State of Maryland

A Railroad Inspector I is the entry level of work in the enforcement and promotion of federal and State railroad safety standards.  Employees in this classification do not supervise other positions.

Employees in this classification receive close supervision from the Chief Railroad Inspector.  Employees may be subject to call-in.  The work is usually performed on-site in railroad yards or on railroad property throughout the State.  The work requires the use of specialized safety equipment such as safety shoes, protective eyewear and hardhats.  The work involves exposure to hazardous materials being used by railroad employees or carried in railroad cars and to variable weather conditions.  The work requires crawling, climbing ladders, bending and stooping in confined spaces and walking on uneven track surfaces.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the class specification.

The Railroad Inspector I and the Railroad Inspector II are differentiated on the basis of supervisory control exercised by the supervisor over these employees.  The Railroad Inspector I learns to perform the duties under close supervision while the Railroad Inspector II performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision.

Attends training courses in railroad safety inspection techniques and principles taught by the Federal Railroad Administration which lead to certification as a railroad inspector;

Learns to conduct scheduled and unscheduled safety inspections of railroad equipment and operating practices used by interstate and intrastate carriers to determine and ensure compliance with applicable federal and State railroad safety standards;

Learns to investigate railroad accidents to determine probable causes;

Learns to investigate complaints from the general public or other sources to determine non-compliance with applicable railroad safety standards;

Learns to prepare detailed narrative reports to document the findings of inspections and investigations;

Learns to prepare and issue citations notifying rail carriers and appropriate regulatory agencies of railroad safety standards violations and advising them of necessary corrective actions;

Learns to promote cooperation between rail carriers, labor organizations and State regulatory agencies to improve compliance with railroad safety standards;

Performs other related duties.

Ability to learn the principles and practices of railroad safety;

Ability to become knowledgeable about Maryland’s Railroad Safety and Health Act, related regulations and the laws and regulations administered by the Federal Railroad Administration;

Ability to learn to conduct on-site investigations and inspections of railroad equipment and operating practices;

Ability to learn to prepare accurate and concise reports;

Ability to learn to interpret and apply pertinent federal and State railroad safety regulations;

Ability to learn to establish and maintain effective working relationships with rail management employees, private industry using rail services, labor organizations, the general public and other State and federal inspection personnel.

Education:   Graduation from an accredited high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate.

Experience: One year of experience performing railroad safety or regulation compliance inspections related to track, motive power and equipment, operating practices or signal and train control.

Note: These requirements are determined by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) in accordance with FRA requirements for admission to the federal training program which leads to certification as a Railroad Safety Inspector.

1. Employees in this classification may be assigned duties which require the operation of a motor vehicle. Employees assigned such duties will be required to possess a motor vehicle operator’s license valid in the State of Maryland.

2. Employees in this classification will be required to obtain federal certification as a Railroad Safety Inspector within 1 year of employment. Information concerning requirements can be obtained from the Railroad Safety and Health Program, Division of Labor and Industry, Department of Labor, 1100 North Eutaw Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21201.

1. Employees in this classification are subject to call-in on a 24 hours a day basis and will be required to provide the employing agency with a telephone number where they can be reached.

2. Employees in this classification are subject to substance abuse testing in accordance with Code of Maryland Regulation 17.04.09, Testing for Illegal Use of Drugs.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Skilled Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Skilled Service positions.  Some positions in Skilled Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is assigned to Bargaining Unit C- Regulatory, Inspection and Licensure classes.  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded from collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.

Employees in this classification are eligible to receive overtime compensation.  An employee who works more than the normal workweek is entitled to be compensated for that overtime as provided by the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 8-305.

This classification is one level in a Non-Competitive Promotion (NCP) series. NCP promotions are promotions by which employees may advance in grade and class level from trainee to full performance level in a classifications series.  In order to be non-competitively promoted to the next level in a NCP series, an employee must: 1) perform the main purpose of the class, as defined by the Nature of Work section of the class specification; 2) receive the type of supervision defined in the class specification and 3) meet the minimum qualifications of the classification.