BACKGROUND
The rail industry was not fully aware of the backgrounds of the contractors who were being employed to work on railroad property. For the rail industry, it was challenging to ensure a safe working environment for its employees due to the lack of contractor background screening. Rail organizations were unaware of who might be on the property and who could pose harm to the railroad. Trespassers were dealt with swiftly; however, the contractors were invited onto the property and given full access based on the needs of their jobs without regards to their background history. Beyond this inherent challenge, there were additional complications rooted in the fact that rails operate in various states, which have their own unique state requirements and regulations for background screening. Furthermore, each railroad has its own reporting mechanisms for transferring data back and forth with the background screening company.

SOLUTION
By working with leaders of the rail industry, eVerifile has developed a process to fairly and consistently screen contractors. This screening system, based on predetermined pertinent factors, was established to protect the interests of the railroads and the safety of its employees. Our goals were to ensure that all contractors were screened prior to being admitted onto railroad property. For 10 years, railroads have been adopting the eRailSafe program’s automated background screening process for its ability to verify employees and contractors via the Internet. Additionally, eVerifile has made accommodations to customize its programs in order to account for state and reporting complexities.

RESULTS
eVerifile’s eRailSafe solution has become the industry standard for screening contractors, both initially and at intervals throughout employment. This ensures the safety and security of the railroad and its employees. With the help of eRailSafe, the industry has dramatically limited the number of potential security and safety risks on railroad property. In 2011, one of the leading railroads reported that among its contractors, 33,804 people were approved and 1,821 people were denied through the eRailsafe program. From those 1,821 denied, 484 appealed; 360 of the appeals were granted based on documentation provided in their favor. Therefore, by denying railroad property access to 1,470 people, numerous issues of safety and security were avoided.

Given heightened concerns regarding national security, increased incidents of malfeasance, and natural disasters, organizations in virtually every industry are implementing additional procedures to identify potential threats and secure their workplace. You have questions, eVerifile has answers. Check our FAQs section below, or submit your own question.