General Code of Operating Rules and Safety Guidelines

This section references the General Code of Operating Rules. Every railroad employee should be familiar with these rules and should have a copy for his/her ready reference. A complete copy of the GCOR can be located at: General Code of Operating Rules, 4/1/2020.

In addition to the GCOR, there is also a transition guide to the changes made between the prior GCOR and the current edition.

Safety First

1.1 Safety is the most important element in performing duties. Obeying the rules is essential to job safety and continued employment.
1.1.1 In case of doubt or uncertainty, take the safe course.

Do these sound familiar? They should. They are the first two rules in the GCOR (General Code of Operating Rules).

Safety First is a section of our website dedicated to the prevention of accidents and the establishment and preservation of a safe working environment. If you are a regular reader of our newsletter, you are aware of my belief that the safety record of a railroad is a direct reflection of the emphasis the railroad places on safety. In other words, the best evidence of a successful safety program is the absence of accidents and/or injuries.

Safety must be an attitude. Safety must be a habit. Safety must be emphasized from the moment an employee walks onto the property until he/she leaves for the day. Ideally, that employee should carry their safe attitude home with them. A good employee lost through an off-the-job accident is no more productive than an employee lost through an on-the-job accident.

In the old GCOR, the first rule quoted above read, "Safety is of the first importance in the discharge of duty." I like that rule. Personally, I believe it could be made even more brief. "SAFETY IS OF THE FIRST IMPORTANCE." To me, that says it all. In work and in play. On the job and at home.

Safety should never be confused with timidity. A dangerous task can be approached boldly when safety considerations are taken into account. Jumping from an airplane can be dangerous. However, if properly instructed and wearing a parachute, this can be done boldly and safely.

In the future, this section of our website will have several subsections—one of which will be dedicated to Safety Meetings. We will instruct you on how to conduct them and the records that should be kept in that regard. We will even provide topics and outlines for meetings. It is our intent to provide the format for 52 weekly safety meetings. We will also provide an attendance log for your use. This will take some time to construct, so please bear with us.

This will also be a forum for reviewing Safety Programs already in use in our industry. If you have a program that you feel is beneficial, please provide me with the details, and I will post it here.

In your own life and in the lives of those people with whom you have some measure of influence, always stress that "SAFETY IS OF THE FIRST IMPORTANCE."