Store materials where they cannot be struck by passing trains or on-track equipment

• Dispose of trash, greasy rags, absorbents, flammable hazardous or infectious materials in their appropriate receptacles, and according to Conrail and contractor rules and regulatory requirements

Accidents, Injuries, and Defects

Report immediately to your supervisor or, if he or she is not available, to another member of contractor or Conrail management by the first means of communication possible any:

• Accident

• Personal injury

• Derailment, or defects in tracks, bridges, or signals

• Any unusual condition that may affect the safe and efficient operation of the railroad, or the conduct of your work

 Where required, furnish a written report promptly after reporting the incident.

Clothing

Employees must be suitably dressed to perform their duties safely and in a manner that will not interfere with their vision, hearing, or free use of their hands or feet.

Wear clothing that gives ample body, arm and leg protection, including waist length shirts with sleeves, and trousers that cover the entire leg.

Wear footwear that covers the ankle and has a defined heel.

Do not wear boots (other than work boots), sandals, canvas-type shoes, or other shoes that have thin soles or heels that are higher than normal.

Do not wear loose or ragged clothing that may impact your safety.

Wear appropriate clothing to protect from wind chill.

Do not wear jewelry, wristwatches, long watch or key chains, key rings, or other suspended jewelry when they present a hazard around machinery or electrical lines and equipment.  Finger rings may not be worn on-site except in office areas when performing office tasks.

Driving Safety

Operate all vehicles in accordance with safety regulations

Obey all speed limits

Wear seat belts when operating cars or other machinery equipped with them

Watch carefully before backing up

Take extra care in areas with pedestrian and equipment traffic

Impaired Vision or Hearing

Workers are not to wear or use items that impair their hearing or vision.

Listening to personal radios, CD players, or tape players is prohibited while on-site.

Cell phone use on duty is permitted only for company business (never for personal or outside use), and only in a safe location away from traffic and work hazards.

Personal Protective Equipment

Hardhats must be worn at all times except when in office areas, when in highway vehicles, or when in the enclosed cabs of locomotives.  Select hardhats with six-point suspension.  Do not wear “cowboy hat” type hardhats on-site.  Hardhats must comply with ANSI safety standards, and be kept clean and free from cracks or defects.

Safety footwear must be worn at all times, and must meet the requirements of the Conrail and ANSI standards.  Safety shoes must be Class 75, above the ankle, lace-up boots with a well-defined heel, and safety toe.  For contractors the safety toe may be steel (unless you have potential to come into contact with electrical current in your work) or composite material. 

Additional foot protection must be worn as needed to protect from falling or rolling objects that could injure your feet, or where objects could pierce the soles of your feet.

Approved safety eye protection must be worn at all times while on duty, except when in office areas performing office tasks, when on parking lots or when in vehicles on paved roads, and must meet ANSI standards.  Safety glasses must have permanently affixed side shields, or detachable side protectors that meet the ANSI standards.

Where necessary to protect against additional risks, wear goggles, face shields and other approved protective equipment.  Contractors are responsible to identify such situations and to ensure the appropriate protective equipment is available.

Wear a high visibility vest or work wear at all times when working:

• On or about the track structure, within 25 feet of track centerline

• At or near a grade crossing

• At any other time when there is potential danger from passing trains, on-track equipment, construction equipment, or vehicle traffic

Respiratory protection must be worn as designated by signage in Conrail areas, and otherwise, in accordance with OSHA requirements. The contractor must ensure that personnel who will be wearing respiratory protection have successfully completed required training, fit testing, and medical surveillance programs.

Respirators with paper/fabric face pieces are not approved for use at Conrail. This restriction is in place, as the completion of fit-tests is more difficult with the paper/fabric face pieces, and respirators of these materials do not always maintain their shape, which affects fit. Cartridge type respirators are to be used.

Ear protection must be worn if you are exposed to high noise levels, or in areas designated by Conrail as “Hearing Protection Required” areas.  The contractor must ensure that personnel who will be wearing items of hearing or respiratory protection have successfully completed required training and fit testing.

Whenever ear protection may impair your hearing, keep a sharp lookout for hazards in all directions.

Appropriate cold weather gear must be worn to protect against the wind chill factor.

Hand protection must be worn when actively engaged in work activities, to protect your hands from injury and to provide protection from the cold.

Hand protection should not be worn:

• When performing office activities

• When operating highway vehicles

• Where manual dexterity is required, and there is no potential for exposure to energized electrical systems, sharp projections, hot surfaces, or corrosive chemicals

• When working in close proximity to machines, where there is the possibility of gloves becoming entangled in moving parts.

Remember that no one glove type or material is good across the board for all work activities. Be careful to select the right glove for the job.

