(a) In general. An FRMP shall include an analysis of fatigue risks and mitigation strategies described in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section.

(b) Analysis of fatigue risks. A railroad shall conduct a fatigue-risk analysis as part of its FRA-approved FRMP, which includes identification of fatigue-related railroad safety hazards, assessment of the risks associated with those hazards, and prioritization of risks for mitigation. At a minimum, railroads must consider the following categories of risk factors, as applicable:

(1) General health and medical conditions that can affect the fatigue levels among the population of safety-related railroad employees;

(2) Scheduling issues that can affect the opportunities of safety-related railroad employees to obtain sufficient quality and quantity of sleep; and

(3) Characteristics of each job category safety-related railroad employees work that can affect fatigue levels and risk for fatigue of those employees.

(c) Mitigation strategies. A railroad shall develop and implement mitigation strategies to reduce the risk of railroad accidents, incidents, injuries, and fatalities where fatigue of any of its safety-related employees is a contributing factor. At a minimum, in developing and implementing these mitigation strategies, a railroad shall consider the railroad's policies, practices, and communications related to its safety-related railroad employees.

(1) Policies. A railroad shall consider developing and implementing policies to reduce the risk of the exposure of its safety-related railroad employees to fatigue-related railroad safety hazards on its system. At a minimum, a railroad shall consider these policies:

(i) Providing opportunities for identification, diagnosis, and treatment of any medical condition that may affect alertness or fatigue, including sleep disorders;

(ii) Identifying methods to minimize accidents and incidents that occur as a result of working at times when scientific and medical research have shown increased fatigue disrupts employees' circadian rhythms;

(iii) Developing and implementing alertness strategies, such as policies on napping, to address acute drowsiness and fatigue while an employee is on duty;

(iv) Increasing the number of consecutive hours of off-duty rest, during which an employee receives no communication from the employing railroad or its managers, supervisors, officers, or agents; and

(v) Avoiding abrupt changes in rest cycles for employees.

(2) Practices. A railroad shall consider developing and implementing operational practices to reduce the risk of exposure of its safety-related railroad employees to fatigue-related railroad safety hazards on its system. At a minimum, a railroad shall consider these practices:

(i) Minimizing the effects on employee fatigue of an employee's short-term or sustained response to emergency situations, such as derailments and natural disasters, or engagement in other intensive working conditions;

(ii) Developing and implementing scheduling practices for employees, including innovative scheduling practices, on-duty call practices, work and rest cycles, increased consecutive days off for employees, changes in shift patterns, appropriate scheduling practices for varying types of work, and other aspects of employee scheduling to reduce employee fatigue and cumulative sleep loss; and

(iii) Providing opportunities to obtain restful sleep at lodging facilities, including employee sleeping quarters provided by the railroad carrier.

(3) Communication. A railroad shall consider developing and implementing training, education, and outreach methods to deliver fatigue-related information effectively to its safety-related railroad employees. At a minimum, a railroad shall consider communications regarding employee education and training on the physiological and human factors that affect fatigue, as well as strategies to reduce or mitigate the effects of fatigue, based on the most current scientific and medical research and literature.

(d) Evaluation. A railroad shall develop and implement procedures and processes for monitoring and evaluating its FRMP to assess whether the FRMP effectively meets the goals its FRMP plan describes under § 271.609(b).

(1) The evaluation shall include, at a minimum:

(i) Periodic monitoring of the railroad's operational environment to detect changes that may generate new hazards;

(ii) Analysis of the risks associated with any identified hazards; and

(iii) Periodic safety assessments to determine the need for changes to its mitigation strategies.

(2) A railroad shall evaluate newly-identified hazards, and hazards associated with ineffective mitigation strategies, through processes for analyzing fatigue risks described in the railroad's FRMP plan.

(3) Any necessary changes not addressed prior to a railroad's annual internal assessment must be included in the internal assessment improvement plans required under § 271.403.