Certain professions face more danger because of multiple occupational hazards, including railroad workers. The nature of their jobs requires exposure to dangerous situations that put their lives at risk. No matter how many safety measures they implement, one mistake can easily injure or kill them.
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) collects information and analyzes incidents across America to help improve risk reduction strategies and safety. They have determined these three categories based on the common factors of their monthly incident reports:
- Accidents in highway-rail grade crossings
- Incidents involving rail equipment
- Death caused by other injuries and occupational illnesses
These incidents can involve all types of people. However, the risk for railroad workers may increase because they face these threats regularly.
Other incidents that require investigation
The FRA also investigates accidents, depending on their circumstances. These incidents include:
- Collisions or derailments causing at least one severe injury or death
- Any railroad incident leading to a worker’s death
- Train accidents causing significant property damage
- Incidents involving explosions that release toxic or nuclear substances, endangering nearby communities
- Maintenance-related accidents causing severe injury or death
- Incidents caused by signal loss and system malfunctions
However, the FRA can set out an investigation based on the situation and the amount of public interest.
Protecting railroad workers
The government acknowledges the dangers surrounding this industry, leading them to establish the Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA). This policy provides railroad workers protection and compensation if they suffer work-related injuries.
However, an injured railroad worker must take the following steps to support their FELA claim:
- Receive medical care immediately.
- Submit an injury report and keep a copy.
- Document any unsafe working conditions that may have contributed to the injury.
Your claim’s validity can depend on the injury’s circumstances, so recording essential details can help prevent disqualification.
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