On February 3rd, a Norfolk Southern (NS) train carrying hazardous materials (hazmat) derailed on the Ohio-Pennsylvania border. In coordination with state and local officials, and under a unified command established by local first responders, nearby residents were evacuated within a one-mile radius of East Palestine, Ohio. Following efforts to contain the resulting fire and prevent the spread of shrapnel and debris, a series of controlled releases were executed to release pressure from the tank cars. A collective decision was made by local, state, and federal officials that this was the safest and best option to protect the surrounding community and minimize environmental impact. Remediation efforts are ongoing in coordination with state and federal environmental agencies, as well as other authorities.
Beyond NS, AAR and its members sympathize with those affected. Railroads take their responsibility to move goods critical to the economy safely across the country seriously.
Allow the Investigation to Proceed:
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is the independent, government agency tasked with investigating the incident. NTSB will be the lead agency providing updates on the investigation. It issued an update on Feb 14th.
Interested parties should let the investigation proceed. As the NTSB’s work continues, any speculation as to the cause or contributing factors that led to the incident is just that – speculation – and undermines the overall fact-gathering process. Additionally, immediate pushes for legislative or regulatory action absent of NTSB results and in response to the accident is premature at best – and opportunistic at worst. Interested parties should consider the available facts on rail safety (see below), immediate “solutions” to enhance safety permeating some coverage, and the potential motivations of the loudest voices alleging a fundamental failure in U.S. railroading.
Railroads Commitment to Safety:
The Associated Press recently reported: “The railroad industry is generally regarded as the safest option for most goods and federal data show accidents involving hazardous materials are exceedingly rare.”
USA Today noted in a separate report: “Not only was Friday's incident relatively rare, so too are deaths from incidents involving hazmat cargo rail cars. The last reported death from a hazardous material on a train was in 2011.”
Overall, railroads are safe. While 99.9% of all hazmat shipments reach their destination without impact, the less than .1% have the potential to dramatically impact the communities served. Railroads take this responsibility seriously and have no higher priority than safety.
The industry’s first goal is to prevent an accident before it can happen. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) gave rail its highest grade in their infrastructure report card in part because of the annual $20 billion in private investments in maintaining and improving the network. At its core, a well-maintained railroad is a safe one and thanks in part to those investments rail remains the safest way to move hazmat overland.
By the numbers:
· 99.9% of all hazmat shipments reach their destination without incident.
· Since 2012, the hazmat accident rate has declined by 55%.
· Over the last ten years, less than 1% of all train accidents have resulted in a hazmat release.
Preparing and Protecting Communities:
Railroads prioritize ensuring first responders have all the training and tools necessary to manage a potential rail incident safely. Each year, railroads train tens of thousands of first responders on how to safely manage a rail incident.
The industry has also partnered with the International Association of Fire Chiefs to develop a mobile application – AskRail – that puts accurate, timely data to plan a swift, safe response. The app gives them immediate insight into railcar contents and recommended isolation zones, among other features. AskRail was used in response to the incident in Ohio.
Additionally, railroads collaborate with local officials on emergency response plans in the rare event of an incident. Emergency response agencies can, upon request, receive confidential information on the hazmat moving through their communities.
Cleanup and Remediation:
Freight railroads work closely with first responders, state agencies and local officials to safely manage active rail incidents and mitigate potential impacts in accordance with their emergency response plans. Each railroad has full-time safety, environmental, and hazardous materials personnel who mobilize to manage the containment of spilled material and either remove or remediate it. These professionals work closely with state and federal environmental agencies such as the EPA to ensure full compliance with all state and federal regulations that include but are not limited to reporting, cleaning up the incident and completing an investigation into the root causes of the incident.
