CLEVELAND, June 23 — The AFL-CIO Arizona State Federation has adopted a resolution calling for the State of Arizona and the Federal Railroad Administration to examine the implementation of remote control locomotives in the name of public safety.
The Arizona AFL-CIO passed the resolution on June 11, which states that “more than 40 railroad accidents have occurred in RCL operations around the United States within the past two years, during hasty, unregulated implementation of RCL operations.”
The federation also cites the dangers of transporting hazardous materials and the lack of FRA oversight in remote operations among its reasons for passing the resolution.
The resolution calls for the “Arizona Corporation Commission to prohibit the use of RCL technology in switching operations until such time as: (1) A thorough risk assessment study of RCL operations has been made and published by a third party.”
The resolution also states that, “railroad companies have failed to adopt and/or enforce the operational practices most critical for employee and public safety” during hasty implementation of remote control operations.
The Arizona AFL-CIO is the first AFL-CIO body to adopt a resolution calling for more stringent safety practices in the implementation of remote control. Twenty-nine communities throughout the United States have passed resolutions calling into question the safety of remote control operations.
The text of the resolution follows:
Remote Control Locomotive Operations
A Threat To Railroad Safety
A Resolution of the Arizona AFL-CIO
Submitted by Delegates of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers
June 11, 2003
Phoenix, Arizona
Whereas, one of the primary goals of the AFL-CIO Arizona State Federation is to help secure safe workplaces for all Arizona workers; and
Whereas, the Arizona AFL-CIO is dedicated to the proposition that all citizens of Arizona have a right to a safe environment, free from the hazards of uncontrolled releases of hazardous materials (HAZMAT); and
Whereas, railroad companies that operate in Arizona transport large amounts of hazardous chemicals (solids, liquids, gasses); and
Whereas, these dangerous chemicals are subject to uncontrolled releases and spillage when railroad cars carrying HAZMAT are ruptured during derailments or collisions with other rolling stock; and
Whereas, the railroads operating in Arizona may soon implement remote control locomotive (RCL) operations in which unmanned locomotives will be used to switch railcars containing HAZMAT or switch cars on tracks adjacent to HAZMAT cars, occupied locomotives, and passenger trains; and
Whereas, in the United States, railroad companies have been allowed to implement these RCL operations without Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) regulations–in spite of a request by the BLE to the FRA (Nov 00) to initiate regulatory proceedings under FRA Docket No. 2000-8422; and
Whereas, these railroad companies have failed to adopt and/or enforce the operational practices most critical for employee and public safety recommended by the FRA Safety Advisory on Remote Control Operations (Feb 02); and these railroad companies have failed to implement adequate training programs for remote control operators (RCO’s); and
Whereas, more than 40 railroad accidents have occurred in RCL operations around the United States within the past two years, during hasty, unregulated implementation of RCL operations run by inadequately trained personnel–resulting in serious derailments, property damage, HAZMAT release, personal injuries, and death to employees;
Therefore Be It Resolved, that The Arizona AFL-CIO State Federation calls upon Arizona Corporation Commission to prohibit the use of RCL technology in switching operations until such time as: (1) A thorough risk assessment study of RCL operations has been made and published by a third party; (2) An FRA regulation governing RCL operations is promulgated; (3) The railroad companies in Arizona give proper notice to the Arizona Corporation Commission and all city, county, municipal, and State Emergency Planning Committees of their intention to commence RCL operations and specify the locations where those operations will take place.
Be It Finally Resolved, that the Secretary-Treasurer, Arizona State AFL-CIO, will write a letter to Mr. Allan Rutter, FRA Administrator, calling on him to reopen FRA Docket No. 2000-8422, recommencing the study of RCL operations as requested by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, so that railroad employees, citizens, and communities which may be affected can register their concerns about the safety of railroad operations in their neighborhoods.