FRA: FATIGUE, WORK SCHEDULES, ACCIDENTS LINKED

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- As part of a continuing effort to target the highest risks and major causes of train accidents, the Federal Railroad Administration on Nov. 29 released a study that provides a strong scientific rationale for evaluating railroad employee work schedules to address worker fatigue.

"The UTU and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen have been pressing hard for greater carrier awareness of the fatigue problem, the urgent need to ensure train and engine service employees have more predictable schedules and adequate rest, and early and reliable notification of start times," said UTU International President Paul Thompson."

The FRA said human factor errors are responsible for nearly 40 percent of all train accidents over the past five years.

"In almost every other category of train accidents, we've seen a steady decline in recent years, but human-factor caused accidents are increasing," said FRA Administrator Joseph H. Boardman. "Wide-spread acceptance by the railroad industry of the validated findings of this fatigue report could potentially lead to fewer serious train accidents."

The goal of the research was to determine if a fatigue model can accurately and reliably predict an increased risk of human error that could contribute to the occurrence of a train accident, Boardman said. A mathematical model for detecting the point at which the risk of fatigue becomes hazardous could be part of a railroad's fatigue management plan. FRA expects this information will aid the railroad industry in improving crew scheduling practices in order to reduce that risk. A similar approach is currently utilized by the Department of Defense.

Under the study, researchers analyzed the 30-day work schedule histories of locomotive crews preceding approximately 1,400 train accidents and found a strong statistical correlation between the crew's estimated level of alertness and the likelihood that they would be involved in an accident caused by human factors.

In fact, the relationship is so strong that the level of fatigue associated with some work schedules was found to be equivalent to being awake for 21 hours following an 8-hour sleep period the previous night. At this level, train accidents consistent with fatigue, such as failing to stop for red signals, were more likely to occur.

Boardman said this fatigue study is an important part of the FRA's National Rail Safety Action Plan, a comprehensive effort to target the major causes of railroad incidents.

The report, entitled "Validation and Calibration of a Fatigue Assessment Tool for Railroad Work Schedules, Summary Report," which is dated Oct. 31, and released by the FRA Nov. 29, can be found by clicking on this link:
http://www.fra.dot.gov/downloads/safety/dot_fra_ord_0621.pdf.

(Note: Because of the length of the report, it may not properly download unless a high-speed connection is used).