Union Pacific says its commitment to safety has helped drive down incidents at grade crossings across the company’s 23-state network.
So far this year, Union Pacific’s public safety rate improved 11 percent to 1.97 compared to the same time frame in 2014. The rate measures the total number of Federal Railroad Administration reportable grade crossing accidents per million train miles.
In addition to hosting hundreds of UP CARES events annually, and conducting radio and billboard rail safety reminders, Union Pacific launched its first social media-based campaign in June. The company is urging photographers taking high school senior photos to stay off the tracks.
In its first month, more than half a million Facebook and Twitter users were reached through the campaign, which can be viewed at up.com/photosafety.
In addition, Union Pacific said its employees made gains on the workplace safety front.
Union Pacific‘s employees achieved a 0.81 reportable injury rate for the second-quarter, improving 19 percent over the same period last year. Year-to-date, employees recorded a 0.82 reportable injury rate, compared to 1.06 year-to-date in 2014.
A railroad’s reportable injury rate is the total number of injuries reported to the Federal Railroad Administration per 200,000 employee hours, which is equivalent to 100 employees working a full year.
