NJ TRANSIT STANDARD MAINTENANCE PROCEDURE MECHANICAL DEPARTMENT. The following approvals were obtained prior to the issuance of this procedure:

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1 Subject: Blue Signal Protection Morrisville Number: Revision: 3 Effective: September 8, 2014 Supersedes #: Rev. 2 of January 15, 2014 NJ TRANSIT STANDARD MAINTENANCE PROCEDURE MECHANICAL DEPARTMENT The following approvals were obtained prior to the issuance of this procedure: Director Quality Assurance Director Technical Services Asst. Superintendent Mechanical Director Safety General Superintendent Equipment - Field Acting DGM - Equipment I. GENERAL SAFETY PRECAUTIONS Applicable safety rules governing M of E Employees are to be followed: Rail Employee Safety and Ontrack Safety Procedure Manual (TRO-5), with special attention to Blue Signal Safety Rules for Mechanical Department Personnel, Electrical Operating Instructions (TRO-3), and the Air Brake and Train Handling Rules and Instructions (TRO-4). IMPORTANT: NJ Transit Safety Rules require employees to wear appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when performing these duties. The PPE listed below is the minimum required. When performing duties requiring the use of chemicals, employees must wear appropriate gloves and eye protection, and any additional PPE recommended on the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS). When welding / grinding / burning / cutting, employees must wear appropriate eye and body protection, including a full face shield, and use appropriate screens. Always observe all safety precautions provided on product labels and/or MSDS. For further direction see your supervisor. 1. Approved Hard Hat 2. Approved Eye Protection (safety glasses, goggles, face shield) 3. Approved Protective Gloves 4. Approved Work Boots 5. Reflective Vest (when working outside of an indoor facility) 6. Disposable Ear Plugs (if noise exceeds 85dB) The user of any printed copy of this controlled document is responsible for verifying that it is the current version prior to use. The current version is available on the NJ Transit network; on the N drive in the folder QA Mech, and may be accessed by any network computer. SMP#: Rev. 3 Effective: September 8, 2014 Page 1 of 5

2 WARNINGS: -Dangerous voltages are present throughout equipment. To prevent injury or death from electrical shock, exercise extreme care when working in close proximity of electrically charged apparatus, or when taking current measurements, shut off electrical power to the car or loco whenever continuity is to be tested. -Make sure the area is well ventilated when working with materials which produce harmful fumes. -All tools and parts must be removed from the work area before power is turned on to the equipment to avoid short circuiting or damaging the equipment. Tools must be counted before and after any maintenance procedures are performed. -Before working, employees must secure equipment against movement and follow appropriate Lock Out Tag Out (LOTO) procedures. On consists, a minimum of two handbrakes must be used. II. PURPOSE This document provides the proper procedure for Blue Signal protection for Morrisville. III. POLICY It is NJ TRANSIT s policy to properly protect employees, and ensure proper Blue Signal Protection on tracks being worked on by NJT or contractor personnel. This procedure is applicable throughout the Morrisville facility. Notes and Definitions: Blue Signal (as defined by 49 CFR 218.5) means a clearly distinguishable blue flag or blue light by day and a blue light (working) at night. When attached to the operating controls of a locomotive, it need not be lighted if the inside of the cab area of the locomotive is sufficiently lighted so as to make the blue signal clearly distinguishable. Effective Locking Device (as defined by 49 CFR 218.5) means one which is (1) Vandal resistant; (2) Tamper resistant; and (3) Capable of being locked and unlocked only by the class, craft or group of employees for whom the protection is being provided. Blue Flag Protection ID means a Blue Signal Tag identifying a specific employee, to be applied and removed by that employee to the operating ends of a consist for the purpose of Blue Signal Protection. If needed, an approved Temporary Blue Flag Protection ID may be used (refer to MB 599). Communications When requesting Blue Signal Protection (where applicable), employees may use radios or office telephones. Do not interrupt other radio transmissions in progress to request protection. When requesting protection, employee must clearly state full name and craft, and accurately identify the track and equipment to be protected. Contractors require a designated New Jersey Transit employee to provide Blue Signal Protection when working on, under or between cars and/or locomotives. SMP#: Rev. 3 Effective: September 8, 2014 Page 2 of 5

