Safety

WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration has proposed a rule that would make it easier for the public to report unsafe conditions at highway-rail grade crossings.

OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific Railroad’s 2010 employee safety performance was the best in the company’s nearly 150-year history, the railroad said. Union Pacific’s full-year employee reportable injury rate was 1.37, a 6 percent improvement over the previous best of 1.45 established in 2009. A company’s injury rate is calculated using the number of injuries per 200,000 worker hours, which is equivalent to the number of hours worked by 100 full-time employees in a year. “Employees being more aware of risk, improving and standardizing best practices and embracing Total Safety Culture were key factors in our 2010 performance,” said Bob

WASHINGTON — National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Deborah A. P. Hersman said accident investigations highlight the need for a new perspective on safety culture, record-keeping and aging infrastructure. In a speech to the audience at the Transportation Research Board (TRB) conference, Hersman discussed four investigations across all modes of transportation. She highlighted several accidents that claimed the lives of dozens and encouraged attendees to embrace lessons learned to prevent future accidents. “If you’re going to build a transportation project that’s going to stand for decades, the foundation of future operating decisions may well be based on the original documentation. Make sure your records stand the test of time,” Hersman said. Hersman