Switching Operations Fatality Analysis 

Severe Injuries 

to 

Train and Engine Service Employees: 

Data Description and Injury Characteristics 

July 2001
SOFA WORKING GROUP 

May , 200 1

Danny Boyles 

Georgia State Legislative Board Director 

United Transportation Union (UTU) 

 David Bricky 

Michigan State Legislative Director 

United Transportation Union (UTU) 

William M. Browler 

Director of Operations 

Association of American Railroads (AAR) 

 Michael K. Coplen 

Program Manager 

Federal l Railroad Administration (FRA) 

Raymond Holmes 

Texas Legislative Board Chairman 

Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers (BLE) 

Charles E. Dettmann 

Executive Vice President 

Association of American Railroads (AAR) 

George, J. Last 

Colorado Legislative Board Chairman 

Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers (BLE) 

Thomas J. Perkovich 

Minnesota State Legislative Board Chairman 

Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers (BL) 

Matthew B. Reilly, Jr. 

Executive Director, Federal & Industry 

American Short Unand Regional Railroad 

Association (ALMA) 

Gary R. Shields 

Director of Business Development 

Subsidiary Railroads of Bethlehem Steel Corporation 

American Short Line and Regional Railroad 

Association (ASLRRA) 

 David Skinner 

Economist 

John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems 

Center 

John P. Smullen 

Minnesota State Legislative Director 

United Transportation Union (UTU) 
v

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

Section Page

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................ vii 

1. Introduction........................................................................................................................1 

 1.1 Origins of the SOFA Working Group......................................................................1 

 1.2 SOFA Group Activities and Reason for Investigating Severe Injuries ...................1 

 1.3 Studying Severe Injuries..........................................................................................2

2. Description of Severe Injuries and Data..........................................................................5 

2.1 Severe Injuries .........................................................................................................5 

2.2 Severe Injury Period of Investigation ......................................................................7 

2.3 Railroad Employees Incurring Severe Injuries........................................................7 

2.4 Organizing the Severe Injury Data ..........................................................................8 

2.5 Severe Injury Information Contained in Injury Record...........................................8 

3. Distribution of Severe Injuries .......................................................................................11 

3.1 Severe Injury Types and Body Location ...............................................................11 

3.2 Number of Severe Injuries: 1997 to 2000..............................................................11 

4. Summary of Severe Injuries ...........................................................................................17 

 

4.1 Frequency of Severe Injuries by Track Location...................................................17 

4.2 Statements about Frequency of Severe Injuries by Track Location ......................17 

4.3 Classification Exercise of Narrative from FORM FRA F 6180.55a ....................19 

4.4 Conclusion on Severe Injury Data .........................................................................20

Appendix A: FORM F 6180.55a.................................................................................................47 

Appendix B: FORM F 6180.55a Data File Structure ...............................................................55 
vi

 LIST OF FIGURES 

Figure Page

1 Composition of 446 Severe Injuries, January 1, 1997 to March 31, 2000 ................................12 

2 Types of Fractures, January 1, 1997 to March 31, 2000 ...........................................................12 

3 Types of Amputations, January 1, 1997 to March 31, 2000......................................................13 

4 Types of Burns and Electric Shocks, January 1, 1997 to March 31, 2000................................13 

5 Amputations, 1980 to 1999........................................................................................................14 

6 Amputations and FEs, 1980 to 1999..........................................................................................15 

LIST OF TABLES 

Table Page

1 Severe Injury Types by Body Location .........................................................................................6 

2 Relationship of Severe Injuries to Fatalities, All-Other Injuries, and Illnesses, 

 January 1, 1997 to March 31, 2000 ...............................................................................................6 

3 Illnesses Contained in Severe Injuries...........................................................................................7 

4 Information Types Available for Severe Injuries ..........................................................................9 

5 Severe Injuries by Year and Month, January 1997 to December 2000 .........................................14 

6 446 Severe Injuries by 15 Attributes and 7 Track Locations ........................................................21 

7 399 of 446 Severe Injuries Reported by Job Code and Track Location, 

 January 1, 1997 to March 31, 2000 ...............................................................................................35 

8 109 Severe Injuries Containing Narrative, 1997 to 1999 ...............................................................36 
vii

executive summary 

• This report describes one of the safety activities the SOFA (Switching Operations Fatality 

Analysis) Working Group has been involved in since issuing the final report, Findings and 

Recommendations of the SOFA Working Group of October 1999. That report, based on an 

extensive investigation into 76 employee fatalities (FEs) occurring during the period January 

1, 1992 to July 1, 1998, made five safety recommendations to reduce the number of FEs 

occurring among employees engaged in railroad switching operations. THE FIVE 

LIFESAVERS were developed from these SOFA recommendations. 

