Federal regulators, reacting to a deadly derailment that they blame on an engineer's sleepiness, are recommending better training for the nation's doctors in identifying and treating sleep disorders.
Another recommendation adopted Wednesday by the National Transportation Safety Board urges railroads to routinely screen "safety-sensitive" employees for sleep disorders.
The board also called for a model national labor agreement that supports such screening.
In all, the NTSB adopted 19 conclusions and 17 recommendations stemming from five Metro-North accidents in New York and Connecticut.
The board concluded last month that a Dec. 1 derailment that killed four people in the Bronx happened when the engineer fell asleep at the controls. It said his fatigue was caused by obstructive sleep apnea, which he did not know he had.
NTSB Adopts Proposals after Metro-North Accidents
Derailment killed 4 people in Bronx last year
Copyright AP - Associated Press
