Short Line Safety Institute marks milestone in hazmat training

The Short Line Safety Institute reached a milestone this month with more than 5,000 short line railroad employees and first responders completing in-person hazardous materials training.

An additional 1,500 railroad employees were trained on the safe transportation of hazardous materials by participating in the SLSI’s train-the-trainer program, SLSI officials said in a press release.

Since 2018, the SLSI has provided 355 classes and 171 in-person training events, reaching participants from 951 organizations. The need for supplemental training on hazmat material movement and first-responder coordination was first identified through an SLSI safety culture assessment conducted at U.S. short lines across the United States. Trainings began in 2018 after receiving grant funding from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA).

"Including first responders in railroad training has proven to be constructive and beneficial in preparing a coordinated response in the case of an incident,” said SLSI Executive Director Tom Murta.

With the ongoing support of PHMSA, the institute can deliver a variety of interactive training programs to railroads of any size, particularly those in rural areas, Murta added.