BNSF News

BNSF Hosts Shortline Partners at Hazardous Materials Training

2009-09-21

BNSF sponsored its first hazardous materials training for shortline partners to help those partners understand how to handle incidents involving certain materials.

Mike Yuen, manager, Shortline Development, said the new federal regulations on toxic inhalation hazards and poison inhalation hazards prompted the four-day conference. BNSF's chief goal was to ensure that customers received no disruption to their service and that the changes to the process of handling hazardous materials were performed seamlessly.

"This was a good way for us to help our short line partners understand what we carry and what to do in an emergency," Yuen said.

Pat Brady, assistant director, Hazardous Materials, said participants learned about the materials BNSF transports, how to look for leaks, what to do in case of a leak and U.S. Department of Transportation regulations, to name a few.

"We talked about toxicity and air monitoring," Brady said. "We covered protective equipment. We also worked through how to transfer hazardous commodities from a damaged car to an undamaged car."

The session, held at the Security & Emergency Response Training Center in Pueblo, Colo., provided a chance for participants to see equipment retrieved from actual derailments, Brady said.

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