BROWZ Launches Solution Aimed to Help Short Line Rails Achieve FRA 219 Compliance

SALT LAKE CITY, March 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- BROWZ, the leading provider of contractor management services and compliance solutions, announced the launch of a new SaaS based solution to assist shortlne railroads and their contractors to become compliant and maintain their compliance with new FRA Part 219 requirements, which will be enforced starting June 12, 2017.

According to a recent article by the Washington Post, September 15, 2016, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has observed a significant increase in the number of railroad related accidents where drugs may have been a contributing factor. "The number of post-accident drug-positives was the highest since the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) began keeping records in 1987 and three times greater than it was 10 years ago."

The FRA Part 219 requirement, which requires mandatory drug and alchohol testing upon hire as well as random and for cause testing, has been expanded to address the growing concern of substance abuse amongst railway employees and contractors.

The BROWZ ShortLine Connection simplifies the process of managing Regulated Service contractors and provides visibility to their FRA 219 compliance information, health and safety statistics and the employees that are working on your railroad.

According to BROWZ VP of Product, Aaron Rudd, "The challenge that short line railoads face, besides the interpretation of Part 219, is the lack of tools that exist to help them manage their contractor compliance. These are very challenging requirements and, without sophisticated software and service solutions, the administrative burden on short line railroads could be significant. We have created a solution that is both affordable and efficient. We have already had great participation working with Class I railroads and look forward to assisting short lines in this process."

By joining the BROWZ ShortLine connection, short lines will have the benefit of BROWZ reaching out to their contractors and requesting documentation and data to facilitate compliance with the June 12, 2017 deadline. Short lines and their contractors can then log into BROWZ OneView to see the compliance of the contractors and their individual employees.

Short lines also have the ability to use the platform as a sourcing tool to find new contractors—specifically those working in the rail industry.

Rudd continues, "Because the Part 219 compliance deadline is June 12, 2017, we recommend short lines get started right away. Upon signing with BROWZ, we will request a list of their contractors and suppliers. We will then call/email all of those contractors and invite them to register with BROWZ and provide the requested information required by the BROWZ ShortLine connection platform. Our team will simplify and accelerate the path to compliance. We assign a single-point-of-contact to each rail contractor, so they have someone to help them through the process."

To learn more about FRA 219 and the BROWZ ShortLine connection solution, visit www.browz.com/rail or call 888-611-1664. BROWZ will also be hosting several webinars covering FRA Part 219 and introducing BROWZ ShortLine connection.

Join BROWZ for any of the following webinars listed below. To sign up, visit www.browz.com/part-219-webinar.

[Webinar] Making Sense of FRA Part 219
Introducing the contractor compliance platform for short line railroads

• March 22, 2017 (6am, 9am, 1pm, and 6pm MDT)
• March 23, 2017 (6am, 9am, 1pm, and 6pm MDT)
• March 24, 2017 (6am, 9am, 1pm, and 6pm MDT)
• March 27, 2017 (6am, 9am, 1pm, and 6pm MDT)
• March 28, 2017 (6am, 9am, 1pm, and 6pm MDT)

About BROWZ:
BROWZ ensures that supply chains are safe, qualified, and socially responsible by delivering a comprehensive solution to prequalify, assess, and monitor supply chain compliance based on the unique needs of your business. BROWZ provides comprehensive assessments using patented, configurable technology and expertise, resulting in the site operator's confidence of a safer work environment for clients and supply chains around the world. The BROWZ product suite addresses global supply chain needs related to qualifying your supply chain, addressing risk, managing employee-level data, conducting safety auditing, and sourcing new suppliers.

SOURCE BROWZ

Related Links

http://www.browz.com/rail