DHS Issues Security Standards for Freight, Passenger Rail Systems

November 25, 2008 // Published as a news service by IHS

The Rail Transportation Security final rule will require freight and passenger rail carriers to designate rail security coordinators and report significant security concerns to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), said DHS.

The rule also will codify TSA's inspection authority.

For freight rail, the rule is promoted as ensuring the positive handoff of security-sensitive materials as well as establish security protocols for custody transfers of security-sensitive material rail cars between receivers of these materials that are located in high threat urban areas, shippers of these materials and rail carriers, said DHS.

To raise the level of security in the freight rail transportation sector ahead of the final rule, both TSA and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) developed security action items, along with the freight rail industry, to reduce the risk associated with the transportation of poisonous by inhalation (PIH) materials, said DHS.

These measures resulted in an overall risk reduction of more than 60%, which is above the target reduction of 50%, claims DHS.

PIH materials are potentially harmful and include essential chemicals like chlorine and anhydrous ammonia. PIH materials represent less than 1% of all hazardous materials rail shipments, said DHS.

The freight rail provisions of the rule will address the transport of security-sensitive materials by rail, from start to finish, including shipment handoffs, secure areas for transfers and reporting of shipment locations to TSA.

More information about the Rail Transportation Security final rule is available at the TSA web site.

Source: U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).