PTS Emergency Procedures 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which type of fire extinguisher is appropriate for a Class C (electrical) fire near track equipment?
- Water-based extinguisher
- CO2 or dry chemical extinguisher rated for Class C fires (Correct answer)
- Foam extinguisher
- Sand bucket only
Correct answer: CO2 or dry chemical extinguisher rated for Class C fires
CO2 or dry chemical extinguishers rated for Class C fires are used for electrical fires because water conducts electricity.
Question 2: After any on-track emergency event, workers are typically required to:
- Resume work immediately once the immediate danger has passed
- Complete a written incident report and, if required, submit to post-incident testing (Correct answer)
- Discuss the event only with their immediate team
- Take the remainder of the shift off automatically
Correct answer: Complete a written incident report and, if required, submit to post-incident testing
Railroad safety rules require a written incident report and may mandate post-incident drug and alcohol testing for all involved workers.
Question 3: What is the purpose of the emergency notification chain in PTS?
- To assign blame for the incident
- To ensure the control center, supervisors, and emergency services are informed in the correct sequence (Correct answer)
- To allow workers to take breaks after stressful events
- To document overtime hours worked during the emergency
Correct answer: To ensure the control center, supervisors, and emergency services are informed in the correct sequence
The notification chain ensures all relevant parties—control center, supervisors, and emergency services—are alerted in the right order to coordinate response.
Question 4: A train hits a worker's machine during a work window. The FIRST railroad-specific action is to:
- Photograph the scene for insurance purposes
- Secure the track against further train movements and notify the control center (Correct answer)
- Move all equipment immediately to clear the line
- File an OSHA report before touching anything
Correct answer: Secure the track against further train movements and notify the control center
Securing the track against further train movements and notifying the control center is the first railroad-specific action to prevent secondary incidents.
Question 5: Under PTS rules, who is responsible for ensuring all workers reach the place of safety before an approaching train arrives?
- Each individual worker independently
- The lookout or watchman assigned to the work group (Correct answer)
- The train operator
- The nearest flagman on the adjacent section
Correct answer: The lookout or watchman assigned to the work group
The lookout or watchman assigned to the work group is responsible for confirming all workers are clear before the train arrives.
Question 6: What minimum warning time must a lookout provide workers to reach the place of safety before a train arrives?
- 5 seconds
- Time sufficient for all workers to clear, typically at least 15 seconds but specified by operating rules (Correct answer)
- 30 seconds always
- Whatever the lookout judges is sufficient at the moment
Correct answer: Time sufficient for all workers to clear, typically at least 15 seconds but specified by operating rules
Warning time must be sufficient for all workers to reach the place of safety—operating rules specify minimums, typically at least 15 seconds depending on conditions.
Question 7: If a worker detects smoke coming from a tunnel during track work, the priority action is to:
- Investigate the smoke source before raising the alarm
- Immediately raise the alarm, evacuate the tunnel, and notify the control center (Correct answer)
- Continue working if the smoke appears minor
- Close the tunnel's ventilation fans to contain the smoke
Correct answer: Immediately raise the alarm, evacuate the tunnel, and notify the control center
Any smoke in a tunnel is treated as a fire emergency—immediate evacuation and control center notification are required without investigation.
PTS Emergency Procedures 4
Which type of fire extinguisher is appropriate for a Class C (electrical) fire near track equipment?