Focusing on situational awareness

What’s New: Restricted speed: A warning not to be ignored (Safety Alert 8) FRA advisory: Switching dangers Electronic device ban (Safety Alert 7) Rail safety concerns voiced by UTU members (07/19/10) Recognize potential threats (Safety Alert 6)  No mental vacations (Safety Alert 5) Keep documentation (Safety Alert 4)

Focusing on situational awareness There is no civilian employment more dangerous than railroads.

All too frequently, accidents result in fatalities and career-ending injuries. Eight UTU members lost their lives in on-duty accidents in 2010, and there were eight UTU-member on-duty fatalities in 2009.

To combat this unacceptable loss of life and career-ending injuries among UTU members, International President Mike Futhey appointed a Rail Safety Task Force charged with creating action alerts to reduce rail-employee risk while on the job.

Leading the task force is UTU Arizona State Legislative Director Greg Hynes, who is working with UTU Arkansas State Legislative Director Steve Evans and Michigan State Legislative Director Jerry Gibson.

“The task force works with other state legislative directors, general chairpersons, the FRA and carriers in seeking to identify and communicate best practices and techniques to improve situational awareness and keep situational awareness it at its highest level,” Futhey said.

The task force also coordinates its activities with the UTU Transportation Safety Team (which assists the National Transportation Safety Board in post-accident investigations) and the Switching Operations Fatality Analysis (SOFA) Working Group, which works with the FRA and carriers to develop safe practices to reduce switch-yard accidents, fatalities and injuries.

The Rail Safety Task Force is most interested in receiving comments from UTU members working in yards and aboard trains. A link below permits members to communicate their concerns and suggestions directly to the task force.

Safety Task Force Alerts	Recommendations	Contacts	Fallen UTU Members
UTU Rail Safety Alert # 9 UTU Rail Safety Alert # 8 UTU Rail Safety Alert # 7 UTU Rail Safety Alert # 6 UTU Rail Safety Alert # 5 UTU Rail Safety Alert # 4 UTU Rail Safety Alert # 3 UTU Rail Safety Alert # 2 UTU Rail Safety Alert # 1	Eight activities to get you home in one piece First, let’s get the facts right	UTU Rail Safety Task Force Members State Legislative Directors General Chairpersons Designated Legal Counsel	Memorials to UTU members killed on the job in 2012 Memorials to UTU members killed on the job in 2011 Memorials to UTU members killed on the job in 2010 Memorials to UTU members killed on the job in 2009