New Railroad Oil Tanker Car Safety Measures Approved

After recent accidents involving railroad oil-tanker cars, railroads that transport crude oil shipments and U.S. transportation officials have adopted voluntary safety measures, which will begin implementation late in March and be fully effective by July first. The voluntary steps will allow railroads to respond more quickly without waiting for governmental drafting and approval of new safety rules. Since 2008, at least 10 derailments of freight trains in North America have resulted in spills of large amounts of crude, disastrous explosions and fires. The wreck that caused the highest number of fatalities occurred in Lac-Megantic, Quebec, Canada, and killed 47 people. Rural areas of New Brunswick, Oklahoma, Alabama and North Dakota were sites of other derailments. The train derailments spilled nearly 3 million gallons of oil, which is almost double the amount of oil lost in the largest U.S. pipeline spill since 1986. The agreement between the Association of American Railroads and the U.S. Transportation Department calls for slower speeds when oil trains travel through major cities. Trains that traveled at the maximum speed of 50 miles per hour through large cities will slow to a maximum of 40 miles per hour under the agreement. Inspection of tracks will take place more often to ensure their safety, and improved braking is included in the agreement as well. Railroads will provide enhanced planning for emergency response along routes where trains hauling as much as three million gallons of oil travel. The railroads will offer $5 million for training of emergency responders who respond to crude accidents. While trains must usually travel through populated areas to reach many destinations, railroads will consider using other routes that present less risk. Although the agreement does not give regulators much enforcement power, railroads have good reasons to adopt safety measures. In addition to the obvious desire to protect railroad workers and others from injury or death due to accidents, the financial burden an accident may impose on the railroad industry can be enormous. A FELA attorney may file a lawsuit after a train wreck if there is a possibility of negligence on the part of the railroad, and the judgment can be severe. Some railway companies are attempting to improve the safety of transporting oil by buying their own tank cars to haul crude oil. The cars will have safety features that surpass standards set by the industry. One company plans to take bids for as many as 5,000 tank cars featuring better safety and pressure valve protection, thicker ends and walls and other qualities that exceed the criteria established several years ago. Tank cars manufactured after October of 2011 have improved design standards that call for sturdier hulls and more durable valves that decrease the likelihood of leaking or puncture in the event of derailment. The Association of American Railroads (AAR) recommended the new safety standards, and the U.S. Transportation Department's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration is contemplating new rules to make tank cars safer as well. Many refiners are replacing all their older railcars with the cars made after October of 2011 and designed with the new safety features. When accidents and derailments cause railroad explosions, the potential for injuries and loss of life is great. The Federal Employers' Liability Act (FELA) of 1908 helps protect railroad workers injured on the job. A FELA attorney can assist a railroad worker or beneficiary in receiving compensation for injuries or loss of life. If a train wreck causes death or injury, a railroad injury lawyer familiar with similar cases is best qualified to ensure that the injured worker or his family receives just compensation from the railroad.