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HEAT ILLNESS CAN BE DEADLY.

Every year, thousands of workers become sick from exposure to heat, and some even die. Heat illnesses and deaths are preventable. Employers are responsible for providing workplaces that are safe from excessive heat.

What is heat illness?

The body normally cools itself by sweating. During hot weather, especially with high humidity, sweating isn’t enough. Body temperature can rise to dangerous levels if precautions are not taken such as drinking water frequently and resting in the shade or air conditioning. Heat illnesses range from heat rash and heat cramps to heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Heat stroke requires immediate medical attention and can result in death.

How can heat illness be prevented?

Employers should establish a complete heat illness prevention program to prevent heat illness. This includes: provide workers with water, rest and shade; gradually increase workloads and allow more frequent breaks for new workers or workers who have been away for a week or more to build a tolerance for working in the heat (acclimatization); modify work schedules as necessary; plan for emergencies and train workers about the symptoms of heat-related illnesses and their prevention; and monitor workers for signs of illness. Workers new to the heat or those that have been away from work and are returning can be most vulnerable to heat stress and they must be acclimatized.

To prevent heat related illness and fatalities:

Drink water every 15 minutes, even if you are not thirsty.
Rest in the shade to cool down.
Wear a hat and light-colored clothing.
Learn the signs of heat illness and what to do in an emergency.
Keep an eye on fellow workers.
“Easy does it” on your first days of work in the heat. You need to get used to it.

If workers are new to working in the heat or returning from more than a week off, and for all workers on the first day of a sudden heat wave, implement a work schedule to allow them to get used to the heat gradually. Working in full sunlight can increase heat index values by 15 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep this in mind and plan additional precautions for working in these conditions.

Remember these three simple words: Water, Rest, Shade. Taking these precautions can mean the difference between life and death.

Who is affected?

Any worker exposed to hot and humid conditions is at risk of heat illness, especially those doing heavy work tasks or using bulky protective clothing and equipment. Some workers might be at greater risk than others if they have not built up a tolerance to hot conditions, including new workers, temporary workers, or those returning to work after a week or more off. This also includes everyone during a heat wave.

Industries most affected by heat-related illness are: construction; trade, transportation and utilities; agriculture; building, grounds maintenance; landscaping services; and support activities for oil and gas operations.

Tags Heat Illness, OSHA

Senator Bernie Sanders (D – Vt.) was invited to speak at the SMART Business Agents’ conference, Tuesday, July 28 held at the Washington Hilton, Washington D.C. Watch the video below to hear Sen. Sanders’ speech about the shrinking middle class, the need for improvements in our nation’s infrastructure, the need for trade unions in the United States and much more.

Sanders is a Democratic candidate for President of the United States. In 2006, he was elected to the U.S. Senate after 16 years as Vermont’s sole congressman in the House of Representatives. Sanders is now serving his second term in the U.S. Senate after winning re-election in 2012 with 71 percent of the vote. His previous 16 years in the House of Representatives make him the longest serving independent member of Congress in American history.

Throughout his career he has focused on the shrinking American middle class and the growing income and wealth gaps in the United States. As chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, Sanders in 2014 passed legislation reforming the VA health care system. Today, Sanders remains on the veterans committee and was tapped by Senate leadership to be the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee. He also serves on the Environment and Public Works Committee, where he has focused on global warming and rebuilding our nation’s crumbling infrastructure. He is a member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, where he has championed efforts to transform our energy system from fossil fuels to renewable power sources like solar and wind. He also sits on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, where he has fought for greater access to affordable health care and improved education programs from pre-K to college.

Tags Bernie Sanders, Sen. Bernie Sanders, SMART Business Agents' Conference

capitol Washington, D.C. — Two months after the high-speed derailment of an Amtrak train killed eight people and injured hundreds more in Philadelphia, a Senate transportation bill headed for debate this week calls for a three-year delay of the deadline for installing a rail safety system that experts say would have almost certainly prevented the Pennsylvania accident.

Lawmakers from the Northeast and train safety experts expressed outrage over the provision, which is included in the 1,000-page legislation to finance highway and transit projects for the next three years. Several lawmakers vowed to fight the extension of the deadline to install the safety system, called positive train control, beyond December 2015.

Read more from Huffington Post.

