New Jersey Track Worker Killed in Equipment Accident
A New Jersey Transit worker who had reportedly been a track man with the department for over a decade was killed last week in an accident involving track equipment. Details were not released to the media, other than to say he was transported after the accident happened around 1:30 p.m., and died a short time later at the hospital.
The accident is under investigation by the NJ Transit Police and the Federal Railroad Administration.
Track work is dangerous work. With the heavy equipment and the trains, the risk of an accident is always present. But as in other work that can be classified as construction-related, the risks are significantly decreased when safety precautions are taken by you, the worker, and your employer.
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) official website offers numerous safety publications for those who work on rail line construction and maintenance.
According to the FRA:
The Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) primary function is ensuring the safety of the nation’s approximately 700 railroads. FRA strategically monitors the nation’s rail transportation system for compliance with federal safety regulations, and utilizes a variety of methods to encourage railroads and shippers to meet or exceed federal regulations, and remedy all defects and violations in the most timely manner possible.
While they cover railroad safety for passengers and train workers, they are also responsible for regulations and safety practices for those who keep the trains running smoothly on new tracks and well-maintained lines.
Accidents involving workers on these lines are reported to the FRA rather than OSHA. This has been true even before the creation of OSHA back in 1970. In recent years, however, the agencies have begun sharing some of the responsibility. The N.J. transit worker’s accident mentioned above is investigated by FRA rather than OSHA because it falls under one of the five areas the FRA handles, which include:
- Track, roadbed, and associated devices and structures
- Equipment
- Operating practices
- Signaling and train control
- Hazardous materials transported by rail.
The FRA, then, will investigate the accident to see how it may have been prevented and perhaps even hold the worker’s employer accountable if it’s found there were serious shortcomings in the safety practices on his job site.
Construction Accident Attorneys of Ginarte
At Ginarte, we know that construction workers in all industries have particularly dangerous jobs. And whether you work on a high-rise or the rail yards, you go to work every day and face risks. When you are hurt on the job, you need someone to go to bat for you.
If you’ve been injured while working on a construction site, contact our offices today. Our New Jersey construction accident lawyers can be reached at 888-GINARTE for a free consultation. We have law offices in New York and New Jersey.
