Canada Transport Minister Lisa Raitt has decided to phase out the 5,000 least crash-resistant DOT-111 tank cars in the country, in response to the recommendations following the Lac-Mégantic train derailment in July 2013.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has provided its initial recommendations regarding the ongoing investigation into the derailment, which involved 72 tankers carrying crude oil that killed 47 people.
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The government has introduced measures to strengthen Canada’s regulation and oversight of rail safety, and the transportation of dangerous goods, effective immediately.
Over the next three years, Transport Canada will remove or refit DOT-111 tank cars used to transport crude oil and ethanol, which are not compliant with the required standards.
The transport department will also issue a Protective Direction requiring Emergency Response Assistance Plans for crude oil, gasoline, diesel, aviation fuel and ethanol, while creating a task force that brings stakeholders, such as municipalities, first responders, railways and shippers, together to strengthen emergency response capacity across the country.
A Ministerial Order will also be issued for the railway companies to develop new rules regarding operating practices for the safe transportation of dangerous goods.
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By GlobalDataThe government has also invested approximately $60m and $95m for recovery in Lac-Mégantic and decontamination efforts, respectively.
Image: A DOT-111 tank car, specification 111A100W1. Photo: courtesy of Harvey Henkelmann.
