The Department of Transportation recently issued a final rule limiting the number of consecutive hours passenger railroad workers can be on the job. The new Federal Railroad Administration regulation will reduce risk and improve safety for the railroad industry, and for the first time, differentiate between freight and passenger service, DOT says.
Designed to reduce accidents related to fatigue, the final rule applies “fatigue science” to employee work schedules to determine maximum on-duty periods and minimum off-duty periods. DOT is engaging in a broad initiative to bring scientific data into work scheduling, and the FRA rule is the first rule in that effort to be completed.
The final rule becomes effective October 15.
Click here to read the full release from the U.S. DOT.
