(Source: Federal Railroad Administration press release, December 2, 2011)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has issued a final rule that will help protect railroad construction workers from passing trains.
The rule amends existing Roadway Worker Protection regulations to require that railroads adopt safety procedures to protect workers from the movement of trains or other rail equipment from nearby adjacent tracks. The new safety procedures generally require all affected work and equipment movements to stop, and for each roadway worker to occupy a predetermined safe place upon receiving a notification or warning when there is an approaching train or other on-track equipment movement on an adjacent track. Track safety job briefings will be expanded to include information about the new rule.
The final rule is available here (PDF).