• The Working Group also recommended in the final report that (1) training programs be 

directed toward protecting employees against unexpected train movement; (2) Crew 

Resource Management (CRM) be undertaken to enhance intra-crew communication; and (3) 

Severe Injuries be studied, the thought being that Severe Injuries may have a similar 

possible-contributing-factors basis as FEs. This report examines the data available for 

Severe Injuries. 

• In its final report, The Working Group made recommendations to the Federal Railroad 

Administration (FRA) to modify FE data collection procedures, and to continue to review 

and monitor that data by (1) establishing and maintaining objective FE data; (2) providing 

computer support to the data collection process; and (3) modifying the FRA’s data collection 

process to include a team concept. 

• With the knowledge gained of possible contributing factors of FEs, the SOFA Working 

Group extended its investigation to approximately 135 Severe Injuries that occur each year to 

train and engine service employees. In doing so, the Working Group was particularly 

interested in three issues: 

1. types of information available about these Severe Injury events, recognizing that 

these events are not investigated or reported like FEs; 

2. extent to which the available information will allow the determination of whether 

these injuries have similar contributing factors as FEs, or whether different processes 

are involved; and 

3. potential for making recommendations in operating procedures that may prevent 

these Severe Injuries. 

• “Severe Injuries” were defined by the Working Group as FRA-reportable injuries to train 

and engine service employees that have a clear and verifiable diagnosis and meet one or 

more of the following four criteria: (1) potentially life threatening; (2) high likelihood of 

permanent loss of function, permanent occupational limitation, or other permanent 

disability; (3) likely to result in significant work restrictions; and (4) result from a high 

energy impact to the human body. 
viii

• Severe Injuries have remained fairly constant in number over recent years, being 

respectively 139, 137, 135, and 134 from 1997 to 2000. 

• In examining the injury data, the SOFA Working Group could not link any of its five 

safety recommendations to Severe Injury events. Data available on Severe Injuries is not 

as detailed as that collected on FEs. Hence, this report is concerned with the types of 

information currently available about Severe Injuries. 

• The SOFA Working Group makes this information available in the interest of railroad 

safety. 
1

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 ORIGINS OF THE SOFA WORKING GROUP 

In February 1998, a Switching Operations Fatalities Analysis (SOFA) Working Group, with 

representatives from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), labor, and management was 

formed at the request of the FRA to review recent employee fatalities and to develop 

recommendations for reducing fatalities in switching operations. 

The charge to the Working Group was contained in a letter from George A. Gavalla, Associate 

Administrator for Safety, of the FRA, to the following four organizations: Association of 

American Railroads (AAR), American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association 

(ASLRRA), Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers (BLE), and the United Transportation Union 

(UTU). It proposed that the group, “Conduct a detailed fact-finding review and analysis of these 

incidents to determine whether trends or patterns can be found, identify best practices, and, if 

possible, formulate recommendations for the entire industry based on its findings.” 

The SOFA Working Group’s study of fatality events to train and engine service employees, as 

described below, led to the investigation of Severe Injuries. 

1.2 SOFA GROUP ACTIVITIES AND REASON FOR INVESTIGATING SEVERE 

 INJURIES 

Upon completing the SOFA Report, Findings and Recommendations of the SOFA Working 

Group, of October 1999, the SOFA Working Group became actively involved in implementing 

the five safety recommendations contained in that report. These recommendations hold much 

promise to reduce the 11-on-average employee fatalities (FEs) that occur each year among 

railroad employees engaged in switching operations. 

The Working Group also recommended in the final report that (1) training programs be directed 

toward protecting employees against unexpected train movement; (2) Crew Resource 

Management (CRM) be undertaken to enhance intra-crew communication; and (3) Severe 

Injuries be studied, the thought being that Severe Injuries may have a similar possiblecontributing-factors basis as FEs.1

 This latter consideration forms the basis for this report. 

