Title 49

SECTION 238.603

238.603 Safety planning requirements.

§ 238.603 Safety planning requirements.

(a) Prior to commencing revenue service operation of Tier II passenger equipment, each railroad shall prepare and execute a written plan for the safe operation of such equipment. The plan may be combined with any other plan required under this part. The plan shall be updated at least every 365 days. At a minimum, the plan shall describe the approaches and processes to:

(1) Identify all requirements necessary for the safe operation of the equipment in its operating environment;

(2) Identify all known or potential hazards to the safe operation of the equipment;

(3) Eliminate or reduce the risk posed by each hazard identified to an acceptable level using a formal safety methodology such as MIL-STD-882; and

(4) Impose operational limitations, as necessary, on the operation of the equipment if the equipment cannot meet safety requirements.

(b) For the procurement of Tier II passenger equipment, and for each major upgrade or introduction of new technology in existing Tier II passenger equipment that affects a safety system on such equipment, each railroad shall prepare and execute a written safety plan. The plan may be combined with any other plan required under this part. The plan shall describe the approaches and processes to:

(1) Identify all safety requirements governing the design of the passenger equipment and its supporting systems;

(2) Evaluate the total system, including hardware, software, testing, and support activities, to identify known or potential safety hazards over the life cycle of the equipment;

(3) Identify safety issues during design reviews;

(4) Eliminate or reduce the risk posed by each hazard identified to an acceptable level using a formal safety methodology such as MIL-STD-882;

(5) Monitor the progress in resolving safety issues, reducing hazards, and meeting safety requirements;

(6) Develop a program of testing or analysis, or both, to demonstrate that safety requirements have been met; and

(7) Impose operational limitations, as necessary, on the operation of the equipment if the equipment cannot meet safety requirements.

(c) Each railroad shall maintain sufficient documentation to demonstrate how the operation and design of its Tier II passenger equipment complies with safety requirements or, as appropriate, addresses safety requirements under paragraphs (a)(4) and (b)(7) of this section. Each railroad shall maintain sufficient documentation to track how safety issues are raised and resolved.

(d) Each railroad shall make available to FRA for inspection and copying upon request each safety plan required by this section and any documentation required pursuant to such plan.

[64 FR 25660, May 12, 1999, as amended at 67 FR 19994, Apr. 23, 2002]

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