Working with Tools and Equipment

Hand and portable power tools must maintained and inspected in accordance with manufacturers’ instructions. 

All tools must be inspected before each shift to identify potential defects or hazards that could affect their safe performance.

Workers must be trained in the safe and proper use of tools prior to using them.  If you are not trained to use a tool properly, do not use it.

Use the proper tool for the job.  Do not use a knife, pry bar, screwdriver, or other tool in a manner for which it was not intended.

Remove defective tools from service immediately.  Label them “out-of-service”, so that others will not inadvertently use them. 

Hazard Communications

Federal regulations require that every employee be notified of the chemicals around which they work and their potential hazards, and that the employer must have a written program to train employees and control and manage chemicals and other hazardous materials.  Conrail’s written program is available through the Chief Safety and Environmental Officer.

As a minimum, the contractor must meet the following requirements as spelled out in the regulations.

• Every employee must be trained annually

• A complete inventory must be maintained of chemicals on site 

• Containers and storage areas must be labeled according to regulations

• MSDS sheets must be available to employees

Electrical Safety

Keep clear of electrical current.

Keep your body and any objects at least 25 feet away from overhead wires or a dangling wire.

Take care when working with cranes and booms, dump trucks, ladders and other equipment to maintain adequate clearance from electrical lines and overhead signal and telecommunications lines.

Be aware of standing liquids or puddles that may transmit electrical current and present a hazard.

Be aware and stay clear of any rail (for example, third rail on electrified roadway) that may present a hazard.

When working around electrical apparatus, follow all manufacturer’s safety regulations, and Conrail and contractor rules for using the equipment.

Do not use equipment with three prong plugs with other than sockets or extension cords that provide suitable ground protection.  Do not defeat grounding plugs by removing bending or damaging the grounding prong.

Lockout / Tagout

Follow appropriate lockout / tagout procedures to assure that all equipment is de-energized prior to working on it, and remains so throughout the entire time.  This includes not only electrical equipment, but any that may be accidentally energized and provide a potential hazard.

Fire Prevention

Precautions must be taken at all times to ensure against fire.  This includes maintaining all work areas in a neat and safe manner, and storing combustible and flammable materials according to all safety requirements.

Procedures to be followed in case of fire or other emergency must be covered in the job safety briefing.

Walking Safely

Be alert for tripping and slipping hazards

Do not run

Keep your hands out of your pockets while walking

Keep walkways free of obstructions and hazards

Do not jump over or straddle excavations, holes, or open pits

When vision is restricted, take extra care

When carrying objects, do not allow them to restrict your vision

Avoid walking on slippery surfaces, or if you must, take extra care

Getting on and Off Equipment

Use steps or a ladder to get on or off equipment, platforms, or other elevated places

DO NOT JUMP

When ascending or descending equipment with a ladder or steps with railing, maintain three points of contact at all times (for example, both hands and one foot while stepping up.)

If you must descend without steps or a ladder:

• Observe the condition of the ground or floor

• Maintain a hand hold on a stationary object, and sit with your legs hanging over the edge

• Slowly lower yourself so both feet touch the ground at the same time

Reporting Incidents or Injuries

All incidents or injuries to contractor employees must be reported to the contractor immediately.  The contractor is responsible to meet all applicable OSHA reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

Contractors must immediately report to Conrail the following types of incidents:  

• Any work-related injury to a contractor employee must be reported to Conrail Operating Department management.  They in turn will report the injury to the Conrail Safety Department, who will determine whether the injury is reportable and submit the required info rmation to the FRA as appropriate.

• Any injury involving a non-employee (trespasser, contractor employee, customer, etc.) must be reported to Conrail’s Movement Office or Police Emergency Dispatch Center immediately.  If further assistance such as police or an ambulance is needed, advise the dispatcher or the Police Dispatch Center .

• Any incident involving property loss or damage, or potential environmental impact (theft, vandalism, company vehicle incidents, fires, unintentional releases of hazardous material, etc.) must be reported to Conrail Operating Department management.

• Any incident involving any on-track equipment (collisions, derailments, rail–highway grade crossing incidents, fires, explosions, or other events) must be reported to Conrail Operating Department management.

In case of injury, do everything possible to care for the person.  Do not move an injured person except to remove him or her from an area of immediate danger. In this situation, be extremely careful to avoid causing further injuries.

Treat minor cuts, abrasions, and injuries to avoid complications.

Accident Investigation and Inspection

If an accident results in personal injury or death, all tools, machinery, and other equipment involved, including the accident site, must be inspected promptly by the foreman, another person in charge of the work, or other competent inspectors.  All facilities and equipment should be kept in the condition as of the time of the incident until instructed by Conrail management.

