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Hazardous Materials Safety

Over the years, safer operating procedures, improvements in tank car design and technology applications have contributed to the industry’s outstanding hazardous materials safety record. From 1981 through 2004, there were 10 fatalities on U.S. railroads from hazmat accidents as compared with 274 on the highways. Unfortunately, early in 2005 the industry suffered several accidents involving hazardous materials. As a result, railroads are redoubling their efforts to strengthen safety procedures.

Roughly 1.7 million carloads of hazmats are shipped by rail each year, and 99.998 percent of them reach their destinations without a release caused by an accident. Railroads pursue a wide array of efforts to ensure the safety of hazardous materials transportation, including sponsoring the Association of American Railroads' (AAR) Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Training Center in Pueblo, CO, which has trained more than 10,000 emergency responders from fire departments and public safety agencies, the rail industry, chemical shippers and even trucking companies to deal safely with hazardous materials emergencies. In addition, railroads also participate in rigorous tank car quality assurance programs, field testing and inspections of chemical loading facilities. Finally, many railroads participate in the Transportation Community Awareness and Emergency Response Program (TRANSCAER), a nationwide effort of railroads and chemical companies to help communities develop and evaluate emergency response plans.