[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 70 (Friday, April 10, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20335-20336]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-07559]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
Safety Advisory 2020-01; Safety Precautions Related to
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of
Transportation.
ACTION: Notice of Safety Advisory.
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SUMMARY: This Safety Advisory encourages railroads, their employees,
and contractors to review and follow all applicable guidance available
related to COVID-19, including the best practices identified in the
President's Coronavirus Guidelines for America--30 Days to Slow the
Spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19), the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention's (CDC) COVID-19 guidelines, and the Occupational Safety and
Health Administration's (OSHA) Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for
COVID-19. This Safety Advisory recommends that railroads develop and
implement procedures and practices consistent with the above-identified
best practices and that railroads take certain other actions to ensure
the safety of railroad operations and maintenance during this national
emergency. FRA believes that actions consistent with this Safety
Advisory will reduce the risk of railroad employees, contractors, and
members of the public contracting or spreading COVID-19.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karl Alexy, Associate Administrator
for Safety and Chief Safety Officer, FRA, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE,
Washington, DC 20590, telephone (202) 493-6282.
Disclaimer: This Notice of Safety Advisory is considered guidance
pursuant to 49 CFR 5.25. The information in this Safety Advisory does
not have the force and effect of law and is not meant to bind the
public in any way. If you have questions relating to COVID-19, please
contact the CDC directly.
[[Page 20336]]
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
As reported by CDC,\1\ infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that
causes COVID-19, can cause a respiratory illness that can spread from
person to person. Symptoms can range from mild to severe, and often
include a fever and a cough or difficulty breathing. The outbreak first
started in China, but cases have been identified in a growing number of
other areas, including the United States. On March 11, 2020, the World
Health Organization characterized the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic,
meaning the disease had spread worldwide. On March 13, 2020, President
Donald J. Trump declared a national emergency related to COVID-19.
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\1\ https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.
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SARS-CoV-2 is a novel virus, which means there is still much to
learn about the risk factors, signs and symptoms, and how it is
spread.\2\ Based on what the CDC currently knows about the virus, it is
mostly spread from person-to-person in close contact (within about 6
feet) through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person
coughs, sneezes, or talks.\3\ Maintaining good social distance (about 6
feet) is very important in preventing the spread of COVID-19.\4\ It may
also be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface
or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth,
nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main
way the virus spreads.\5\
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\2\ The understanding of COVID-19 is constantly evolving; FRA
recommends checking the CDC website for the most current information
and recommendations.
\3\ https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/transmission.html.
\4\ Id.
\5\ Id.
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FRA's Actions Related to COVID-19
Following the President's declaration of a national emergency
related to COVID-19, on March 13, 2020, FRA Administrator Ronald L.
Batory determined that the imminent threat and exposure to COVID-19
posed a risk of serious illness that constitutes an ``emergency
situation'' as related to railroad operations. As a result,
Administrator Batory activated FRA's Emergency Relief Docket (ERD)
(Docket Number FRA-2020-0002), which enabled FRA to begin considering,
on an expedited basis, requests for relief from regulatory requirements
to address issues caused by the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Through the ERD, FRA has issued temporary, industry-wide relief
from certain FRA regulations to help enable railroads to continue to
operate for the duration of the COVID-19 public health emergency, and
at the same time, to ensure the safety of railroad employees. See
Docket Number FRA-2020-0002, available on www.regulations.gov. FRA
granted temporary, conditional relief from certain required tests and
inspections, as well as certain operational relief. FRA conditioned
much of the relief granted in the waiver on the existence of workforce
shortages or other constraints directly resulting from the COVID-19
public health emergency, meaning that individual railroads may utilize
the relief only in situations where COVID-19 has caused workforce
shortages (i.e., employees are out sick or quarantined) or otherwise
prevented railroads from complying with the regulations. Other relief
FRA granted is consistent with CDC's recommendations for social
distancing and limiting the touching of common surfaces.
Safety Advisory 2020-01
Railroads are a critical infrastructure industry and have a
responsibility to ensure the timely movement of essential goods and
people. FRA encourages railroads to review the following guidance and
information related to the COVID-19 public health emergency:
The President's Coronavirus Guidelines for America--30
Days to Slow the Spread: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/03.16.20_coronavirus-guidance_8.5x11_315PM.pdf;
CDC's Coronavirus (COVID-19) website: https://www.cdc.gov/
coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html;
CDC's Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/guidance-business-response.html;
CDC's Workplace, Home and School Guidance: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/workplace-school-and-home-guidance.pdf;
OSHA's COVID-19 guidance page: https://www.osha.gov/coronavirus; and
Federal Coronavirus website: www.coronavirus.gov.
FRA encourages railroads to take action consistent with the
recommendations and guidance cited above to help reduce the risk that
railroad employees and contractors contract COVID-19 and then spread it
to others. FRA may modify this Safety Advisory or take other
appropriate actions necessary to ensure the highest level of safety on
the Nation's railroads.
Issued in Washington, DC.
John Karl Alexy,
Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety and Chief Safety Officer.
[FR Doc. 2020-07559 Filed 4-9-20; 8:45 am]
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