RailWorks Announces Quarterly Safety Incentive Winners
RailWorks’ Quarterly Safety Incentive Program recognizes employees who are true champions for safety. These are individuals demonstrate leadership and courage by taking charge to improve safety.
Congratulations to the following three individuals who are the Safety Incentive award winners for the fourth quarter of 2009.
Gerald Boyer , RailWorks Track Systems, Fremont, NE – Driver Gerald Boyer showed his commitment to safety by hesitating to operate a piece of equipment when he felt uneasy about its controls. After making a jobsite delivery, Gerald unstrapped his load and helped the loader operator unload pallets of material from a trailer. When the pallets were unloaded, he noticed a Speed Swing on the trailer that needed to be unloaded. Because the controls were in locations unfamiliar to him, he wasn’t comfortable driving it off the trailer.
Even as he made his foreman aware of his reservations, Gerald made a phone call in an attempt to familiarize himself before potentially maneuvering the Speed Swing. He was willing to drive if need be, but luckily, the foreman was familiar with the equipment and ultimately drove it off the trailer.
Gerald could have remained mum about his qualms and given it a go, but at what risk? Instead, he trusted his instincts, put safety first, and spoke up. Gerald’s smart choices meant RailWorks came away without an incident.
Chris Connelly , RailWorks Track Services, Youngstown, OH – While working on the Fort Drum, NY, project installing new switch materials, Foreman Chris Connelly noticed Operator Butch Litzinger, who was opening a switch point, seemed disoriented and unsteady on his feet. Butch caught Chris’ eye and said he felt light-headed. With zero degree temperatures and a wind chill of minus 10, Chris suggested that Butch go to the truck and take a break.
As Butch was walking toward the truck, he collapsed into the snow. Chris immediately dialed directly into the Fort Drum Base emergency headquarters, and an ambulance was dispatched. Butch was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was diagnosed with a pre-existing medical condition.
Because Chris followed Alutiiq safety procedures, which he had been trained on only hours before this incident, he was awarded a safety certificate.
Brad Soliday, RailWorks Track Services, Youngstown, OH – Brad Soliday, who works as an equipment operator, suggested that RailWorks add high-intensity flashing strobe lights to tool trucks' headlights and taillights. These lights provide advance warning for oncoming motorists in situations where employees are working in close proximity to active travel lanes. They can be seen from a greater distance than standard head- or taillights and provide warning to oncoming traffic that a vehicle is stopped.
RailWorks took Brad up on his idea, adding the high-intensity strobes in one crew truck. The move has proved to be a valuable safety tool for employees who work at night, or at railroad crossings where they must be in close range of motor vehicle traffic.
RailWorks now plans to make the lights standard equipment on any new crew trucks leased in the future. Kudos to Brad for taking the initiative leading to a successful safety upgrade.
