(a) To ensure that each railroad employee whose activities are governed by the railroad's operating rules understands those rules, each railroad to which this part applies shall periodically instruct each such employee on the meaning and application of the railroad's operating rules in accordance with a written program retained at its system headquarters and at the division headquarters for each division where the employee is instructed.

(b) On or after November 21, 1994, or 30 days before commencing operations, whichever is later, each railroad to which this part applies shall retain one copy of its current program for the periodic instruction of its employees as required by paragraph (a) of this section and one copy of each subsequent amendment to that program. The system headquarters of the railroad shall retain one copy of all these records; the division headquarters for each division where the employees are instructed shall retain one copy of all portions of these records that the division applies and enforces. These records shall be made available to representatives of the Federal Railroad Administration for inspection and copying during normal business hours. This program shall—

(1) Describe the means and procedures used for instruction of the various classes of affected employees;

(2) State the frequency of instruction and the basis for determining that frequency;

(3) Include a schedule for completing the initial instruction of employees who are already employed when the program begins;

(4) Begin within 30 days after November 21, 1994, or the date of commencing operations, whichever is later; and

(5) Provide for initial instruction of each employee hired after the program begins.

(c) Each railroad to which this part applies is authorized to retain by electronic recordkeeping its program for periodic instruction of its employees on operating rules provided that the requirements stated in §217.9(g)(1) through (5) of this part are satisfied.

[39 FR 41176, Nov. 25, 1974, as amended at 59 FR 43071, Aug. 22, 1994; 73 FR 8497, Feb. 13, 2008]