Since the issuance of its final report, the SOFA Working Group continues to examine the 

circumstances of any new FEs. These new FEs are coded into the SOFA Matrix along with the 

76 FEs occurring during the period January 1, 1992 to July 1, 1998, upon which the five safety 

recommendations were based. At the time of publication of this report, the SOFA Matrix 

contained 91 FEs with at least 10 more FEs to be coded and entered. This SOFA Working Group 

activity, of keeping the SOFA Matrix current, allows further analysis of FE-causing events — 

 

1

 In its final report, The Working Group made recommendations to the FRA to modify FE data collection 

procedures, and to continue to review and monitor that data by (1) establishing and maintaining objective FE data; 

(2) providing computer support to the data collection process; and (3) modifying the FRA’s data collection process 

to include a team concept. 
2

particularly rare events — as well as an evaluation of the effects of the five safety 

recommendations. 

Once they documented the factual basis of each FE, the SOFA Working Group members used 

their years of diverse, railroad-switching experience to identify the possible contributing factors 

(PCFs) of each FE. The Working Group then classified FEs having similar PCFs to provide the 

evidence for each of the five major findings and recommendations. Statistical analysis was not 

appropriate because of the small number of FEs and the multitude of different circumstances 

surrounding the FEs. 

As was urged in its final report, the SOFA Working Group has undertaken the activity of trying 

to understand the approximately 135 Severe Injuries that occur each year to railroad employees 

engaged in switching operations. These injuries have been named Severe Injuries. Essentially, 

these injuries are comprised of any body-part amputations; bone fractures, except those below 

the elbow or ankle; burns and shocks to the neck and face; neck dislocations; and loss of an 

eye(s). Severe Injuries are further defined and discussed in the subsequent section of this report. 

In trying to understand the approximately 135 Severe Injury events that presently occur yearly to 

train and engine service employees, the SOFA Working Group is, once again, using its years of 

railroad-switching experience in trying to interpret the available Severe Injury data. 

1.3 STUDYING SEVERE INJURIES 

The purpose of examining Severe Injuries is the same as studying FEs: to understand the 

sequence of operational actions and background conditions leading up to a traumatic event; and 

to make — if the evidence warrants — recommendations in operating procedures and practices 

which would prevent future such occurrences. 

In examining Severe Injuries, the Working Group is particularly interested in three issues: 

1. types of information available about these Severe Injury events, recognizing that injuries 

are not investigated or reported like FEs; 

2. extent to which the available information will allow the determination of whether these 

injuries have similar contributing factors as FEs, or whether different processes are 

involved; and 

3. potential for making recommendations in operating procedures that may prevent these 

Severe Injuries. 

The SOFA Working Group used their experience gained during the examination of each FE in 

developing the SOFA final report, as well as factors found common to many of the 76 FEs, in 

trying to interpret the injury data. The SOFA Working Group determined that data collected on 

Severe Injuries was much less comprehensive than that collected during FE investigations. 

Hence, it is not possible to construct a “Severe Injury Matrix” similar to the SOFA Matrix for 

FEs that can contain as many as 200 pieces of qualitative and quantitative information per 

fatality. Therefore, the discovery of the factual basis of preceding actions on the part of the 
3

injured employee and related crewmembers, as well as the background conditions, cannot be 

fully known from the information railroads submit on FORM FRA F 6180.55a. The injury data 

does not provide the information that the FE data does on each trauma event. Consequently, the 

SOFA Working Group found that the significant level of supporting evidence for the major 

findings and recommendations in the SOFA final report cannot be achieved with the available 

injury data. 

It should be emphasized that the SOFA Working Group evaluations of the injury data includes 

their knowledge developed from detailed examination of FEs. Other groups, with different needs 

and experiences, may have different perspectives of the relevancy of the injury data to their 

mission. 
4
5

2. DESCRIPTION OF SEVERE INJURIES AND DATA

2.1 SEVERE INJURIES

“Severe Injuries” were defined by the Working Group as FRA-reportable injuries to train and 

engine service employees that have a clear and verifiable diagnosis and met one or more of the 

following four criteria: (1) potentially life threatening; (2) high likelihood of permanent loss of 

function, permanent occupational limitation, or other permanent disability; (3) likely to result in 

significant work restrictions; or (4) result from a high energy impact to the human body. The 

nature of these injuries is shown in Table 1. 

