Every 3 Hours, Someone’s Life Is on the Line: Rewriting the Rules of Railroad Safety

In the latest episode of The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management, host Michael Zalle sits down with Crystal Blasius, Director of Safety Investigations at Amtrak, to discuss her remarkable journey and groundbreaking work in railroad safety.

Crystal’s career spans over 15 years in the industry, starting as a conductor and evolving into a leader responsible for nationwide incident investigation protocols and standardization efforts. The episode highlights her approach to modernizing safety practices while fostering a human-centered and inclusive culture.

A Wake-Up Call Every Three Hours

One of the most striking insights Crystal shares is from her work with Operation Lifesaver: every three hours, someone encounters railroad equipment in a dangerous situation. This statistic underscores the urgent need for proactive safety measures. Crystal emphasizes that public education and outreach are critical to preventing these incidents and that safety professionals have the power to influence beyond their organizations. By consistently sharing safety messages through community programs and professional networks, leaders can drive meaningful change in rail safety culture.

Standardization Across the Network

Crystal also discusses how she has implemented standardized investigation processes across Amtrak’s national operations, spanning locations from Seattle to Albany. By unifying report formats, timelines, and deliverables, she ensures consistency and reliability across the network. This effort relies on safety management system (SMS) principles, human factors analysis, and a shared terminology to align teams. Standardization, in Crystal’s view, is not bureaucracy; it’s about creating clarity, trust, and efficiency, breaking down silos, and improving investigation quality for the entire organization.

Scenario-Based Training for Real-World Preparedness

Another key topic on the episode is scenario-based training inspired by the NTSB. Crystal explains that these exercises combine classroom learning with hands-on problem-solving, helping teams respond effectively to major incidents while considering the emotional impact on responders and families. Such training bridges technical readiness with human-centered thinking, ensuring that investigators are prepared not only to manage incidents but also to support those affected by them.

Evaluating Safety Programs That Truly Work

Crystal shares her approach to measuring the effectiveness of safety programs, highlighting that true evaluation goes beyond compliance audits. She focuses on cross-functional communication, collaboration, and openness to new ideas, a concept she calls “inspection readiness.” By proactively solving problems and continuously improving processes, teams move past the “that’s how we’ve always done it” mindset. Success is measured both technically and culturally. When silos break down and teams embrace innovation, safety programs deliver tangible, long-lasting results.

Creating a More Human and Inclusive Industry

Beyond processes and protocols, Crystal envisions a railroad industry that is faster to adopt innovation, more inclusive, and genuinely human-centered. She points out that rail has traditionally lagged behind sectors such as aviation and nuclear in adopting best practices. Through her leadership, she is not only modernizing investigation practices but also fostering a culture that is more female-friendly and supportive of diverse talent. This human-centered approach demonstrates that inclusivity and safety are intrinsically linked, creating more resilient and effective operations.

Key Takeaways for Safety Professionals

The episode offers valuable lessons for safety leaders across industries:

1. Prevention Extends Beyond the Organization: Community education programs can prevent incidents while enhancing a leader’s credibility.
   
   
2. Consistency Builds Trust: Standardized reporting and protocols improve reliability and break down silos across operations.
   
   
3. Hands-On Training is Critical: Scenario-based exercises prepare teams for both technical challenges and emotional impacts.
   
   
4. Measure Culture and Compliance: True program effectiveness requires evaluating collaboration, communication, and openness to innovation.
   
   
5. Inclusivity Strengthens Safety: A diverse, empowered, and human-centered workforce creates more resilient safety systems.
   
   

Crystal’s insights show that safety is not just a compliance function; it’s a strategic, people-focused discipline that can transform an organization’s culture and performance.

Why This Episode Matters

Railroads may not be as visible as aviation or healthcare, but the stakes are high. Each investigation, training program, and safety initiative has real-world consequences for human lives. Crystal’s leadership demonstrates how combining technical expertise with empathy and inclusivity leads to a safety culture that is both practical and human-centered.

Michael Zalle’s conversation with Crystal on The Canary Report provides listeners with actionable insights into standardization, scenario-based training, and cultural transformation. It’s a must-listen for safety professionals, operational leaders, and anyone committed to modernizing traditional industries while keeping people at the center.

🎧 Listen to the full episode of The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management with Crystal Blasius:

Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/4mkCFpS
Spotify: https://bit.ly/4grW6vz
YouTube: https://youtu.be/-sWkEOOVxrs

#TheCanaryReport #RailSafety #SafetyLeadership #EHSInnovation #OperationalExcellence #WorkplaceSafety #CrystalBlasius #HumanCenteredSafety