Crude by Rail Safety Course
API, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) and the member companies of both organizations have worked to create a safety awareness course for first responders. The course, which will be offered through TRANSCAER®, (Transportation Community Awareness and Emergency Response), a voluntary national outreach effort that focuses on assisting communities to prepare for and respond to a possible hazardous materials transportation incident. TRANSCAER® promotes the safe transportation of hazardous materials, educates and assists communities near major transportation routes, and aids emergency response planning for hazardous material incidents. TRANSCAER® members consist of volunteer representatives from the chemical manufacturing, transportation, distributor, and emergency response industries, as well as the government. It is sponsored by the API, American Chemistry Council (ACC), AAR, CHEMTREC®, The Chlorine Institute, Inc., The Fertilizer Institute, and Renewable Fuels Association.
The safety awareness course, which can be reviewed online or presented in person by a TRANSCAER® approved instructor, is meant to provide information first responders need to know before approaching an incident involving crude by rail. While crude oil is a flammable liquid and should be treated as such during a response, the growth in crude oil by rail has raised concerns about how first responders can be better prepared if an incident occurs. The TRANSCAER® Crude by Rail Safety Course seeks to assist in preparation by describing the characteristics of crude oil and the rail cars in which it is shipped. It also provides the Rescue, Exposures, Confinement, Extinguishment, Overhaul and Salvage (RECEOS) strategies if crude oil is present, firefighting and spill response considerations, and guidelines for structured incident management. This course has been designed for first responders with basic firefighting training and is offered free of charge. The TRANSCAER® website provides a calendar list of course offerings.
Downloads
TRANSCAER® API-AAR Crude Oil by Rail Safety Course (March 2015)
File Size: 4.5 MB