Under this classification system, the SOFA Working Group partitioned trauma into three groups: 

The first category is All-Other Injuries which are the less serious and includes lacerations, 

sprains, and strains often resulting from falling or over exertion. The second category is Severe 

Injuries as defined in this report by the SOFA Working Group and the third category of railroadrelated trauma to employees is Fatalities. The vast majority of injuries to employees -- some 96 

percent -- are All-Other Injuries. Table 2 shows the distribution of injuries among the three 

classes defined above for January 1, 1997 to March 31, 2000. (Note: The Severe Injury data in 

this report may be for different time periods. This difference is explained in the next section, 

Severe Injury Period of Investigation.) 

The definition of “Severe Injuries” potentially includes 19 different types of severe illnesses, 

whose onset occurs on railroad property. These 19 potential types of illnesses are shown in Table 

3. These illnesses, although not the result of a high-energy impact to the human body, may be 

life or career threatening. Over the 3-year period from 1997 to 1999, there were actually 18 cases 

of a severe illness. Most were “Heat/Sun Stroke” and “Freezing/Frostbite.” The SOFA Working 

Group is not currently examining illnesses. 

As mentioned above, the SOFA Working Group examined the train and engine service employee 

injury data with the experience achieved from detailed investigation and understanding of the 

circumstances commonly found leading up to FE events. Since Severe Injuries are not 

investigated and reported in depth like FEs, the discovery of actions preceding an injury, with 

the background and enabling conditions, cannot always be fully identified. It was this 

information that the SOFA Working Group found invaluable in developing the five major 

findings and recommendations. 

The SOFA Working Group cannot conclusively identify whether one or more of the five 

recommendations applied to a particular Severe Injury event. Hence, this report can only be 

descriptive in nature concerning Severe Injuries and the injury data. Knowing that, the SOFA 

Working Group is now releasing this report. Others, with different needs and experiences, may 

examine the injury data with different valuations of its usefulness to their mission. 
6

Table 1. Severe Injuries Types and Body Location 

Type Body Location 

 

Fracture Upper arm, upper leg, knee, lower leg, ankle, heel, 

eye, skull, neck, spine, upper back, lower back, 

shoulder, collar bone, rib/rib cage, hips, and multiple 

fractures 

Amputation Any body part 

Dislocation Neck 

Loss of eye One or both 

Electric 

shock/burn 

 Eye, ear, nose, mouth/teeth, skull, and neck 

Other burn Eye, ear, nose, mouth/teeth, skull, and neck 

Table 2. Relationship of Severe Injuries to Fatalities, All-Other Injuries, 

and Illnesses, January 1, 1997 to March 31, 2000 

All Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities 

 less not-on-duty Injuries, Illnesses, and 

Fatalities 

358

 12,241 

On-Duty Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities 

 less Fatalities 61

 11,883

On-Duty Injuries and Illnesses 

 less Illnesses contained in All-Other Injuries 

 less Illnesses contained in Severe Injuries 

184

18

 11,822

 202 

All On-Duty Injuries net of Illnesses 

 less All-Other Injuries 11,174

 11,620 

All Severe Injuries 

 less fractures (80%) 

 less amputations (16%) 

 less burns (4%) 

 less dislocations (.2%) 

356

69

20

1

 446

 446 0 
7

Table 3. Potential Illnesses Contained in Severe Injuries 

Dust diseases (lung) Poisoning, lead, mercury, etc. Freezing/frostbite 

Silicosis Poisoning, gases Noise-induced hearing loss 

Asbestosis Poisoning, solvents Anthrax 

Coal worker’s pneumoconiosis Poisoning, insecticides Brucellosis 

Byssinosis Poisoning, chemicals Malignant tumors 

Pneumoconiosis, other Poisoning, miscellaneous 

Poisoning (toxic material) Heat/sun stroke 

2.2 SEVERE INJURY PERIOD OF INVESTIGATION 

The SOFA Working Group established the start date for the Severe Injury investigation as 1997. 

The Working Group thought this starting point would be the most productive. Prior to 1997, the 

injury reporting form, FORM FRA F 6180.55a, did not include the seven “circumstance” codes. 

These codes are among the most important pieces of information in establishing where the 

employee was before the injury, what the employee was doing, the injury event itself, and the 

nature and body location of the injury. These circumstance codes correspond to some of the most 

useful information used by the SOFA Working Group in their detailed examination of FEs. 

