Category: Safety Alert
BNSF Seeks Dangerous RCO Waiver
BNSF has asked the FRA for permission to weaken safety for our RCO operators. Read on for details on the latest example of profits over people and how SMART-TD responded.
I’m Not Qualified =’s I’m Not Doing It!
Railroad workers are consistently pressured into taking unsafe assignments they are not trained or qualified to perform. Read on to see SMART-TD’s clear warning that no job, favor, or friendly manager routine is worth risking your life or career, and why saying no to unsafe work is both your right and your responsibility.
Railroads Have Short Memories: East Palestine 3 Years Later
Ohio State Safety & Legislative Director Clyde Whitaker reflects on the 3rd anniversary of the East Palestine derailment with a powerful commentary. Despite new laws and promises, the railroads are still playing the same dangerous games with safety. Read on to see how crews are still being pressured to ignore defect detector warnings and keep trains moving, proving that profits continue to come before people.
New Rail Safety Bill Addresses East Palestine “Vent and Burn” Failures
As the third anniversary of the East Palestine, Ohio derailment approaches, SMART-TD has endorsed the Under Pressure Act. Introduced Jan. 15, 2026, the bipartisan bill is an important step in safely responding to tank cars involved in a derailment. Read on to learn why this is important for us all.
CSX ENDS OPERATION REDBLOCK
On Wednesday, CSX Announced that it's dismantling Operation RedBlock, ending a nationally recognized, union-run safety and substance abuse prevention program that for more than four decades saved lives and kept trains moving safely. Read on to see why rail labor leaders and safety advocates warn that abandoning this trusted, non-punitive program puts workers, communities, and the rail industry at greater risk.
SOFA Safety Alert
A recent Safety Alert from the Switching Operations Fatality Analysis (SOFA) Working Group warns railroad workers of the persistent and deadly risks in switching operations. Read on to see how the alert reinforces shared responsibility, lessons learned from more than 210 switching-related deaths, and why we all need to recommit to safety practices to ensure everyone makes it home safely.
Union Mourns the Loss of Brother Charles Harrison
For the second time in two weeks, our union is mourning the loss of one of our own. Brother Charles Harrison (Local 847, Birmingham, Alabama) was killed in an on-duty accident over the weekend. Read on for details.
FRA Issues Grade-Crossing Safety Advisory
The FRA has issued Safety Advisory 2025-02 following several tragic shove-movement accidents, emphasizing the need for railroads to strengthen protections, visibility assessments, and operational practices at passively protected grade crossings. Read on to see how these recommendations call on carriers to improve rules and safeguards, but also to revamp and increase Operational Testing.