Preventing In-Plant/In-Mill Railroad Fatalities, Injuries, & Making Safer Rail Operations

There have been 87 railroad-related incidents resulting in 89 fatalities reported to the USW at our represented workplaces from January 1, 1980 to the printing of this publication involving in-plant / in-mill rail operations. The fatalities include USW members, contractors, and a member of another labor union. Their ages ranged from 20 to 66, and they were employed across the United States and Canada.

All of the incident descriptions are different, but they share a common theme or trend – the rail safety systems were insufficient, and their deaths were all preventable.

The USW’s railroad safety project is a vital first step to eliminate repeating and uncontrolled hazards by applying the hierarchy of controls (a risk management principle based on ranking hazard controls from most effective to least effective) to prevent future tragedies.