The objective of this Guideline is to provide railway companies with a guide for the development of their Culvert Safety Management Program (CSMP) in accordance with the Railway Safety Management Systems Regulation (SMS), the Railway Safety Act (RSA), and the Track Safety Rules (TSR).
This Guideline is meant to promote uniformity and industry best practices with respect to the safe management of culverts and outline Transport Canada's (TC) expectations with regards to the components that should form part of a railway company's CSMP including overall design, inspection, and maintenance practices associated with culverts over which trains operate.
This Guideline is not intended to replace existing railway procedures or practices in use by railway companies. Railway companies may use alternative practices and procedures to those outlined in this Guideline, provided that they meet the intent of this Guideline. Ultimately, it is the railway company's responsibility to ensure the safety of its operation as it applies to culverts.