[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]
 BILLING CODE 4910-06-P