FRA revises post-accident testing

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FRA revises post-accident testing

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has revised its post-accident, drug- and alcohol-testing procedures for hours-of-service (HOS) and passenger railroad employees to reflect changes in the reportable property damage threshold and to assist railroad supervisors in identifying the type of accident.

The new monetary threshold for reporting railroad accidents/incidents involving damage to railroad property is now $7,700. If the damage to railroad property is less than $7,700, and no on-duty railroad employee was injured due to the movement of on-track equipment, no federal post-accident testing of railroad employees is required.

The FRA revisions also include changes to the post-accident testing criteria flowchart that will assist railroads in completing FRA Form F6180.73, or the "tox box" as it is known, said FRA Drug and Alcohol Specialist Kathy Schnakenberg.

By following the post-accident testing criteria flowchart, railroad supervisors will be able to more easily determine whether to report an accident as a major train accident, an impact accident, a passenger train accident or a fatal train incident. The designation is required on the "tox box" form.

The flowchart, which clearly states under what circumstances an employee may or may not be tested, should be familiar to all UTU local and general chairpersons.

Following an accident, an employee may not be recalled for testing if he or she has been released from service under normal procedures unless the employee went off duty prior to being contacted by a railroad supervisor, there is a clear probability that the employee played a major role in the cause or severity of the accident and the accident occurred during the employee's duty tour.

To familiarize yourself with federal drug and alcohol testing standards in the railroad industry  
http://www.utu.org/worksite/safety/federal_drug_alcohol_tests.pdf

To view the FRA's post-accident testing criteria flowchart,
http://www.utu.org/worksite/safety/Post%20Accident%20Testing%20Flow%20Chart.pdf