Tags infrastructure, STB, Surface Transportation Board Reauthorization Act of 2015

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Association of American Railroads (AAR), leaders from its member railroads and economic experts today urged federal regulators to beware of upending numerous national economic goals if they choose to pursue re-instituting revenue caps on freight rail companies.

Speaking before a Surface Transportation Board (STB) hearing on railroad revenue adequacy, AAR President and CEO Edward R. Hamberger told the Board that misapplying regulations would have far-reaching impacts on the freight rail industry’s ability to sustain the billions of private funds spent by railroads each year to build, maintain and upgrade the nation’s 140,000-mile rail network.

“As you take up the issue of revenue adequacy, you are painting on a much, much larger canvas than just the inside of this room,” Hamberger said. “What you are considering and may decide here in this hearing room a stone’s throw from the U.S. Capitol will ripple across the economy and ultimately impact most every American.”

Hamberger, and others testifying before the Board, ran through many examples of how earning sufficient revenues has allowed railroads to make massive private investments in rail infrastructure – nearly $29 billion in 2015, and $575 billion since 1980. This is in contrast to other modes of transportation, such as highways, which are funded by taxpayers.

Regulation of railroads’ overall revenue levels would run counter to Congress’s goals in the Staggers Act of 1980 that partially deregulated the freight rail industry to allow railroads to earn sufficient revenue to meet their long-term needs without having to rely on the federal government.

As Dr. Roger Brinner, chief economist with SandPointe, LLC testified, the concept of revenue adequacy should be a goal, and not a directive to constrain revenues; railroads should not be penalized for improved financial performance.

“Now comes a handful of interest groups that want you to cut their transportation costs by direct government intervention at the expense of the greater good. Let’s call it what it is: they want you to institute a regime of wide ranging price controls on freight railroads,” Hamberger testified.

Hamberger outlined the many national goals that would be at risk, should the STB decide to relapse into 1970s-era regulatory policies. Doing so, he noted would undermine the industry’s ability to: continue to improve rail safety, efficiency and reliability; increase U.S. exports; support U.S. energy independence, and effectively provide a healthy rail network relied upon by millions of daily Amtrak and commuter rail passengers.

“Freight rail success today is due to the foresight of the government leaders in 1980 who unleashed the transformational power of the market place through partial deregulation,” Hamberger said. “Subsequent federal involvement in rail economics both in the legislative and regulatory arenas honored the belief that a developed nation requires a top-notch freight rail system and that system is best provided by private companies in control of their resources rather than through the government.”

Tags AAR, Edward R. Hamberger, STB, Surface Transportation Board

CSX Corporation announced all-time record quarterly financial results for the second quarter of 2015. Operating income for the railroad came in at more than $1 billion for the first time in company history. The railroad also saw an all-time record in operating ratio of 68.8 percent.

Net earnings came in at $553 million or an all-time record of $0.56 per share, an increase from the reported $529 million or $0.53 per share of the second quarter of 2014. CSX expects to deliver mid-to-high single digit earnings per share growth for 2015.

“While we saw challenges in a number of markets, CSX employees delivered an even safer, more reliable and more differentiated service product this quarter,” Chairman and CEO Michael J. Ward said. “We expect the momentum in network performance we saw in the second quarter to accelerate, continuing to create value for our customers and shareholders.”

Revenue declined six percent due to the impact of lower fuel recovery. At the same time, continued low fuel prices and savings from efficiency initiatives reduced expenses for the railroad by nine percent.

Operating ratio is a railroad’s operating expenses expressed as a percentage of operating revenue, and is considered by economists to be the basic measure of carrier profitability. The lower the operating ratio, the more efficient the railroad.

Kansas City Southern reported a decrease in earnings in a press release July 17. The railroad reportedly saw a 10 percent decrease in revenue to $586 million as compared to the second quarter of 2014.

Operating income saw a decrease of 13 percent to $187 million. Operating ratio saw a 1.1-point increase to 68.1 percent compared with last year’s second quarter operating ratio of 68.3 percent. Reported net income totaled $112 million or $1.01 per share, a 15 percent decrease compared to the reported $130 million or $1.18 per diluted share for the second quarter 2014.

Overall, the railroad reported that carload volumes were six percent lower for the quarter. Second quarter revenue declined in all commodity groups except chemicals and petroleum, which grew by one percent. However, operating expenses also saw a decrease of eight percent to $399 million.

