JOC Staff | Jan 16, 2013 2:31PM EST
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has signed an agreement with Fort Worth, Texas-based BNSF Railway announcing BNSF’s voluntary revision of several personnel policies.
OSHA alleged that BNSF's employee practices violated the whistle-blower provisions of the Federal Railroad Safety Act and discouraged workers from reporting on-the-job injuries. Among other acts, FRSA’s Section 20109 protects railroad workers from retaliation for reporting violations of federal laws and regulations related to railroad safety and security.
The agreement sets the tone for other railroad employers throughout the U.S. to take steps to ensure that their workers are protected from harassment, intimidation or termination for reporting workplace injuries, according to David Michaels, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health.