The SOFA Working Group held meetings on a continuing basis at which data and information 

on Severe Injuries were examined. The Severe Injury data were assembled from 1997 up to a 

time, depending on when the injury data became available on the FRA web site, which 

corresponded to the SOFA Working Group’s next meeting date. The investigation of the train 

and engine service employees Severe Injury data has been, and continues to be, an ongoing 

process. The first investigation was done with injury data through March 31, 2000. A subsequent 

effort was done with an additional 3 months of data through June 30, 2000. An analysis using the 

narrative contained in the injury data was done for 3 full years from 1997 to 1999. Thus, some of 

the exhibits presented in this report, containing Severe Injury data of different time periods, are 

“working papers” of the SOFA Group.

2.3 RAILROAD EMPLOYEES INCURRING SEVERE INJURIES 

Severe Injuries occurring to train and engine service employees (600 series job codes) were 

compiled for slightly more crafts within the 600 series job code than those crafts involved during 

the SOFA study period from January 1, 1992 to July 1, 1998. Craft employee fatality job codes 

were 600, 608, 609, 612-618.2

 In addition to those codes, the Severe Injuries also include the 

following train and engine service job codes: 601-switchtenders, 603-outside hostlers, 606-road 

passenger conductors, 607-assistant road passenger conductors, 611-lead passenger brakemen 

 

2

 600-Transportation, Train and Engine (other), 608-Road Freight Conductors (Through Freight), 609-Road Freight 

Conductors (Local and Way Freight), 612-Road Freight Brakemen and Flagmen (Through Freight), 613-Road 

Freight Brakemen (Local and Way Freight), 614-Yard Conductors and Yard Foremen, 615-Yard Brakemen and 

Yard Helpers, 616-Road Passenger Engineers and Motormen, 617-Road Freight Engineers (Through Freight), 618-

Road Freight Engineers (Through Freight). 

 
8

and flagmen, 619-yard engineers, and 623-road freight firemen and helpers (local and way 

freight). 

2.4 ORGANIZING THE SEVERE INJURY DATA

The Severe Injury data, as mentioned above, were taken from FRA’s Office of Safety Analysis 

Web site.3 The train and engine service employee injury files were contained in the FRA 

Casualty File (FORM FRA 6180.55a). That injury data were downloaded to an Excel4

spreadsheet. An SAS5 program was written to process and analyze that data contained in, and 

inputted from, the Excel file. The SAS program, as well as the processed and tabulated data, 

contained information from the FRA Guide for Preparing Accident/Incident Reports 

(DOT/FRA/RRS-22, January 1997) which allowed verbal definitions to be appended to the 

alphanumeric-coded information contained in the injury files, facilitating interpretation of 

information by the Working Group. 

2.5 SEVERE INJURIES INFORMATION CONTAINED IN INJURY RECORD 

There are 47 separate data fields from FORM FRA F 6180.55a (Appendix A) that have been 

entered into the FRA Casualty File beginning in 1997 and continuing to the present for each 

injury event required to be reported to the FRA. Three of these fields are “blank data expansion 

fields” as shown in Appendix B. “Year” is expressed in two different fields, one having 2-digit 

coding and one added later with 4-digit coding for Y2K compliance. “Month” and “day” of the 

injury occurrence are given in separate fields. “Time” is contained in three fields. Hence, it is 

more informative to discuss the types of information available in the casualty file rather than the 

file structure itself. 

Table 4 shows the separate types of information available for a Severe Injury event. As 

mentioned above, among the most important variables in terms of trying to recreate the sequence 

of events preceding an injury are the seven circumstance codes added to the FRA reporting 

FORM FRA F 6180.55a starting in 1997. Many of the injury variables are important 

administratively to record injury events. However, only a limited amount of that information was 

used by the SOFA Working Group in analyzing FEs. As mentioned the Working Group is 

particularly interested in information that establishes the sequence of events and background 

conditions that would lead to a Severe Injury. Items 9 through 12 of Table 4 contain the types of 

information that are the most informative to the SOFA Working Group. It is with this 

information that the SOFA Group has focused its investigation of the circumstances surrounding 

Severe Injuries. With this information, the SOFA Working Group came to understand the 

inherent limitations of the available injury data. 

Item 12 of Table 4 is worth mentioning. It represents a short narrative that can be provided in 

injury reporting. Not all records contain narrative. A railroad uses the narrative to “further 

 

3

 http://safetydata.fra.dot.gov/officeofsafety 

4

 Copyright MICROSOFT. 

