Railway Association of Canada Announces 2010 Rail Safety and Environment
Award Winners

OTTAWA, Oct. 18 /CNW/ - The Railway Association of Canada today announced the winners of the 2010 rail safety and environment awards. The Awards were presented this evening at a gala dinner at the historic Windsor Station in Montreal in front of more than 250 participants in the North American Rail Summit 2010.

The Awards recognize the outstanding safety and environmental developments for rail services and promote the activities of operators to improve on the stellar environmental and safety performance of the Canadian rail industry. The Awards have been established as the most prestigious recognition of excellence in the Canadian rail industry. 

The Safety Award officially recognizes the rail industry's contribution to safe transportation. It encourages the industry to continue adopting better working and operating practices, and enhances general public awareness of rail safe practices. A Safety initiative is eligible if it promotes safe transportation by a member railway, its employees, customers, suppliers or by any other stakeholders identified by a member.

• The RAC Safety Award, in the Class I railways category, was awarded to Canadian Pacific for its Sprain/Strain Injury Risk Reduction Toolkit initiative. CP's Toolkit provides several innovative tools to educate employees on sprain/strain injury risks. This employee-driven initiative raises awareness and positively impact personal safety by decreasing sprain/strain injury risk both at work and at home.
• The RAC Safety Award, in the Non-Class I railways category, ArcellorMittal was selected for its New Welding Shop Lay Out initiative, which makes some tasks safer and more efficient, particularly through the introduction of their in-house railcar side frame positioner, and their slat system forming protective walls against weld splattering.

The Environment Award officially recognizes the rail industry's contribution to the protection of the environment. It encourages the industry to continue adopting better working and operating practices, and enhances general public awareness of rail environmental practices. An Environmental initiative is eligible if it promotes the protection of the environment by a member railway, its employees, customers, suppliers or by any other stakeholders identified by a member.

• The RAC Environment Award, in the Class I railways category, went to CN for its development of Walleye Spawning Grounds initiative. This initiative introduced a new concept in environmental mitigation for rail work, and included the involvement of a First Nation in the concept and development of a solution that ultimately allowed the use of local rock and the development of a fish nursery.
• The RAC Environment Award, in the Non-Class I railways category, GO Transit/ Metrolinx was picked for its bike racks on their new Niagara Falls service initiative.  The bicycle rack/holder can accommodate all types of bikes.  Bicycles do not need to be strapped in, but rather simply need to be wheeled into place.

For more information, please visit: http://www.railcan.ca/site_rail_rgi2009/default.asp or for the full schedule, please visit: http://www.railcan.ca/site_rail_rgi2009/agenda.pdf .

About the Railway Association of Canada

The Railway Association of Canada represents some 50 freight, tourist, commuter and intercity Canadian railways, their more than 35,000 employees, and over 45 associate suppliers and partners. Rail moves more than 70 million people and 75 per cent of our nation's goods annually in an environmentally sustainable manner, generating only three per cent of the transport sector's greenhouse gas emissions. 

For further information:

Paul Goyette
The Railway Association of Canada
Tel.: [phone]