ASLRRA Short Line Safety Institute Mission: Enhance safety culture and safety compliance of short line and regional railroads through voluntary, non-punitive.

ASLRRA Short Line Safety Institute

Mission: Enhance safety culture and safety compliance of short line and regional railroads through voluntary,

non-punitive partnerships.

Presentation to

AASHTO Standing Committee On

Rail Transportation

September 8, 2014

2

Short Line Safety Institute Background

4/2013

• ASLRRA Chairman McKechnie announces a new focus on safety culture at 100th ASLRRA Annual Meeting

1/2014

• Secretary Foxx asks ASLRRA for ideas for enhancing safe operations on short line and regional railroads

2/2014

• ASLRRA President Timmons responds with proposal for a Short Line Safety Institute and corresponding pilot project

2/2014

• ASLRRA begins collaborating with FRA R&D: FRA Research Results paper, and research and evaluation mechanisms to implement Short Line Safety Institute

8/2014

• FRA announces a $250K grant for ASLRRA, $100K for UCONN, and $100K for Volpe to begin work

Short Line Safety Institute Vision, Mission, and Strategic Goals

• Vision: for the short line and regional railroad industry to be recognized as one of the safest in the world

• Mission: to enhance safety culture and safety compliance of short line and regional railroads through voluntary, non-punitive partnerships

• Strategic Goals: to enhance and improve safety practices to increase the short line and regional

railroad industry’s culture of commitment to safety

Why Now? Our Railroads – Our Destiny

• Rather than the government telling us how to conduct safe operations – we need to lead

• It is time to take control of our own destiny

• We must show we are the world class leader in safety performance

• Taking the initiative will be critical to our success in the upcoming Congressional debate

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Pilot Project Launch Communication Process

Safety Assessment

Team

• Pre-Launch Planning with Management Team

Management Team

• Expectation setting and planning with employees

SAT + Organization Stakeholders

• Run pilot with candor and commitment

Short Line Safety Institute Project Timeline

Mission: Enhance safety culture and safety compliance of short line and regional railroads through voluntary, non-punitive partnerships.

7Ongoing Implementation and Impact Evaluation

• Pilot: Sample of RRs hauling crude

Jan–June 2015

• Expansion: Additional RRs hauling crude

June 2015–Jan 2016 • Roll-out: RRs

handling other hazardous materials

Post-Jan 2016

Team Lead(s) Role

ASLRRA

Keith Borman, J.D. Counsel Program Development

Stakeholder Engagement

Mike Ogborn, J.D. Team Leader Program Development Stakeholder Engagement

Liaison With ASLRRA

Jo Strang, M.S. Program Development Subject Matter Expert Stakeholder Engagement

Tom Streicher Program Development. Subject Matter Expert Stakeholder Engagement

FRA R&D

Michael Coplen, M.A. Industrial/Organizational DevelopmentBehavioral and Safety Culture Change

Program Evaluation

Starr Kidda, Ph.D. Job AnalysisGrants ManagementProject Evaluation

VolpeNicole Boyko, M.A. Safety Culture Measurement

Stakeholder Engagement

Juna Snow, Ph.D. Program EvaluationEducational Evaluation

UCONN Janet Barnes-Farrell, Ph.D.

Safety Culture Measurement Job Analysis

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Short Line Safety Institute Development Team

Implementation of the Pilot Project

• Assemble the data and analyze to determine elements to communicate back to railroad

• Provide senior management with verbal report on findings and observations

• Meet with senior management and their designees in working session to determine next steps

• Meeting with employees as appropriate

• After the visit, provide senior management with written report on findings and observations

• Work with senior management on implementation plan

9American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association

Assessment and Transition

• ASLRRA and R&D will assess the effectiveness of the Pilot Project and make adjustments as needed to ensure achievement of the goals set forth above

• The goal - create a Short Line Safety Institute dedicated to enhancing a strong and enduring safety culture

• Pilot Project will transition to a permanent expanded program to include an increasing number of short line assessments

• Over time the Institute will not only direct and manage field initiatives but will become an educational source for short lines

• The Institute will also develop a data analysis capability for better assessments and a greater understanding of the Short Line industry

10American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association

Short Line Safety Institute

The Institute will heighten the intensity of the safety focus and involvement of short line and regional railroads and their management

The goal of the Institute is to facilitate a strong safety culture in all short line and regional railroads

11American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association