NTSB -- NTSB Safety Recommendations R-12-5 through -8

************************************************************

NTSB SAFETY RECOMMENDATION

************************************************************

National Transportation Safety Board

Washington, DC 20594

March 2, 2012

************************************************************

NTSB Safety Recommendations R-12-5 through -8

************************************************************

The National Transportation Safety Board makes the following

safety recommendations to the Pipeline and Hazardous

Materials Safety Administration:

Require that all newly manufactured and existing general

service tank cars authorized for transportation of denatured

fuel ethanol and crude oil in Packing Groups I and II have

enhanced tank head and shell puncture resistance systems and

top fittings protection that exceeds existing design

requirements for DOT-111 tank cars. (R-12-5)

Require that all bottom outlet valves used on newly

manufactured and existing non-pressure tank cars are

designed to remain closed during accidents in which the

valve and operating handle are subjected to impact forces.

(R-12-6)

Require that all newly manufactured and existing tank cars

authorized for transportation of hazardous materials have

center sill or draft sill attachment designs that conform to

the revised Association of American Railroads' design

requirements adopted as a result of Safety Recommendation R-

12-9. (R-12-7)

Inform pipeline operators about the circumstances of the

accident and advise them of the need to inspect pipeline

facilities after notification of accidents occurring in

railroad rights-of-way. (R-12-8)

The National Transportation Safety Board reiterates the

following previously issued safety recommendation to the

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration:

With the assistance of the Federal Railroad Administration,

require that railroads immediately provide to emergency

responders accurate, real-time information regarding the

identity and location of all hazardous materials on a train.

(R-07-4)

************************************************************

http://www.ntsb.gov/doclib/recletters/2012/R-12-005-008.pdf

************************************************************

The complete recommendation letter is available on the Web

at the URL indicated above.

The letter is in the Portable Document Format (PDF) and can

be read using the Acrobat Reader 5.0 or later from Adobe

(http://www.adobe.com/prodindex/acrobat/readstep.html).

An archive of recommendation letters is available at

http://www.ntsb.gov/recs/letters/letters.htm.

Electronic versions of letters may or may not include

enclosures; however, related publications, accident

briefs, and aviation accident synopses may be found

on the NTSB website.

************************************************************

This message is delivered to you as a free service from the

National Transportation Safety Board.

You may unsubscribe at any time at

http://www.ntsb.gov/registration/registration.htm

An archive of press releases is available at

http://www.ntsb.gov/pressrel/pressrel.htm

Current job opportunities with the NTSB are listed at

http://www.ntsb.gov/vacancies/listing.htm

For questions/problems, contact pubinq@xxxxxxxx