SOFA Safety Alert

FRA and SMART-TD Highlight Deadly Risks in Switching Operations

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A recent Safety Alert issued by the Switching Operations Fatality Analysis (SOFA) Working Group underscores the very real and ongoing dangers faced by railroad workers during switching operations.  

SOFA emphasizes several critical reminders for all railroad employees:  

• Ensure equipment is clear of adjacent tracks before shove movements. 

• Remain especially alert during continuous switching. 

• Stop the movement immediately when uncertainty exists.  

• Always conduct a new job briefing when conditions or plans change. 

SOFA data shows that close or no clearance remains among the most common contributing factors in switching fatalities industrywide, with findings drawn from more than 210 switching-related deaths analyzed since 1992. 

Recent Death Underscores SOFA Alert 

The alert follows a tragic incident on December 13, 2025, in which a conductor (and a SMART-TD Brother) was fatally injured during a shove move while switching cars.  

According to the SOFA alert, the incident occurred during a set out of a long block of empty cars. After stopping on the main line, the conductor cut away from the rear block of cars and pulled ahead to line the switch back into the siding. However, the cars remaining on the main were left in the foul (beyond the clearance point). Subsequently, the shove move was initiated into the siding and struck the cars that were left in the foul on the main, resulting in an impact that derailed equipment and trapped the conductor underneath, leading to his fatal injuries. 

SMART Transportation Division (SMART-TD) President Jeremy Ferguson said the alert is a sobering reminder of the responsibility railroaders carry, not just for themselves, but for one another. 

“Staying vigilant and focused on personal safety is critical, especially with the distractions that come with this time of year,” Ferguson said. “But just as important is being your brothers’ and sisters’ keeper. We have to look out for one another, work safely for the crew behind us, and never lose sight of the fact that every single one of us deserves to get home safely at the end of our shift.” 

SMART-TD encourages all members to read this SOFA Alert and to take it seriously. Please discuss it during job briefings, and recommit to clear communication, proper clearances, and stopping movements when something doesn’t look or feel right. Safety is not just an individual obligation. It is a shared responsibility across the entire crew and our entire union family.