Canada TSB urges more oversight of medical fitness assessments

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) is calling on Transport Canada to strengthen its oversight of how railroads assess whether employees in safety-critical roles are medically fit for duty.

The call comes after an investigation into a 2023 collision between two CN trains near Wainwright, Alberta, found that a locomotive engineer had been cleared to work despite incomplete medical assessments related to his diabetes. 

The findings of this investigation have led the board to issue one recommendation and one safety concern.

The TSB recommends Transport Canada establish regular oversight of railroads’ compliance with the Railway Medical Rules for Positions Critical to Safe Railway Operations to ensure medical assessments of employees in safety-critical positions are carried out as required.

The TSB also expressed concern that the guidelines railroads use for assessing employees with diabetes are inconsistent with recommendations published by Diabetes Canada.