Transport Canada introducing “concrete measures” on transportation of dangerous goods
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OTTAWA, Ont.–The Honourable Lisa Raitt, Minister of Transport, said the government is taking decisive actions to address the Transportation Safety Board of Canada’s initial recommendations regarding the ongoing investigation into the Lac-Mégantic train derailment.
The Government of Canada is introducing “concrete measures” to further strengthen Canada’s regulation and oversight of rail safety and the transportation of dangerous goods. Effective immediately, Transport Canada will:
• Issue a Protective Direction removing the least crash-resistant DOT-111 tank cars from dangerous goods service;
• Require DOT-111 tank cars used to transport crude oil and ethanol that do not meet the standard published in January 2014 in Canada Gazette, Part I, or any other future standard, to be phased out or refitted within three years;
• Issue a Protective Direction requiring Emergency Response Assistance Plans for crude oil, gasoline, diesel, aviation fuel, and ethanol;
• Create a task force that brings stakeholders such as municipalities, first responders, railways and shippers together to strengthen emergency response capacity across the country; and
• Require railway companies to reduce the speed of trains carrying dangerous goods and implement other key operating practices.
Emergency Response Assistance Plans will be required for trains that have even a single tank car loaded with one of the following flammable liquids transported in large quantity by rail: crude oil, gasoline, diesel, aviation fuel, or ethanol.
• Transport Canada is issuing a Ministerial Order that requires railway companies to develop new rules regarding operating practices for the safe transportation of dangerous goods.
“As the Minister responsible for Canada’s transportation system, I am committed to making our country a model of world class safety. The measures I am announcing today improve the safety of the railway and transportation of dangerous goods systems from coast to coast to coast,” said the Honourable Lisa Raitt, Minister of Transport.
The Canadian railway network does not provide as many route options as the U.S. system, which makes it impossible to find alternative railway tracks to transport dangerous goods. As these existing routes pass through Canadian municipalities, Transport Canada is enhancing risk analysis and speed and infrastructure criteria for trains carrying dangerous goods, the government said in a release.
Under Section 33 of the Railway Safety Act, Transport Canada issued an Emergency Directive that requires railway companies to immediately implement key operating practices that respond to the Transportation Safety Board of Canada’s recommendation.
This includes reducing the speed of trains transporting dangerous goods. Transport Canada said it worked with the Railway Association of Canada to refine key elements of the Emergency Directive, which is largely based on the U.S. OT-55-N Circular, Recommended Railroad Operating Practices for Transportation of Hazardous Materials, and a recently signed Memorandum of Cooperation between the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Association of American Railroads.
The Emergency Directive will take immediate effect and remain in place for a minimum of six months. The department issued an Emergency Directive because it is the most efficient way to immediately address important safety enhancements and require railway companies to make operational changes quickly, said Transport Canada.
New protective direction for shippers
Under the authority of the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act, Transport Canada is issuing a Protective Direction that requires shippers to develop ERAPs for the following flammable liquids: crude oil, gasoline, diesel, aviation fuel, and ethanol. An ERAP is required when a single tank car contains one of these designated flammable liquids.
Industry must submit their ERAP to Transport Canada for approval within 150 days.
ERAP Task Force
Transport Canada is establishing a task force to further explore the recommendations made by the Transportation of Dangerous Goods General Policy Advisory Council emergency response working group. These recommendations include examining the use of incident command systems and the expansion of ERAP requirements for other Class 3 flammable liquids.
The task force will comprise experts from a number of organizations such as the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs, the Aboriginal Firefighters’ Association of Canada, railway companies, shippers, municipalities and industry bodies. The task force will provide Transport Canada with comprehensive recommendations aimed at strengthening emergency response capacity across the country.
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