UTU Transportation Safety Team first to attend
National Transportation Safety Board advanced training

CLEVELAND - The UTU's Transportation Safety Team (TST) was the first organized-labor group to attend the National Transportation Safety Board's (NTSB) advanced training seminar held recently in Washington, D.C.

The NTSB is an independent federal accident investigation agency. Since its creation in 1967, the safety board's mission has been to determine the "probable cause" of transportation accidents and to formulate safety recommendations to improve transportation safety. 

The NTSB, among other responsibilities, has authority to conduct special studies of safety problems in the transportation industry and to evaluate the effectiveness of government agencies involved in transportation safety. Although the NTSB has no enforcement powers, of its 11,000 safety recommendations, more than 80% have been adopted through safety regulations issued by the government. 

The TST was organized, as part of UTU's pro-active agenda, for the purpose of participating in accident investigations conducted by the NTSB with the goal of contributing to the fact-finding phase of the field investigations, President Charles L. Little said. "The TST is not a replacement for the grievance procedures or protective role of the general chairperson and local chairperson. Their function, representing employees covered under the Railway Labor Act, is separate and is not impacted by the TST program." 

In June the eight-member TST team attended a day-long seminar conducted at NTSB headquarters. The seminar focused on the agency: what they are and what they do, party status, the elements of an NTSB investigation, submissions (on-scene and post-accident report preparation), NTSB protocol and procedure, safety recommendation proposals and the role of the NTSB members. The TST was addressed by NTSB Board Chairman Jim Hall, NTSB division chiefs from the rail division, investigators from across the country who conduct and supervise fact-finding field investigations, and representatives from Public Affairs and Family Assistance Divisions of the NTSB. 

The TST has played and will play a vital role in the fact-finding phase of rail accident investigations where that accident meets TST criteria, according to TST member David Hakey. "The seminar was the first step in a new era of cooperation between the NTSB and the UTU in the interest of advancing safety in the transportation industry." 

The members of the TST, already proficient in train and switching operations, will continue to receive advanced training to reach a level of technical expertise unsurpassed in the industry, Hakey said. Initially the advanced training will focus on operating practices and human performance factors, but will be expanded to include human survival factors and crash worthiness of locomotives and passenger equipment. 

"The goal will be the advancement of transportation safety for all transportation workers and the general public," Little said.