Brightline just got a health and safety award, and it’s a first for a train company
.jpg "Brightline becomes first rail company to receive the WELL Health-Safety Rating, joining the Sunrise arena and the Cleveland Cavaliers.")
Brightline, the high-speed passenger train in South Florida, became the first rail company in the world to receive the WELL Health-Safety Rating, an internationally recognized award that highlights an organization’s efforts to customer well-being.
The safety rating for facility operations and management, awarded by the International WELL Building Institute, has been given to several recognizable brands, businesses and locations in South Florida and beyond, including the FLA Live Arena in Sunrise, the Cleveland Cavaliers, Hilton and T-Mobile.
Over 2,000 companies, including over 100 of the Fortune 500 companies, have been given the distinction, but never a rail company.
Brightline, which runs between Miami and West Palm Beach with plans to expand to Orlando, started in 2018. It halted service for a year and a half due to the pandemic. The passenger train is at the center of rail safety in South Florida. Trains have been involved in several fatal crashes, nearly all due to drivers ignoring railroad safety measures.
READ MORE HERE: See video and a timeline of Brightline crashes: How and where did they happen?
“Since our inception, Brightline has been committed to leading the industry in cleanliness standards and protocols that enhance the safety of our guests and teammates, and we are honored to be the first train in the world to achieve the WELL Health-Safety Rating,” Brightline President Patrick Goddard said in a statement.
What does it mean for passengers? Businesses that get the rating are recognized for providing a clean environment, robust safety features in case of emergency, and superior air quality, according to WELL.
“The rating recognizes Brightline’s efforts to help protect the health, safety and well-being of its guests and teammates on trains and in stations and its commitment to building a sustainable and environmentally forward high-speed trains in the U.S.,” Brightline said in a statement.
Brightline applied for the safety rating.
“During our initial submission process and preliminary review, it was necessary to look at the submission through a slightly different lens to understand that this was a dynamic space, and not simply a static space,” Brightline said.
Brightline says it met up to 15 protocols outlined in the award, including:
▪ Air Quality, for using an on-train air system that mechanically increases fresh air supply and reduces human-made air pollution.
▪ Safety features, for having personal protective equipment, robust emergency preparedness, and other features.
▪ Cleaning and Sanitization Procedures, for having a less hazardous cleaning products and touchless hygiene features.
“Feeling safe while we travel is paramount. In being the first train company to achieve the WELL Health-Safety Rating, Brightline demonstrates a clear commitment to protocols that put people first as they move from point A to B,” Rachel Hodgdon, President and CEO of IWBI said in a statement.
Brightline will soon be displaying the WELL Health-Safety seals for passengers to see.
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