DEVELOPMENT OF A RAILROAD ADVANCED IMPAIRMENT LOCATOR SYSTEM(RAILS)

IN AMERICA TODAY, THERE IS CONSIDERABLE CONCERN OVER IMPAIRMENT IN THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM WORK FORCE, AND THE EFFECT THIS IMPAIRMENT MIGHT HAVE ON SAFETY AND PRODUCTIVITY. ALCOHOL IMPAIRMENT HAS BEEN A TRADITIONAL PROBLEM AND DRUGS HAVE BECOME INCREASINGLY MORE PREVALENT INTHE LAST DECADE. WHEN ALCOHOL AND DRUG IMPAIRMENT ARE CONSIDERED ALONG WITH OTHER EVERYDAY FACTORS THAT CAN RESTRICT JOB PERFORMANCE, SUCH AS FATIQUE AND ILLNESS, THE OVERALL EFFECT ON SAFETY AND PRODUCTIVITY IS LIKELY TO BE QUITE SIGNIFICANT AND WORTHY OF COUNTERMEASURE DEVELOPMENT. THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROJECT IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF A LOW COSTDEVICE OR PROCEDURE THAT CAN CONVENIENTLY AND RELIABLY ASSESS OPERATING PERSONNEL FITNESS-FOR-DUTY IN LESS THAN 10 MINUTES, AND IS LEGALLY AND SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE. THE DEVICEOR PROCEDURE SHOULD HAVE NO DEPENDENCE ON TYPE OF IMPAIRMENTSHOULD NOT BE SENSITIVE TO INDIVIDUAL VARIATIONS, NOR REQUIRE INDIVIDUAL CALIBRATION. THE DEVICE IS INTENDED TO BE SENSITIVE TO IMPAIRMENT OF BEHAVIOR RELAVANT TO JOB SAFETY AND PRODUCTIVITY. THE PHASE I EFFORT IS EXPECTED TO RESULT IN A PROTOTYPE RAILS DEVICE WHICH WILL BE CAPABLE OF TESTING RAIL ROAD OPERATORS FOR THEIR FITNESS FOR DUTY.