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Focusing on situational awareness
In spite
of railroad boasts that they have become safer, the fact is
that railroad employee on-duty fatalities have been soaring,
according to the Federal Railroad Administration.
Twenty-five railroad employees lost their lives in on-duty
accidents during 2008, up from 16 in 2007. And 2009 got off
to a horrific start, with 11 employee on-duty fatalities in
just the first three months of the year.
Stunned
by this sharp increase in rail-employee on-duty fatalities
and career-ending injuries, UTU International President Mike
Futhey appointed a four-person task force to craft, in
conjunction with the FRA, an action plan to reduce
rail-employee risk while on the job.
Leading
the task force is UTU Arizona State Legislative
Director Greg Hynes, who will work with UTU Arkansas State Legislative
Director Steve Evans and Michigan State Legislative Director
Jerry Gibson.
“I expect
the task force to produce an effective solution that
includes best practices and techniques to improve
situational awareness and keep situational awareness it at
its highest level,” Futhey said.
Olson
said, “If this task force is to be effective, it must digest
concerns and suggestions of those who work in the yards and
aboard trains. That is the purpose of the link on this page
encouraging members to communicate directly with the task
force.”
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