Ever since the 1930s, prominent railway companies throughout the United States have, from time to time, come under scrutiny for toxic hazards commonly encountered around and in storage facilities, rail storage, rail yards, and other buildings that are used by most major railroads. Unfortunately, railroad workers are not always aware of the diseases and toxic dangers they are exposed to […]
The Hidden Hazards of Toxic Exposure on Railway Workers
Important Info You Need to Know When Injured on the Railroad
INJURIES ON LOCOMOTIVES
While the Federal Employers’ Liability Act (FELA) 45 U.S.C. § 51 et seq. offers protection to all railroad employees who are injured in the course of their employment due to some negligence on the part of the railroad or its employees, engineers and trainmen who suffer injuries on locomotives that are in use (i.e. not being repaired or serviced) […]
RAILROAD HAND BRAKE INJURIES
We are frequently asked by railroad employees who were injured during the use of a handbrake whether they’re covered by the FELA or if they have a case if an inspection of the brake after the injury showed it worked properly when inspected. The answers to these questions have been clearly responded to by the United States Supreme Court and […]
Lethal PA Railroad Crossing Called ‘Seriously Deficient’ by Railroad Experts
A railroad crossing in Halifax PA where new mother Trisha Hoffman died on Sept. 4 has been termed ‘seriously deficient’ by two railway experts interviewed in early September by PennLive.com. Pennsylvania state law does not require that drivers stop at all railroad crossings. They only must stop for flashing lights, gates, or if they know a train is oncoming. The problem […]
WV Widow Names 100+ Companies in Asbestos Lawsuit
A recent case in West Virginia is a good illustration of how many different companies can be sued for exposing a former worker to asbestos, which can lead to mesothelioma in some cases. The lawsuit was filed by Lois June Wells from Middlebourne WV. her late husband Robert Wayne Wells was employed by Weirton Steel in Weirton and also for […]
Railroad Unions Blast Amtrak Corporate Changes for Deaths in Philadelphia
Leaders of railroad unions say there has been a perfect storm of Amtrak corporate changes that is mostly to blame for two workers dying on railroad tracks near Philadelphia earlier this month. Union officials wrote a letter to Amtrak President Joe Boardman last week and said that employee training is insufficient, and they demanded major changes in the policy on […]
FRA Demands Immediate Amtrak Safety Review
The Federal Railroad Administration has directed Amtrak this week to conduct an immediate safety review, due to violations that were revealed in the fatal crash and derailment in Pennsylvania on Sunday. The FRA told Amtrak this week to do a safety stand down, which is a review of all of its work safety protocols with track workers and train dispatchers. […]
Feds Told Amtrak to Install More Safety Systems Before Deadly Crash
Federal agencies have told Amtrak and other railroads several times over the last few years to use essential back up safety systems for workers on railroad tracks to prevent deadly accidents, as the crash and derailment that just happened in Chester PA this week. Sources with information about the Amtrak crash investigation that killed two workers have said that a […]
Iron County, Missouri Officials Urge Upgrades of Dangers RR Crossings
Dangerous railroad crossings are all too common in Iron County, Missouri, according to officials here. In December 2015, an Amtrak train slammed into a truck at a railroad crossing in Middlebrook MO and killed a local man. In that case, it appeared that the man may not have seen the oncoming train and he drove over the tracks into its […]