Summary

This document summarizes the main findings of a study that assessed various critical incident (CI) management and employee support protocols in the railway industry in order to:

• raise managers’ awareness of the potentially negative effects of critical incidents on locomotive engineers and train conductors in the rail industry and other transportation industries;
• share recommendations with them regarding the best critical incident management and employee support practices;
• inform them of the benefits of strictly applying a critical incident management and support protocol (CIMSP).

This document is intended for:

• managers in railway companies;
• professionals responsible for managing critical incidents and providing employee support, and teams responsible for employee assistance programs for railway companies;
• personnel in charge of training in railway companies;
• locomotive engineers and train conductors;
• agents working in railway operations centres;
• unions;
• managers and personnel involved in peer helper programs;
• occupational health and safety committees in railway companies.

This document may also be of interest to other industries, including:

• public transit operators in urban and rural areas (metros, trains, buses);
• road freight transportation companies;
• industries in which transportation plays a significant role (e.g.: mining, processing industries, marine transportation).