2024 RAC SAFETY AWARDS: Winners Have Their Say
OTTAWA, Nov. 27, 2024 – The Railway Association of Canada (RAC) today announces the winners of its 2024 Safety Awards, recognizing outstanding innovation and leadership in advancing railway safety across the industry.
This year’s winners demonstrate the industry’s dedication to fostering collaboration, reducing risks, and continuously improving safety for employees, customers, and communities. Their commitment to safety speaks for itself:
CN – Slack Simulator
“Safety is a core value at CN and we are honoured to receive an award for our innovative ‘slack’ simulator. We believe in fostering a culture of safety across our operations starting from a railroader’s first day. With immersive, hands-on training experiences at our state-of-the-art campuses in Winnipeg and Homewood we ensure our employees are trained on safety practices, and the critical exposures that are present in their jobs, to protect them and the communities we serve.”– Dean Luchik, Director of Transportation Training and Development, CN
Genesee & Wyoming Canada – Fatigue Self-Assessment App
“We are honoured to receive this award on behalf of G&W Canada. Based on the criteria established in Transport Canada’s Duty and Rest Period Rules, our Fatigue Self-Assessment app allows transportation employees to easily evaluate their level of fatigue at any time, whether at home or at work. Furthermore, it allows each G&W railway to identify and address concerning fatigue and scheduling trends with the goal of ensuring every transportation employee comes to work well-rested and fit for duty.” – Rick McLellan, President, Genesee & Wyoming Canada Inc.
Metrolinx – E-Bike Strategy
“With a focus on safety, Metrolinx revised our e-bike policies to ensure our trains, buses and stations are safer for everyone. These efforts include requiring that e-bike batteries meet the necessary UL or CE certification and increasing our enforcement and education measures onboard and at our stations. At the same time, we have increased capacity on our trains for bicycles and certified e-bikes.
By combining policy, engineering, education, and enforcement, we have successfully implemented a comprehensive strategy that is both modern and responsive to our customers. This award reaffirms the importance of our commitment to safety and inspires us to continue working toward innovative and effective solutions for our customers.” – Martin Gallagher, Chief Operating and Safety Officer, Metrolinx
VIA Rail – Safety from the Get-Go
“At VIA Rail safety is a value that connects us all. The ‘Safety from the Get-Go’ campaign was a real team effort from our operations, HR, communications, and regulatory safety colleagues. By featuring the voices of the children and grandchildren of our employees in this initiative, we’ve created a powerful reminder of why safety matters most. I couldn’t be prouder of the team’s creativity in rebranding our safety culture to inspire and engage everyone at VIA Rail.” – Mathieu Paquette, Chief Communications and Human Resources Officer, VIA Rail Canada
Canadian railways continue to lead the way in safety innovation, with the 2024 RAC Safety Award winners setting an exemplary standard for the entire industry. Learn more about RAC and this year’s winners at www.railcan.ca and be sure to connect with RAC on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
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