[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 49, Volume 4]

[Revised as of October 1, 2005]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 49CFR225.19]



[Page 354-355]

 

                        TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION

 

       CHAPTER II--FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF 

                             TRANSPORTATION

 

PART 225_RAILROAD ACCIDENTS/INCIDENTS: REPORTS CLASSIFICATION, AND 

INVESTIGATIONS--Table of Contents

 

Sec. 225.19  Primary groups of accidents/incidents.



    (a) For reporting purposes reportable railroad accidents/incidents 

are divided into three groups:



Group I--Highway-Rail Grade Crossing;

Group II--Rail Equipment;

Group III--Death, Injury and Occupational Illness.



    (b) Group I--Highway-rail grade crossing. Each highway-rail grade 

crossing accident/incident must be reported to the FRA on Form FRA F 

6180.57, regardless of the extent of damages or whether a casualty 

occurred. In addition, whenever a highway-rail grade crossing accident/

incident results in damages greater than the current reporting threshold 

to railroad on-track equipment, signals, track, track structures, or 

roadbed, that accident/incident shall be reported to the FRA on Form FRA 

F 6180.54. For reporting purposes, damages include labor costs and all 

other costs to repair or replace in kind damaged on-track equipment, 

signals, track, track structures, or roadbed, but do not include the 

cost of clearing a wreck.

    (c) Group II--Rail equipment. Rail equipment accidents/incidents are 

collisions, derailments, fires, explosions, acts of God, and other 

events involving the operation of on-track equipment (standing or 

moving) that result in damages higher than the current reporting 

threshold (i.e., $6,300 for calendar years 1991 through 1966, $6,500 for 

calendar year 1997, and $6,700 for calendar years 2002 and 2003 and, 

until further notice, for calendar years thereafter) to railroad on-

track equipment, signals, tracks, track structures, or roadbed, 

including labor costs and the costs for acquiring new equipment and 

material. Each rail equipment accident/incident must be reported to the 

FRA on Form FRA F 6180.54. If the property of more than one railroad is 

involved in an accident/incident, the reporting threshold is calculated 

by including the damages suffered by all of the railroads involved. See 

Sec. 225.23, Joint Operations. The reporting threshold will be reviewed 

periodically, and, if necessary, will be adjusted every year.

    (d) Group III--Death, injury, or occupational illness. Each event or 

exposure arising from the operation of a railroad shall be reported on 

Form FRA F 6180.55a if the event or exposure is a discernable cause of 

one or more of the following outcomes, and this outcome is a new case or 

a significant aggravation of a pre-existing injury or illness:

    (1) Death to any person;

    (2) Injury to any person that results in medical treatment;

    (3) Injury to a railroad employee that results in:

    (i) A day away from work;

    (ii) Restricted work activity or job transfer; or

    (iii) Loss of consciousness;

    (4) Occupational illness of a railroad employee that results in any 

of the following:

    (i) A day away from work;

    (ii) Restricted work activity or job transfer;

    (iii) Loss of consciousness; or

    (iv) Medical treatment;

    (5) Significant injury to or significant illness of a railroad 

employee diagnosed by a physician or other licensed health care 

professional even if it does not result in death, a day away from work, 

restricted work activity or job transfer, medical treatment, or loss of 

consciousness;

    (6) Illness or injury that meets the application of any of the 

following specific case criteria:



[[Page 355]]



    (i) Needlestick or sharps injury to a railroad employee;

    (ii) Medical removal of a railroad employee;

    (iii) Occupational hearing loss of a railroad employee;

    (iv) Occupational tuberculosis of a railroad employee; or

    (v) Musculoskeletal disorder of a railroad employee if this disorder 

is independently reportable under one or more of the general reporting 

criteria.

    (e) The reporting threshold is $6,300 for calendar years 1991 

through 1996. The reporting threshold is $6,500 for calendar year 1997, 

$6,600 for calendar years 1998 through 2001, and $6,700 for calendar 

years 2002 and 2003 and, until further notice, for calendar years 

thereafter. The procedure for determining the reporting threshold for 

calendar years 1997 through 2002 appears as paragraphs 1-9 of appendix B 

to part 225. The primary rationale for the reporting threshold 

established for calendar year 2003 and, until further notice, for 

subsequent calendar years, appears as paragraph 10 of appendix B to part 

225.



(Secs. 11144 and 11145, Subtitle IV of Title 49 (49 U.S.C. 11144 and 

11145); secs. 1 and 6, Accident Reports Act (45 U.S.C. 431 and 437); 

sec. 6(e) and (f), Department of Transportation Act (49 U.S.C. 1655(e) 

and (f)); sec. 1.49(g) and (m), regulations of the Office of the 

Secretary of Transportation (49 CFR 1.49(g) and (m))



[39 FR 43224, Dec. 11, 1974, as amended at 41 FR 50691, Nov. 17, 1976; 

42 FR 1221, Jan. 6, 1977; 47 FR 56358, Dec. 16, 1982; 51 FR 47019, Dec. 

30, 1986; 53 FR 48548, Dec. 1, 1988; 55 FR 52847, Dec. 21, 1990; 61 FR 

30969, 30973, June 18, 1996; 61 FR 60634, Nov. 29, 1996; 61 FR 67490, 

Dec. 23, 1996; 63 FR 63676, Dec. 2, 1997; 63 FR 71791, Dec. 30, 1998; 64 

FR 69195, Dec. 10, 1999; 65 FR 69886, Nov. 21, 2000; 66 FR 66348, Dec. 

26, 2001; 67 FR 79536, Dec. 30, 2002; 68 FR 10138, Mar. 3, 2003]