New Bill Seeks to Improve Transporation Safety for Rail Workers

A new bill has been passed by the Washington House of Representatives that seeks to strengthen the safety for transporting rail workers to and from their job site.

The bill was first introduced by State Representative Derek Stanford, who stressed that the single most "dangerous" aspect of rail work isn't necessarily on the railroad, but rather it's the drive to and from the job site. In the wake of numerous injuries and incidents, Stanford drafted a new bill in an effort to reduce these numbers while promoting a safer industry.

The House voted in favor of Stanford's bill, giving it the green light with a 92-5 vote. Among other things, the bill gives the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) authority to govern the transportation for privately owned and operated railroad workers. Up until now, this has been a responsibility of the respective rail company. Now, however, the UTC will be in control of transporting rail workers to and from their job sites. Lawmakers believe this new policy change will help to reduce injuries and promote a safer working.

Several decades ago, railroad companies used vans to transport their workers to and from job sites. This was also something of which the UTC had oversight. Fast forward to modern times, however, and rail companies began outsourcing this task to various shuttle services. The combination of poor conditions, unqualified drivers, and unforgiving terrain creates a dangerous scenario for these shuttle companies, resulting in "numerous fatal accidents" in recent years.

"There's an old saying among railroad workers that railroad work is dangerous work, but the most dangerous part of the job is the ride there. We can do better with our safety requirements," said State Representative Derek Stanford. "We can update our laws to reflect the new way these companies operate."

Just because the bill has been passed, however, doesn't necessarily mean that it will take effect -- not for a while, at least. It could take months or longer before rail companies are required to implement the changes specified in Stanford's bill.

What do you think of the new rail worker transportation bill?