“KCS continued to scale its operations in both the U.S. and Mexico and has made strides in improving its network fluidity,” stated CEO David L. Starling. “Our actions contributed to the company attaining a solid second quarter operating ratio despite volume challenges, particularly in its energy commodity group. We expect our system performance and operating metrics to continue to improve throughout the remainder of the year.

“As evidenced in the weekly industry carload data, there are still uncertainties in many of the primary markets served by rail. However, KCS’ average daily volumes increased each month throughout the second quarter and the initial results from the first few weeks of July suggest the positive trend may be continuing.”

Canadian National Railway reported increases in revenue for the second quarter of 2015. Net income saw an increase to C$886 million or C$1.10 per diluted share, over last year’s reported C$847 million or C$1.03 per diluted share for the same quarter. These results included a deferred income tax expense of C$42 million (C$0.05 per diluted share) resulting from the enactment of a higher provincial corporate income tax rate.

Excluding the deferred income tax expense, adjusted diluted earnings per share increased 12 percent to C$1.15 as compared to last year’s second quarter reported diluted earnings per share of C$1.03.

Operating income saw an increase of eight percent to C$1,362 million, while revenues for the quarter were flat at C$3,125 million. Carloadings decreased by three percent and revenue ton-miles declined by seven percent.

Operating ratio for the railway improved by 3.2 points to 56.4 percent over last year’s reported 59.6 percent.

“I’m proud of our very solid second quarter results, driven by the team’s swift action to recalibrate resources and double-down on efficiency, while continuing to improve customer service,” President and CEO Claude Mongeau said. “We’re focused on our long-term agenda and investing C$2.7 billion in CN’s capital program this year to support it, with an emphasis on the integrity and safety of the network.”

In a press release June 21, Canadian Pacific Railway announced the highest-ever net income for the second quarter and the lowest operating ratio for the period in the company’s history.

Net income rose to a record quarterly high of C$390 million or C$2.36 per diluted share, an improvement of 12 percent. Adjusted earnings per share gained 16 percent to C$2.45. Revenues for the railway remained unchanged at C$1.65 billion.

Operating income climbed 10 percent to C$646 million. Operating ratio fell to a second-quarter record of 60.9 percent, a 420-basis-point improvement. Adjusted earnings per share advanced 16 percent to C$2.45.

“CP remains disciplined during this period of economic uncertainty in identifying opportunities to control costs and improve efficiency to offset near-term headwinds,” CEO E. Hunter Harrison said. “Even in the face of this economic slowdown, CP’s commitment to providing the best service at the lowest cost will continue to serve us well moving forward.”

Union Pacific reported a decrease in earnings for the second quarter in a press release June 23. Operating revenue was down 10 percent to $5.4 billion as compared to the second quarter of 2014. Net income for the railroad came in at $1.2 billion or $1.38 per diluted share, a three percent decline as compared to last year’s reported net income of $1.3 billion or $1.43 per diluted share.

Operating income is down 11 percent to $1.9 billion. UP’s operating ratio of 64.1 percent is 0.6 points worse compared to the second quarter of 2014. The company also repurchased 8.0 million shares in the second quarter at an aggregate cost of $834 million.

“Solid core pricing gains were not enough to overcome a significant decrease in demand,” President and CEO Lance Fritz said. “Total volumes in the second quarter were down six percent, led by a sharp decline in coal. Industrial products and agricultural products also posted significant volume decreases. However, we made meaningful progress right sizing our resources to current volumes, and I am encouraged to report that we made these improvements while posting strong safety performance.

“While the volume outlook remains uncertain, we remain laser focused on operating safely and efficiently no matter what the market environment. We will continue to reduce costs and improve productivity as we further align resources with demand. Longer term, we continue to be optimistic about the strengths of our diverse rail franchise.”

Norfolk Southern railroad reported decreased earnings results for the second quarter of 2015.

Net income for the quarter was $433 million, a 23 percent decrease compared to the $562 million record set in the same quarter of 2014. Operating revenues saw a decrease of 11 percent to $2.7 billion, a result of lower fuel surcharges and coal volumes. Gains in intermodal and merchandise traffic were offset by losses in coal volumes.