The inspector must promptly forward to his manager a report of the inspection. The report must include the condition of the equipment and the names of those making the inspection. If requested by Conrail, the equipment inspected must be marked for identification and placed in custody of the responsible manager or employee.

Working Around the Right – of - Way

Some Definitions You Should Know

• Adjacent Tracks - Two or more tracks with track centers spaced less than 25 feet apart

• Close clearances – Where the distance between a fixed structure (such as a building, pole, or fence), and a train or on track equipment moving past that structure, may be close enough to cause a hazard of someone between them being injured or crushed; this is a fairly common occurrence on the railroad

• Fouling a Track – Placing yourself, equipment or anything else in proximity to the track so that it could be struck by a moving train or on track equipment

• To avoid fouling a track, the minimum distance is at least four feet away from the field side of the near running rail

Stay alert

When you are working around the right-of-way, you must be alert for trains, engines, cars, and other equipment to move on any track in either direction at any time.  Do not rely on others to warn you of approaching equipment.  Be alert and take responsibility for your own safety.

Moving around tracks

Look in both directions for approaching equipment before crossing tracks or stepping from between equipment.

Do not cross tracks immediately in front of moving equipment unless you can reach a place of safety on the opposite side at least 15 seconds before the equipment arrives.

If at all possible, avoid being trapped between trains on adjacent tracks.  Do not assume there is sufficient clearance between tracks to ensure your safety.

When you must cross tracks, walk directly across the tracks, taking the shortest route.  Do not cut diagonally across tracks.  Once across, move directly to a position where you do not foul the track.

Never stand on the track in front of an approaching engine, car, or other moving equipment.

Before crossing behind standing equipment, be sure you are at least 25 feet from any standing equipment. 

If crossing between standing equipment, be sure there are at least 50 feet separating the equipment.

Watch for structures or obstructions that may result in close clearances when trains and equipment pass.  If you are trapped between a piece of equipment and a structure, you may not have enough room to get out of the way; this may result in your being seriously or fatally injured.  Close clearances are, unfortunately, not infrequently the cause of fatal injuries on the railroads.

Do not cross between standing coupled cars, unless on a platform or safety appliances meant for such access.  Never crawl over or under couplings, or over cars or sills, of standing coupled cars.

Never walk on or sit on rails, ends of ties, bridge railings, or any part of the track structure.

Do not stand between or foul tracks except when required to perform your duties.

Do not foul an adjacent track with any part of the equipment, unless protection has been provided.

Never walk, sit, or step on rails, frogs, switches, guardrails, interlocking machinery, or movable connections.

Do not walk between the rails of a track, except on a bridge that does not have walkways.

Do not lie down or cross under cars for protection or convenience.

Maintain Safe Distance

Move to a safe place when moving equipment approaches on the track where you are working or on an adjacent track.

Keep a safe distance from passing cars and trains to avoid being struck by falling or protruding objects – if possible, 30 feet from the track.

Before crossing between standing equipment, be sure you are at least 25 feet from any standing equipment.  If crossing between standing equipment, be sure there are at least 50 feet separating the equipment.

When coupling equipment, adjusting couplers or installing removing or adjusting end-of-train devices, before you approach either end of the coupling, be sure that:

• Locomotive and cars are separated by at least 50 feet unless blue signal protection is in place

• Three step protection has been requested and given

• Know whether an engineer is present and ensure he knows your position at all times

• Ensure that no cars or other equipment are moving along the track

• The only exception to this procedure is when blue signal protection has been provided

Operating On-Track Equipment

Operate track car or on-track equipment at a safe distance behind a moving train or engine on the same track

When you are operating on-track equipment and a train is approaching on an adjacent main track:  

• Stop the equipment

• Secure the equipment against movement

• Exit the equipment

• Make sure all employees are clear of tracks

• IMPORTANT: Do not operate on-track equipment while a train is passing on an adjacent track  

• Do not work while a train is passing.

EXCEPTIONS: The following exceptions apply to operators of car top material handlers, tower cars, and self-propelled cranes:

• You may remain in or on the machine while a train is passing on an adjacent main track.

• You may move the machine while the train is passing, but only if you are moving to or between work locations, and booms or other wings are secured for traveling.

Basic Information About Track Structure

Vocabulary that you need to know.

Part 2 - On-Track Protection for Roadway Workers

Part 3 - On-Track Protection for Employees in Charge, Lone Workers, Watchmen, Flagmen, and Roadway Maintenance Machine Operators

Part 4 - Environmental Requirements

Part 5 - Task Specific Safety Requirements

Course Introduction

Course Evaluation