Location: National
Issue/source: The new Locomotive Voice and Video Recorder Regulations, addressing two transportation safety board recommendations, came into force on September 2, 2022.
Date: November 29, 2022
Suggested Responses
- Locomotive voice and video recorders are considered an essential tool for improving and strengthening rail safety in Canada.
- The Locomotive Voice and Video Regulations came into force on September 2, 2022, and are aimed at improving rail safety, while safeguarding employees’ privacy rights.
- Data gathered by voice and video recorders will help investigators establish the cause of an accident and inform safety recommendations and necessary changes.
- Transport Canada is monitoring the implementation of the regulations as part of its oversight activities and will take appropriate actions for any non-compliances, as they are identified.
Background Information
- Since 2003, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada has called for the installation of recording devices in locomotive cabs to assist in post-accident investigations.
- The installation of recording devices in locomotive cabs will strengthen the rail safety regime by providing data about employee actions that is not currently available for accident investigations. In addition, proactive analysis of the data from the recorders will help to identify and mitigate risks before accidents occur. Finally, these regulations addressed two outstanding Transportation Safety Board of Canada recommendations and a previous Watchlist item.
- In May 2018, Bill C-49, the Transportation Modernization Act amended the Railway Safety Act to mandate the installation of voice and video recorders in the locomotive cabs of federally-regulated railways to further enhance the safety of the rail transportation system in Canada.
- The Locomotive Voice and Video Regulations were approved in September 2020 and came into force in September 2022. They reflect careful consideration of the best way to maximize safety benefits, while safeguarding the privacy rights of railway employees.