Income from railway operations declined 20 percent to $814 million. Railway operating expenses also saw a decrease of six percent to $1.9 billion. Diluted earnings per share came in at $1.41. NS’s railway operating ratio was 70.0 percent.

“While we face short-term pressure, particularly as we clear fuel surcharge revenue and coal headwinds, Norfolk Southern is well positioned to continue improving service, which will reduce costs and add value to our customers,” CEO James A. Squires said. “Growth within the intermodal franchise, consumer spending, housing-related momentum and improved manufacturing activity all support an optimistic longer-term outlook. We have a strong legacy of success, and we are taking the right steps to continue value creation for our customers, the communities we serve, our employees and our shareholders.”

Tags Class I railroad earnings, Class I railroads, CN, CP, CSX, KCS, NS, Quarterly Earnings, UP

Twenty two months ago, SMART Transportation Division Local 61 (Philadelphia, Pa.) train service members working at SEPTA ratified their contract from the previous round. Now, for the first time in recent memory, these same members have ratified a new agreement governing the rates of pay and working conditions of conductors and assistant conductors on that property prior to their next scheduled wage increase. A vast majority of those voting, 87 percent, voted to ratify the agreement. The short-term pact runs through June 4, 2017 and includes general wage increases, increased instructor allowance, increased uniform allowance and same sex spousal benefits amongst its provisions.

Transportation Division Vice President John Lesniewski, who assisted with negotiations, expressed his gratitude to General Chairperson Bernard Norwood, as well as his negotiating committee consisting of Vice General Chairpersons A. J. Bright, Michael Stevens, Raymond Boyer and General Secretary Nelson Pagan for their professionalism, tenacity and commitment to finding an equitable agreement in a timely manner for the benefit of our Local 61 members.

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) is a metropolitan transportation authority that operates various forms of public transit—bus, subway and elevated rail, commuter rail, light rail, and electric trolley bus—that serves 3.9 million people in and around Philadelphia. General Chairperson Norwood and his committee represent approximately 350 active rail members on this property.

Tags AJ Bright, Bernard Norwood, Local 61, Michael Stevesn, Nelson Pagan, Raymond Boyer, SEPTA

Washington, D.C. – As part of its ongoing investigation of the derailment of a crude oil unit train in Casselton, North Dakota, the National Transportation Safety Board produced a Train Braking Simulation Study, which it placed into the investigation docket. The study was prompted by recent North American crude oil and ethanol train derailments that resulted in the release of large volumes of flammable liquids that endangered persons, property and the environment.

The study shows that Electronically Controlled Pneumatic (ECP) brake systems out-performed distributed power configurations, which in turn out-performed conventional brake systems. The study provides detailed description and analysis of each rail braking system and the stopping distances they achieved under various circumstances.

“Over the last decade, the NTSB has investigated a number of catastrophic flammable liquid unit train derailments. Our recommendations have called for improved technologies that can reduce or minimize the risk of derailments. Improved braking capabilities are but one part of the equation in making rail transportation safer,” said NTSB Chairman Christopher A. Hart.

The NTSB considered emergency and full service brake applications on uniform grade, tangent track with clean, dry rails. The study also evaluated the effect of different net braking ratios, which measure the amount of force applied by the brake shoes against the wheels. While ECP brake systems performed best, increasing the net braking ratio for any brake system substantially improved its stopping performance.

The NTSB’s investigation of the Casselton, ND accident is ongoing. Analysis of the accident, along with a determination of probable cause, will come later when the investigation is completed.

To read the study, click on the following link: http://go.usa.gov/3Gz6P.

Tags Casselton ND, Christopher Hart, ECP brakes, NTSB

Another round of targeted tank car and rail inspections in New York found 62 defects, including one “critical” safety defect that required immediate corrective action, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Wednesday.

The inspections are part of the governor’s efforts to address the safety of crude-by-rail shipments. State and federal teams examined 524 tank cars and about 152 miles of track and 38 switches during the inspections.

Last week, inspection teams from the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) and Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) inspected tank cars at Canadian Pacific’s Kenwood Yard in Albany, CSX Transportation’s Selkirk Yard in Albany County and Frontier Yard in Buffalo, and the Buffalo & Pittsburgh Railroad’s D&E Yard in Buffalo. They also inspected various CP and CSX mainlines.