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[CNJRoss]

Trains News Wire

 

FRA halts safety culture assessment of Union Pacific, citing coaching of workers

 

By David Lassen | April 30, 2024 | Last updated on May 1, 2024

 

Railroad says issue stemmed from mistake by one employee

 

WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration has discontinued efforts to gather information for an assessment of Union Pacific’s safety culture, telling the railroad it found indications of activities by the railroad that “adversely impact the integrity” of the process.

 

The railroad, in a statement to Trains News Wire, says the issue arose from a mistake by one employee.

 

FRA Associate Administrator Chief Safety Officer Karl Alexy said in an April 26 letter to UP President Beth Whited that the agency found employees had been coached to provide specific responses in FRA interviews, and in some cases had been told they were required to report any approach by the FRA  to a supervisor. “Reports of this coaching span the UPRR system and railroad crafts,” Alexy wrote. “FRA has also encountered reluctance to participate in field interviews from employees who cite intimidation or fear of retaliation.

 

“Continuing to collect data when the objectivity of the employees at UPRR, the FRA staff who devote time and effort to these inspections, and to the public,” Alexy wrote. “As such, with widespread evidence that these fundamental elements have been jeopardized, FRA has no choice but to end data collection activities.”

 

Whited responded in a letter to Alexy and FRA Administrator Amit Bose dated today (April 30).

 

“As discussed, please know the Union Pacific team did not intend to influence or impede the assessment in any way,” Whited wrote.  . . . 

 

SNIP  

 

The safety culture assessment grew out of last year’s Norfolk Southern derailment and hazardous-chemical release in East Palestine, Ohio, as well as other incidents shortly thereafter. The FRA initially performed an assessment of NS [see “FRA launches 60-assessment of Norfolk Southern safety,” Trains News Wire, March 7, 2023], finding the railroad’s commitment to safety was improving but still flawed [see “FRA report: Norfolk Southern safety improving …,” News Wire, Aug. 9, 2023]. That process was expanded to cover all Class I railroads at the request of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer [see “FRA will conduct safety assessments of all Class I railroads …,” News Wire, June 7, 2023].

 

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[CNJRoss]

North Platte (NE) Bulletin, 5/4/24

 

 

Union Pacific accused of interfering with safety inspectors

 

The Federal Railroad Administration accuses Union Pacific managers of intimidating and badgering employees so they don’t cooperate with safety inspections.

 

FRA Associate Administrator Karl Alexy made the accusation to the top UP officials on April 26 in a letter. 

 

Alexy said numerous employees were coached to provide specific responses to questions when FRA inspectors interviewed them about the “safety culture” of the workplace, and the reports of the intimidation and coaching occurred throughout the UPRR system and railroad crafts.

 

 

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[CNJRoss]

BLET Weekly News Recap, 7/26/24 (Excerpt)

UNION PACIFIC:
Senator Cantwell wants answers after UP undermines FRA safety culture survey

 

 

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chair of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, is looking for answers from the Union Pacific after the Federal Railroad Administration was forced to cancel a safety culture survey at the railroad.
 
FRA launched the safety audit in April 2024, but was forced to cancel it two weeks later after FRA determined that railroad managers had coached employees to provide specific responses to FRA surveys. Employees were also ordered to report their interactions with FRA inspectors to company supervisors.
 
In a July 25 letter to Union Pacific President Beth Whited, Senator Cantwell wrote: “I am deeply concerned about these FRA findings and the chilling effect the Union Pacific actions have on employee reporting of safety issues.”
 
Senator Cantwell is probing the railroad’s attempt to manipulate employees and undermine the safety culture survey. Her July 25 letter outlines nine specific areas of concern, and gives the railroad a deadline of August 25 to respond. A copy of her letter is available here (PDF).

 

 

 

[CNJRoss]

Reuters, 7/26/24

 

Union Pacific railway interfered in federal safety audit, agency says

 

July 26 (Reuters) - U.S. railroad Union Pacific, opens new tab interfered in a federal safety audit after employees were coached how to respond, prompting the federal rail agency to end the review, the agency and the chair of the Senate Commerce Committee said on Friday.

 

Senator Maria Cantwell said she was opening a probe into Union Pacific's actions after the Federal Railroad Administration told the committee this month it was forced to discontinue its assessment "due to Union Pacific’s actions to undermine the integrity of the assessment process."

 

SNIP

 

In June 2023, the FRA said it would conduct safety assessments of all major U.S. railroads following the February 2023 derailment of a Norfolk Southern-operated, opens new tab train in Ohio.

 

 

More here.