5 Important Safety Tips to Remember When Working On a Railroad

Railroad safety is extremely important as hundreds of fatalities occur each year due to improper railroad work.

When working on a railroad, it’s essential that you know the following:

• Be Alert — You should never use any mobile device or anything else that can cause a distraction while working near railroad tracks. At any moment a train could be passing by, so you and everyone on your team have to be constantly alert in order to remain safety.
• No Fixed Schedule — Although there is a general plan about when trains depart and travel, there is no specific schedule that shows these tentative times. That’s why workers should always be expecting a train to disrupt their work at any moment. Having this mindset, although a little paranoid, can actually save your life on the railroad.
• Trains Have the Right Away — There is not one scenario in the world that would not grant the right of way to a train. Obviously if these 400,000 locomotives had the ability to immediately stop, that would be different. But trains simply cannot stop whenever the conductor wants like other vehicles. They will not stop for a police car, an ambulance, pedestrians, or you.
• Trains Aren’t That Loud — When most people think about trains, they imagine loud and heavy locomotives in the 1940s and 50’s, that’s not the case anymore. Trains are actually quieter than ever and can cause serious problems to work crews if they are not always paying attention.
• Always Have a Lookout Person — You should never be working on a railroad by yourself, because it’s imperative that you have a lookout during the job. Even if you’re as careful as can be while working, sometimes it can still be difficult to hear a train coming while you’re in the middle of working. A lookout will be able to inform you a train is coming within enough time for you to safely stop what you’re doing and leave the area. Even if, for whatever reason, it’s only you and one other person working on the railroad, one of you must be the lookout to ensure the other’s safety.

Unfortunately, railroad incidents still occur far too often. FELA lawyers and railroad lawyers should always be consulted after any kind of railroad injury. Companies have to follow railroad laws and safety precautions just like everyone else and if you were injured because of a construction crew’s negligence or anything like that you should contact an experienced railroad lawyer as soon as possible. More info like this.