The federal government is rolling out new measures to bolster rail safety following an investigation into a fatal 2017 incident at a
Under an order from Transport Minister
The department said it will work with industry and labour representatives to identify the causes of uncontrolled movements that occur while switching without air brakes.
"I am deeply troubled every time there is a rail incident that results in a tragic death," Garneau said in a statement Thursday.
The new measures follow a
Two
The safety board said the two workers, one a designated foreman and the other a helper, were moving railcars by letting them roll to their intended track without the use of air brakes.
The investigation found that the crew's limited experience likely contributed to a decision to shove three loaded cars up a slight grade using a remote-controlled locomotive at too low a speed, which resulted in the cars losing momentum and beginning to roll backwards.
"Team work is critical but, in this occurrence, the foreman and the helper were working in virtual isolation," investigator
"Both employees were relatively inexperienced and wore green vests to indicate less than two years of service," Pilon said.
"No plan was discussed for kicking the cars uphill, nor was there any shared expectation of how this would be performed."
The investigation found the 26-year-old foreman,
"But the cars didn't stop," said Pilon, who added the brake was ineffective.
Heins was fatally injured when the cars collided with several stationary ones and she was pinned.
"When you're doing the graveyard shift, I suspect it's the youngest or least experienced people who have that job. And unless they have proper training and supervision and have a proper risk assessment before they go out and do their yard work, then they're at risk to a certain extent," he said.
Naish approved of
Rail fatalities totalled 72 in 2019, up from 57 the year before and in line with the 10-year average of 73, according to the safety board.
Five of the 72 were railway employees who were fatally injured, more than twice the 10-year average.
Crossing fatalities increased 47 per cent year over year to 28 in 2019 and trespasser fatalities rose by 12 per cent to 34.
This report by
— with files from
Companies in this story: (TSX:CNR)
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