Citation

Zuschlag M, Ranney JM, Coplen M. Safety Sci. 2016; 83: 59-73.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.ssci.2015.10.001

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) sponsored a multiyear pilot demonstration of Clear Signal for Action (CSA), a safety culture intervention implemented with Behavioral Science Technology Inc., at a Union Pacific (UP) service unit. CSA combines peer-to-peer feedback, continuous improvement, and safety-leadership development. The US Department of Transportation John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center conducted an independent program evaluation of the pilot, using qualitative and quantitative measures. The evaluation found that, over two years, the site experienced significant improvements in safety outcomes, operations, and safety culture, including an 80% drop in at-risk behaviors, a 79% decrease in engineer decertification rates, a 81% decline in the rate derailments and other incidents, and better labor-management relations. Comparison locations showed no improvements in the decertifications or derailments. The success of the pilot, in addition to successes UP had earlier with CSA-type processes, encouraged UP to expand these processes throughout its transportation department. The success of this pilot and other similar pilots led to the development and adoption of the FRA's Railroad Safety Risk Reduction Program in the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008, and the implementation of similar safety-culture programs by other carriers.

Language: en