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Effective August 1, 2010

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Why are high visibility garments being required for TY&E employees?

High visibility work wear will make employees more visible, make them stand out from the background and able to be being seen from any direction by approaching equipment. Visibility will be improved during both daylight and nighttime conditions.

High visibility garments are the standard for TY&E employees in the railroad industry.

The garments increase visibility to: - Train and on-track equipment movements - Vehicular traffic when required to provide flagging - Employee locations in the work environment - Railroad property security

The high-visibility garments will also comply with Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) regulations for flagging or working on the right-of-way of any federally funded roadway.

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TY&E and Employee Safety Rule S-21.1 “Personal Protective Equipment”

• is amended in its entirety Effective August 1, 2010

Key changes:

• BNSF TY&E employees are now required to wear standard orange ANSI Class II high visibility garments.

• Safety glasses are optional inside vehicles, enclosed work-equipment cabs, and locomotive cabs when windows and doors are completely closed.

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Effective August 1, 2010

S-21.1 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Requirements

All BNSF employees, contractors and their agents, visitors and vendors must wear the following PPE while on BNSF property:

• Hard hats applicable to designated crafts and work areas that meet ANSI standard Z89.1, Type I, Class E & G specifications, found in the BNSF Safety and Health Equipment Catalog.

• Safety glasses with permanently mounted side shields and authorized by BNSF. Authorized tints for safety glasses are: Grey #1 indoors and Grey #1, #2 and #3 outdoors.

• Safety boots

• Hearing protection (ear plugs/earmuffs) when entering designated hearing protection areas, while performing designated jobs/activities, or in situations where the noise requires an employee to raise his or her voice during normal conversation at a distance of 3 feet.

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Safety Rule S-21.1 “continued”

• Hand protection when there is a risk of exposure to harmful substances, punctures, severe abrasions, lacerations or cuts, chemical or thermal burns, high voltage, vibration, temperature extremes, or infectious biological agents.

• Enhanced visibility garments wherever PPE is required except when inside locomotive cabs. Enhanced visibility garments include ANSI Class II or Class III vest, shirt, coat or rain gear. – Enhanced visibility garments must be of standard orange color; vests

must be a tear-away design, meet or exceed ANSI Class II reflective standards, and be approved for use by BNSF policy. Standard BNSF-issued RCO vests are considered acceptable enhanced visibility garments.

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Safety Rule S-21.1 “continued”

PPE Exceptions:• Personal protective equipment is not required in office buildings, vehicle

parking areas, passenger vehicles, passenger-carrying rail cars or when passengers get on or off passenger-carrying rail cars.

• Safety glasses are optional inside vehicles and locomotive cabs when windows and doors are completely closed.

• Passenger train employees while embarking/disembarking passengers at passenger stop locations.

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Safety Rule S-21.1 “continued”

• Hard hats: – Not required for Train, Yard, and Engine (TY&E) employees except when

performing work service with Maintenance of Way, at derailments, or as directed by supervisor.

– Not required when operating vehicles or equipment with overhead protection. Including but not limited to forklifts with overhead protection or roadway equipment having enclosed cabs.

• Safety glasses and lenses: – When exempted by contractual agreement, personal eyewear must also

meet the lenses requirements listed below. – No other tinting (as prescribed in requirements) is permitted. Mirror like

lenses, amber (“shooters”) lenses or lenses that are intended to correct a color vision deficiency are prohibited.

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Safety Rule S-21.1 “continued”

Off-the-Job-UseEmployees are encouraged to use BNSF-provided personal protective equipment (PPE) off the job.

OtherAdditional personal protective equipment, such as face shields, fall protection, welding jackets, etc., may be required by supervisors and/or as good safety practice warrants. See the PPE Chart for task/exposure-specific personal protective equipment requirements and recommendations.

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Enhanced visibility garments are required wherever PPE is required except when inside locomotive cabs.

Enhanced visibility garments include vest, shirt, coat or raingear; and

• Must be standard orange color

• Vests must be of tear-away design

• Meet or exceed ANSI Class II or ANSI Class III reflective standards

• RCO vests are considered acceptable enhanced visibility garments

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BNSF Standard Transportation Vest

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FAQs Vested in Safety

1. Q: Why are high visibility garments being required for BNSF TY&E employees?

A: High visibility garments for Transportation employees are becoming the standard for all railroads and are recognized as a vital part of personal safety equipment by all facets of transportation-related industries.

The garments will increase employee visibility during train and on-track equipment movements, vehicular traffic when required to provide flagging protection

of highway grade crossings, and improve visibility of employee locations in the work environment.

