Greenbrier’s unwavering commitment to safety and quality has garnered many awards, including recognition for our pioneering safety initiatives, and solidified our position as a leader in the rail industry. Our dedication to these core values drives our continuous efforts to improve safety protocols and innovate new solutions, ensuring our stakeholders’ trust and satisfaction. Greenbrier’s exceptional achievements in safety are evident in our numerous awards, highlighting our safety initiatives and innovations.
Safety is one of our core values. We work directly with our employees to reduce workplace risks by improving working conditions, obtaining and using the correct tools and providing rigorous training. Our goal is to ensure every employee returns home safely to their families each day. In fiscal year 2023, we enhanced our safety culture by implementing our Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) Policy and the Dynamic Hand Safety Program. Additional safety audits at all locations help us maintain a heightened focus on high-risk activities, enabling employees to recognize and mitigate safety risks before they become incidents.
Greenbrier’s expertise extends beyond our facilities. We volunteer our engineering and repair knowledge to support Advisory Committees of the Association of American Railroads (AAR), the Surface Transportation Board (STB) and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). Notably, our support for the AAR/RSI “Tank Car Safety Project” has been crucial in developing nearly all major tank car standards over the past decades. Our technical contributions have been instrumental in designing safe freight and tank railcars, demonstrating our leadership in regulatory and legislative safety advocacy.
Greenbrier, in 2014, introduced the “Tank Car of the Future” in response to safety concerns over hazardous tank car shipments, featuring safety enhancements that were adopted as the DOT-117 tank car industry standard by PHMSA. Our commitment to safety innovation is further exemplified by the launch of the Tsunami Automated Hatch™, which eliminates the need for loading personnel to climb on covered hoppers, significantly reducing the risk of injuries from falls.
Greenbrier’s extensive knowledge and experience in tank car design have established us as a trusted partner in the rail industry. We have produced over 150,000 tank cars worldwide, including a third of the North American fleet, from our certified North American manufacturing facilities. Our team of tank car engineers, regulatory management experts, skilled investigators, and compliance auditors ensure our tank cars meet all mandated testing, qualifications and inspections. This comprehensive expertise supports our customers by keeping our 50,000 managed tank cars compliant with all regulations and standards.
Our commitment to safety is evident at every level. Management receives monthly safety updates, which are shared quarterly with the Board of Directors along with safety results, improvement efforts and policy rollout updates. This dedication to continuous improvement has resulted in a steady decrease in our recordable injury rate (IR) and Days Away, Restrictions, and Transfer (DART) rate. In 2013, our DART rate was 3.90, and by 2023, it had dropped to 0.79.
Greenbrier tracks near misses as part of our mature safety programs. In fiscal year 2023, we reported 1,808 near misses up from 1,668 in 2022. This increase is considered an improvement, as identifying and reporting near misses helps prevent potential incidents. Despite above-average production levels, our focus on safety led to a slight decrease in our near miss rate.
My welders and fitters in the underframe assembly area have started using the Dynamic Hand Safety program. Their attention to safety has increased since implementing the program.
—Simona Ruzici, Production
In fiscal year 2023, we rolled out our EHS Policy across all production facilities using multiple communication platforms. Approximately 90% of our employees are covered by the Corporate Manual (ISO 14001-equivalent), while the remaining 10% are covered by third-party safety certifications. We exceeded our goal by completing safety audits at eight manufacturing facilities, identifying improvements in activities such as working at heights, confined space entry, handling suspended loads and machine guarding.
Greenbrier prioritizes hand safety due to its prevalence as an injury type. In fiscal year 2023, we launched the Dynamic Hand Safety Program, which uses innovative risk-reprogramming techniques to reduce hand injuries. By analyzing company-wide injury data, we identified that focusing on specific tasks posing safety risks and monitoring dynamic movements and arrangements of materials and tools would improve hand safety. The program aims to reduce injuries from unintentional metal object contact in routine situations, enhancing situational awareness and safety.
Greenbrier places safety and quality at the forefront of our product development efforts. We continuously improve our processes to generate new equipment and services, ensuring they meet required standards and customer expectations. In fiscal year 2023, we managed and controlled product safety and quality through training, policy and regulatory compliance, performance audits, risk assessments, and process enhancements. Our long-standing Quality Policy and Greenbrier Manufacturing Quality Assurance Manual demonstrate our commitment to providing safe, high-quality products and services.
Greenbrier’s products support a sustainable economy by being designed for heavy-duty operating conditions and multiple life cycles. Our railcars are designed to last up to 50 years and are approximately 95% recyclable at end-of-life. We collaborate with customers to solve their transportation needs, offering new products, sustainable conversions and railcar maintenance or management services. Our innovations, such as the Advanced High-Strength Steel Gondola™ and the Tsunami Automated Hatch™, result from our market research and customer relationships. Over the last three fiscal years, we have invested more than $15 million in research and development.
Tsunami Hatch™ Automated Cover
Advanced-High-Strength Steel Gondola™
The Tsunami Automated Hatch™ for covered hoppers eliminates the need for loading personnel to climb before, during, or after loadings, enhancing worker and shipment safety. The National Grain & Feed Association estimates six serious injuries from railcar falls per year, with OSHA estimating costs ranging from $70K to $9M per incident. Greenbrier’s commitment to improving safety through product innovation is exemplified by this innovative system.
Greenbrier’s dedication to safety and innovation is more than a mission—it’s a driving force that propels the rail industry forward. Our relentless focus on enhancing safety standards, developing groundbreaking products and supporting regulatory advancements has cemented our reputation as leaders in the field. The significant reductions in injury rates and the successful implementation of safety programs are a testament to our proactive approach and the hard work of our employees. Greenbrier remains at the forefront of creating a safer, more sustainable future for rail transportation as we continue to volunteer our expertise and push for industry-wide improvements. With each innovation and every safety enhancement, we reaffirm our promise to protect our employees, customers and communities. The journey toward a safer rail industry is ongoing, and Greenbrier is proud to lead the way.
To learn more, explore Greenbrier’s Safety Initiatives in our Environmental, Social and Governance report.