5

 Copyright 1988 by SAS Institute Inc., North Carolina. 
9

explain unusual circumstances surrounding a worker’s injury or illness using up to 250 

characters. Completion of this narrative is mandatory for the reporting railroad unless the injury 

or illness can be adequately described using all other entries (information blocks) on the form.” 6

In a subsequent part of this report, an analysis of these narratives is presented for the 

approximately 25 percent of Serious Injury cases that contained such narratives for the years 

1997 to 1999. 

Table 4. Information Types Available for Severe Injuries 

Item 

# 

Information Type Variables 

1 Record identification -Incident number 

2 Date and time -Date of injury occurrence 

-Time of injury 

3 Railroad -Reporting railroad 

-Type railroad: ICC categories 

4 Geographic location -City, county, and state 

-FRA designated region 

5 Reporting extent -Whether additional FRA forms were filed 

6 Work missed -Days absent or restricted 

-Whether employee was suspended or transferred 

7 Hazardous material exposure -Whether injury involved exposure to hazardous material 

8 Alcohol and drug testing -Number of positive alcohol and drug tests 

9 Employee -Type person injured, i.e., “employee on duty” 

-Job occupation, i.e., “road conductor” 

-Age 

10 Injury or death -Type and location of injury 

-Whether death occurred 

11 Circumstance codes -Physical act worker was doing before injury 

-General location of worker before injury, i.e., yard, main/branch 

-Specific location of worker before injury, i.e., beside track 

-Equipment location, i.e., freight car moving, locomotive standing 

-Event causing injury, i.e., lost balance, slipped... 

-Tools, machinery, appliances, structures, surfaces (etc.), i.e., 

ground, ballast 

-Injury cause, i.e., human factors, environmental, equipment 

12 Written description -Narrative 

 

6

 Chapter 6 – Page 19. FRA Guide for Preparing Accident/Incident Reports. January 1997. DOT/FRA/RRS-22 
10
11

3. DISTRIBUTION OF SEVERE INJURIES

3.1 SEVERE INJURIES TYPES AND BODY LOCATION 

As shown in Figure 1, the types of Severe Injuries of the 446 that occurred during the period 

from January 1, 1997 to March 31, 2000, consisted of 356 fractures (80%), 69 amputations 

(16%), 20 burns and electric shocks (4%), 1 dislocation (.02%), and no loss of eyes. The vast 

majority were fractures. As mentioned, all fractures are Severe Injuries except those to the lower 

arm or toes. Any amputation of a body part is a Severe Injury. An electric shock or burn to the 

neck or head is a Severe Injury as is a loss of one or both eyes or a dislocation of the neck. 

Fractures 

Looking at specific injury types, as shown in Figure 2, most fractures of the 356 that occurred 

were to ankle (32%), or ribs or sternum (25%). Twenty-seven lower leg (7.6%) and 25 knee 

(7.0%) comprise the next largest fracture grouping. All other fracture body locations are each 

less than 5 percent of the 356 total fractures. 

Amputations 

As shown in Figure 3, 40 of 69 (58%) amputations were to the leg, foot, or toes and 28 (41%) 

were to the arm and finger. There was one amputation of the head or face (an ear) during the 

period from January 1, 1997 to March 31, 2000. 

Burns and Electrical Shocks 

Figure 4 shows that there were 20 burns and electric shocks for the period. Five each were to the 

eye, skull, or scalp. There were also five burns and electrical shocks that were classified as 

“unidentified.” 

Neck Dislocation 

There was one neck dislocation during the period. 

Loss of an Eye 

There was no loss of an eye during the period from January 1, 1997 to March 31, 2000. 

3.2 NUMBER OF SEVERE INJURIES: 1997 TO 2000 

In the recent full years, 1997 to 2000, Severe Injuries remained fairly constant in number, being 

respectively for those years 139, 137, 135, and 134 Severe Injuries, as shown in Table 5. 

