Train Derailments, And What They Can Teach Us About Safety And Inaction

Train Derailments, And What They Can Teach Us About Safety And Inaction

On February 3^rd, 2023, while the world was following the spy balloon saga, a train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio. A derailment is not something that is usually reported in great detail, but this Norfolk Southern train was carrying a load of hazardous chemicals, including butyl acrytlate and vinyl chloride. Among these chemicals were some documented carcinogens, as well as others that can cause long-lasting health impacts to the lungs, eyes, liver and skin. Current residents and first responders have reported migraines, nausea, sore throats and rashes, with additional concerns extending to local waterways - which have the potential to extend to the rest of the Ohio river valley water system. Despite a "controlled release" to prevent a fully catastrophic event, there are concerns about long-term human and environmental health.

Since the East Palestine incident, three other derailments have occurred. Two Norfolk Southern trains derailed - one in Springfield, Ohio and one in Calhoun County, Alabama - and one Union Pacific train in Cheyenne, Wyoming. These trains carried no hazardous materials, but the recurring problem has ratcheted up the pressure that the train transport sector is under, driving the issue further into the public and regulatory eye.

While the cause of the East Palestine derailment has been traced to an overheated wheel bearing that did not register a temperature parameter set by Norfolk Southern, here are several lessons that should be scrutinized from an EHS perspective:

• Comprehensive safety controls are vital.
  Under the previous administration's policy of reducing governmental oversight across environmental concerns, a regulation requiring braking system upgrades for trains carrying hazardous materials was rolled back. The rollback specifically targeted the use of electronically controlled pneumatic brakes and resulted in the continuing operation of century-old air brake technology, which has been involved in several deadly derailments over the course of a decade. This reflects a hesitation around improving safety controls, which are often rooted in the upfront cost of implementing a new system. This common barrier can be overcome by outlining the long-term return on safety and investment: the drop in potential events, fewer clean-up costs and extraneous fines, and most importantly, the reduction in potential harm to life and the environment.

• Proactive risk management outweighs and emphasizes the dangers of inaction.
  Historically, the EHS function was one that operated behind the scenes and away from the C-suite boardroom, only becoming visible when accidents occurred. Today, EHS functions are being elevated to have a seat at the table due to increased focus on corporate ESG considerations. EHS leaders need to leverage this position to draw attention to the other core concerns outside of the 'E', and highlight that safety and health are foundational to a firm's operation and reputation. With the broadening of disclosure mandates such as the CSRD, investors will be inspecting health and safety records to gauge organizations against 'Social' and 'Governance' standards. Implementing measures from advanced risk management systems, such as enhanced braking systems, to more targeted solutions, such as video analytics for incident management, can differentiate a firm and improve both its safety capabilities and its overall ESG score.

• Inaction costs firms reputationally as well as financially.
  The severity of the East Palestine derailment has resulted in Norfolk Southern becoming the subject of several lawsuits and investigations by regulators, in addition to continued negative press coverage and public opinion. Trust, from the public sector and internal employees, has degraded - and, once lost, it is hard to recover. With the proper investment and training in the areas outlined above and others, EHS teams can reduce the chances of accidents occurring, thus improving public and regulatory opinion.

At the end of the day, events like this, and the knock-on impacts that they have, reinforce that safety is no accident. EHS operations have at their disposal the means to reduce the likelihood of incidents, and should strive to learn lessons wherever they can be gleaned.