3 Defective Switches Any employee encountering a switch, lock or derail that is defective or does not operate as intended must report the condition to the supervisor. Also report any missing S - hooks, which are permanently chained to each switch for use when a locking device is not in place. IV. EQUIPMENT/MATERIAL/TOOLS 1. Blue Flags 2. Blue Flag Protection ID 3. Blue Lights 4. Effective Locking device V. BLUE SIGNAL PROTECTION MORRISVILLE Important: Notify Morrisville yardmaster of all Blue Signal Protection applications and removals throughout the facility. Employees will not run tests on the equipment when Blue Flag Protection ID s are displayed, unless the employee(s) displaying Blue Flag Protection ID s or the supervisor in charge has given permission to run such tests. If multiple consists are being protected on the same track, employees working on those consists are required to be in communication with each other. Per 49 CFR Part and NORAC rule 16b: A derail locked in derailing position with an effective locking device may substitute for the hand-operated switch requirement. The derail must be positioned no less than 150 feet from the end of the equipment, except as follows When equipment is in an Engine Servicing Track Area or a Car Shop Repair Track Area, where maximum authorized speed is not more than 5 MPH, the derail must be positioned no less than 50 feet from the end of the equipment. NOTE: Morrisville is governed by the attached waiver, which permits adherence to the 50-foot rule (above). Upon completion of work, employees are to remove their Blue Signal Protection in the reverse order of application: a) Remove their Blue Flag Protection ID s and blue flags and/or lights from the equipment being protected. b) Remove their blue flags and/or lights from the switches/tracks/derails being protected. c) Remove locking devices from the manually-operated track switches and secure with S - hooks. Be sure switches are left properly positioned (hand-operated crossover switches must be left corresponding). d) Remove locking devices from the derails on the east end. Leave derails in position for train crews to remove (if any portable derails had been applied, they are to be removed). Note: Derails at the west end of most tracks are normally left applied. These would not be unlocked. e) Notify the yardmaster of removal of Blue Signal Protection. SMP#: Rev. 3 Effective: September 8, 2014 Page 3 of 5

4 Employees whose assignment requires working on, under or between cars and/or locomotives must comply with the following: A. Yard Tracks 1. Train crews typically apply mechanical derails at the east end of the track. Mechanical employees must apply an effective locking device and place a Blue Signal adjacent to the derail. Derails must be a MINIMUM of 50 feet from the equipment. Ensure that a locked derail is applied at the west end of the track (derails are normally left applied at the west end). Note: If 50' clearance is not available, switch must be aligned against movement and locked, and a Blue Signal applied at the clearance point of the switch. 2. Place a Blue Signal and a Blue Flag Protection ID in the controlling end of the cab car and locomotive of the equipment to be protected, in a location where it will be clearly visible to an employee at the controls. On Arrow cars, place blue signals and ID in the controlling ends of the consist. B. Wash Track & Wheel Machine Track 1. Align switches against movement at east and west ends of the track to be protected, and lock with an effective locking device. 2. Place a Blue Signal at the clearance point of each locked switch. 3. Place a Blue Signal and a Blue Flag Protection ID in the controlling end of the cab car and locomotive of the equipment to be protected, in a location where it will be clearly visible to an employee at the controls. On Arrow cars, place blue signals and ID in the controlling ends of the consist. C. S&I Building 1. The east and west ends of S&I tracks 1 & 2 are protected by power-controlled derails operated from inside the building. Contact the foreman to apply the derails at both ends of the track(s) to be protected. Distance between equipment and derail must be a MINIMUM of 50 feet. Ensure that the Blue Signal on the derails are operational. 2. Place a Blue Signal and a Blue Flag Protection ID in the controlling end of the cab car and locomotive of the equipment to be protected, in a location where it will be clearly visible to an employee at the controls. On Arrow cars, place blue signals and ID in the controlling ends of the consist. SMP#: Rev. 3 Effective: September 8, 2014 Page 4 of 5

5 SMP REVISION LOG SMP Original Author: B.A. Luca, 1/16/2007 Revision Date Description of Revisions Originator 1 9/10/10 Part V.a. Add Derails must be placed a MINIMUM JPK of 50 feet from the equipment. 1 9/10/10 Add note If 50' clearance is not available, switch must AJB be lined and locked to prevent movement. 2 1/15/14 New format and safety rule. Current approvals still in BC effect. 3 9/8/14 Added notes under Policy, including Blue Signal VV definition from CFR /8/14 Revise language and numbering to clarify. Use term VV Blue Signal throughout document instead of previous description. 3 9/8/14 Added additional notes at beginning of Section V, incl. VV notifying yardmaster of all Blue Signal activity. 3 9/8/14 Added reference to MB 599 for Blue Flag ID. VV/EJB 3 9/8/14 Created separate sections for Yard tracks, Wash/Wheel Machine tracks and S&I tracks. 3 9/8/14 Added statements regarding train crews applying and removing derails. VV/BSV JES/VV SMP#: Rev. 3 Effective: September 8, 2014 Page 5 of 5

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