Individuals who oversee railroad properties have an obligation to their contractors, employees, vendors and the community to ensure proper protocols are implemented for the safety and security of the railroads.
After the terrorist attacks of 9/11, railroads tightened their security measures by utilizing a variety of risk management strategies in order to alleviate the threats and dangers in the railroad industry. As a leader in rail safety and security, eVerifile provides rail leaders with resources to better protect the rail industry via the eRailSafe platform, which includes: railroad background checks, employee and contractor badging and security awareness tests.
Railroad Background Checks
Railroad background checks allow employers to verify that the prospective employee or contractor does not have any prior criminal records and has the necessary qualifications to perform the job tasks required.
Employers who neglect to perform criminal background checks on their employees can be held liable for any criminal activity. This is referred to as negligent hiring, and can cost the employer. Today, the average cost of a negligent hiring lawsuit is $1 million.
Conducting railroad background checks for persons with access to railroad property helps ensure the safety and security of the rail property. A study by CareerBuilder.com claims that 11% of background checks come back with a criminal record. As this statistic highlights, it is important for railroads to protect their property against persons who inflict crime whether it is with weapons and theft, or via the use of drugs or alcohol.
Contractor and Employee Badging
It is recommended that railroad properties implement contactor and employee badging to ensure that they are in compliance with internal and regulatory requirements. Railroad leaders can be proactive in preventing accidents by creating a badging and credentialing program with practices such as compliance presentations, employee surveys and regulatory tests.
Badges determine an employee’s eligibility to access the railroad property and contain a picture of the employee for identification purposes. They also protect against possible infractions with employees having access to unauthorized job sites, sensitive materials such as tools, drugs, petty cash or radioactive material. These types of threats can pose a danger to employees and the railroad property as well.
Security and Safety Awareness Testing
Security and safety awareness tests ensure that employers on the railroad are equipped with the necessary resources in order to combat any dangers that could happen while on the job. This type of mandatory training includes orientation, training modules and specific training customized for individual operations.
Promoting safety and security should be a top priority in the railroad industry. To learn more about eVerifile’s eRailSafe program, contact an eVerifile representative at 800-560-6435 or visit eRailSafe 2.0.