A Transportation Safety Board report says a lack of direct supervision and a failure to follow safety rules were contributing factors in a fatal rail accident in Saskatchewan.
Last November, a Canadian National Railway train fatally struck a conductor trainee who was performing switching duties at an interchange track near Tisdale.
“When conductor trainees work independently, without direct and close supervision, the risk of error increases and can lead to accidents,” the TSB said in its report released Wednesday.
“Additionally, there is a risk of misapplying safety rules and instructions where there is inadequate reinforcement of proper procedures, reduced training periods, and lack of continuity and assessment among trainers.”
In a December 2013 letter to Transport Canada, the TSB identified potential risks associated with switching operations, specifically in terms of how closely conductors supervise trainees.
Transport Canada told the TSB it has identified trainee supervision as an issue and is developing “risk control actions” to address the problem.
The TSB notes in its report that CN has since issued several safety bulletins on the subject to its operations staff across the country.
