Cab Sanitation Standards

On March 25, 2002, the FRA issued a Final Rule on Locomotive Cab Sanitation Standards for toilet and washing facilities in locomotive cabs.

The rule provides exceptions for certain existing equipment and operations, and establishes servicing requirements.

The Final Rule was the product of the Rail Safety Advisory Committee (RSAC) on Locomotive Cab Working Conditions.

The regulation applies to lead locomotives and any occupied locomotive in a trailing position, except:

• Switching locomotives; transfer train service; commuter service; Class III railroads where access is provided en route; tourist, scenic, historic, or excursion operations; and a limited number of toilets that will be grandfathered and phased out over the next several years.
• In those switching, transfer, and commuter operations where no toilet facility is on the occupied locomotive, there is a requirement on the railroad to provide ready access to a toilet facility when requested by the employee.

For the purposes of this rule, a locomotive's toilet facility is determined to be compliant or non-compliant at the time of the daily inspection. If it does not comply, it is prohibited from use as a lead or occupied locomotive until repaired or made sanitary.

Specific conditions are to be met at the daily inspection, including:

• Adequate ventilation; supply of toilet paper; a washing system; trash receptacle; door closure and modesty lock; potable water; maintenance of the toilet system, and a requirement for the sanitation compartment to be sanitary.
• Sanitation compartments shall be sanitary on each occupied locomotive used in switching service, transfer train service, or in a trailing position when the locomotive is occupied.

There are provisions to address circumstances of defective ventilation systems, defective toilets where parts are unavailable, and toilets determined to be non-compliant, where determination is made at a remote location and meet a specific set of restrictive conditions.