The high visibility garments will promote BNSF safety values as well as enhance security on railroad property for employees. (No vest means the person could be a trespasser.)

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2. Q: Are high visibility garments known to aid in the prevention of accidents and injuries?

A: Yes. High visibility is one of the most prominent needs for workers who must perform tasks near moving

vehicles or equipment.

The need to be seen by those who drive or operate vehicles or equipment is industry recognized as a critical issue for worker safety. The sooner a worker in or near the path of travel is seen, the more time the operator has to avoid an accident.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) recognized this fact and included regulations for anyone flagging or working on the right-away of a federally funded roadway.

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3. Q: Are high visibility garments required for all BNSF TY&E employees?

A: Yes. Enhanced visibility garments are required wherever PPE is required except when inside locomotive cabs.

PPE Exceptions:Personal protective equipment is not required in office buildings, vehicle parking areas, passenger vehicles, passenger-carrying rail cars and passengers getting on/off passenger-carrying rail cars.

Safety glasses are optional inside vehicles and locomotive cabs when windows and doors are completely closed.

Passenger train employees while embarking/disembarking passengers at passenger stop locations.

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4. Q: Can a person modify or enhance a garment to achieve ANSI Class II standards by adding reflective striping or other reflective material?

A: No. All high visibility garments must be certified as ANSI Class II by the manufacturer.

5. Q: Are train crews required to provide engine whistle warning to TY&E employees and individuals wearing high visibility garments if they are on or near the

track?

A: Yes, although whistle warning is not required when there is an adjacent track and men or equipment or other individuals are beyond the farthest rail of the adjacent track or a similar distance if there is no

adjacent track. (See BNSF amendment to GCOR 5.8.2 (8).)

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GCOR 5.8.2 (8) BNSF amendment – changed to read:

(8) 0 Regardless of any whistle prohibitions

Approaching men or equipment or other individuals on or near the track

After sounding initial warning for men or equipment or other individuals, sound whistle signal (4) intermittently until the head end of train has passed the men or equipment or other individuals.

Whistle warning is not required when there is an adjacent track and men or equipment or other individuals are beyond the farthest rail of the adjacent track or a similar distance if there is no adjacent track. Whistle warning is not required for members of the same crew associated with movement of their engine unless necessary to warn or alert a crew member.

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6. Q: Are train and yard crews required to provide engine whistle warning to members of their own crew when they are on or near the track?

A: No. Engine whistle warning is not required for members

of the same crew associated with movement of their engine unless necessary to warn or alert a crew member.

7. Q: Do Remote Control Operations (RCO) vests meet high visibility standards?

A: Yes. Current vests meet the enhanced visibility requirements.

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8. Q: Do Remote Control Operations (RCO) belts meet high visibility standards?

A: No. Employees must either utilize a BNSF standard vest with a belt pack or an RCO vest.

9. Q: What is required regarding high visibility garments when an RCO operator needs to remove the RCO vest and OCU to install or remove a knuckle, ETD or other highly visible marker while in RCO mode?

A: RCO operators when required to remove knuckles, ETD’s or other Highly Visible markers while in RCO mode are governed by the requirements established in System Special Instructions Item 23(I). High visibility garments are not required while performing the duties described in SSI Item 23(I) when required to remove the OCU and vest. The RCO vest must be worn when resuming duties after completing the task.

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10. Q: Can an employee purchase their own enhanced visibility garment for use on BNSF property?

A: Yes, but it must be:

- Standard orange color- ANSI Class II or ANSI Class III- Vests must be of tear-away design

Enhanced visibility garments include vest, shirt, coat or rain gear.

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11. Q: What precautions should be taken to ensure high visibility garments or vests do not become snagged or caught on equipment?

A: Employees must ensure that clothing of any type does not snag or get caught on equipment. BNSF high

visibility vests incorporate a tear-away feature and should be adjusted to fit close to the body.

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12. Q: Since I only work during the day shift, why do I need high visibility work wear and reflective materials?

A: We believe that a common BNSF standard for high visibility work wear is appropriate given that great variability in illumination conditions can exist in daytime or evening hours due to weather, daylight savings time,

and the potential for unexpected work activities or delays that may require employees to work beyond normal shift hours.

A common BNSF standard for high visibility work wear should protect workers in all possible lighting conditions, day or

night.

13. Q: Are BNSF commuter, suburban and passenger service employees required to wear high visibility garments

when outside of passenger carrying rail cars?

A: Yes. High visibility garments are required when employees get off equipment to throw switches, protect

movement, walk through the yard, and when flagging.

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