The Severe Injury series cannot be constructed back through time before 1997 on a consistent 

basis. Prior to 1997, there is no specific information on the type of fracture that will allow arm or 

foot extremities to be selected out. However, one component of the Severe Injuries series, 

amputations, can be. Amputations back to 1980 are shown in Figure 5. Figure 6 shows 

amputations and FEs for the time period also back to 1980. Note there is the appearance of an 

inverse relationship between amputations and FEs. Generally for any year, if FEs are relatively 

high, then amputations tend to be low. The reverse is also true. However, the relationship is not 

exact. 
12

1 (.2%) 0 0

20 (4.5%)

69 (15.5%)

356 (79.8%)

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

fractures amputations electric shocks

and burns

dislocation other burns loss of eye(s)

number 

Figure 1. Composition of 446 Severe Injuries, January 1, 1997 to March 31, 2000 

89

27 25

15 14 11 11 9 9 8 7 6 4 4 2

115

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

ankle

ribs/sternum

lower leg

knee

hip/buttocks

shoulder

lower back-muscular

upper leg

collar bone

upper arm

unidentified

heel

spine/spinal cord

neck/throat

skull/scalp

upper back-muscular

number

Figure 2. Types of Fractures, January 1, 1997 to March 31, 2000 
13

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

leg or foot

toes

unidentified

thumb or fingers

hand-general

upper arm

wrist

unidentified

ear

number 

Figure 3. Types of Amputation, January 1, 1997 to March 31, 2000 

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

eye skull/scalp unidentified neck/throat mouth/teeth

number 

Figure 4. Types of Burns and Shocks, January 1, 1997 to March 31, 2000
14

Table 5. Severe Injuries by Year and Month, January 1997 to December 2000 

Month 1997 1998 1999 2000 Average

 

January 11 13 16 15 13.8

February 17 15 9 9 12.5

March 14 12 17 11 13.5

April 8 10 6 9 8.3

May 6 12 8 8 8.5

June 9 10 8 11 9.5

July 9 14 10 8 10.3

August 13 10 11 14 12.0

September 10 11 15 10 11.5

October 12 12 16 9 12.3

November 12 9 12 9 10.5

December 18 9 7 21 13.8

 

TOTAL 139 137 135 134 136.3

66

49

37

30

34

27

24

15

25

20 21 22 20

17

21 21

26

20

27

18

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999

year

number

Figure 5. Amputations, 1980 to 1999
15

66

49

30

34

27

24

15

25

20 21 22 20

17

21 21

26

20

27

18

37

11 10 11

7

12 11

15 14

10

7

9 9 10

13

10

12

15

24

18

33

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999

year

number

Figure 6. Amputations and FEs, 1980 to 1999
16
17

4. SUMMARY OF SEVERE INJURIES 

4.1 FREQUENCY OF SEVERE INJURIES BY TRACK LOCATION 

Using the Severe Injury data for the period from January 1, 1997 to March 31, 2000, the 

frequency of selective attribute variables were calculated based on the track location where the 

injury occurred. (Track location is one of the seven circumstance codes discussed in Section 

2.3.) For instance, the frequency of occurrence for the job code related to the injured employee 

was calculated based on seven track locations: yard, mainline/branch line, industry, siding, 

highway/roadway, passenger terminal, and other. In addition to the remaining six circumstance 

codes, there are nine other attributes for which the frequency of injuries are calculated by track 

location: job code, injury type, body location of injury, year, month, day, time of day, age, and 

railroad. The calculated frequencies for the 15 variables are shown in Table 6 for 446 Severe 

Injuries that occurred among the 16 job codes from January 1, 1997 to March 31, 2000. 

4.2 STATEMENTS ABOUT FREQUENCY OF SEVERE INJURIES BY TRACK 

 LOCATION 

To look at Severe Injuries for just yard and road crews, a slightly smaller group of track 

locations and job codes were used. This reduced set contained 399 Severe Injuries. Track 

locations were yard, mainline/branch line, industry, and siding. The following job codes were 

used for yard and road crews: 

• Yard crews consist of 619-engineers, 614-conductors, and 615-brakemen. 

• Road crews consist of 616-passenger engineer, 617-through freight engineer, 618-

local freight engineer, 606-passenger conductors, 607-assist. passenger conductor, 

608-through freight conductors, 609-local freight conductors, 612-freight 

brakemen and flagmen, and 613-freight brakemen and flagmen. 

The following observations, based on the information presented in Tables 6 and 7, are an 

example of how the Severe Injury data might be used in trying to understand the injury process. 

When there is mention of yard and road crews, the information came from the restricted number 

of job codes and track locations given in Table 7. 

• The total number of Severe Injuries has remained nearly the same during the years 1997, 

1998, 1999, and the first quarter of the year 2000. 

• Half the total number of Severe Injuries occurred in the yard during the years 1997, 1998, 

1999, and the first quarter of the year 2000. 

• Forty-six percent of all Severe Injuries to road train and engine service crews occurred in 

yards. Road train and engine service crews sustained more Severe Injuries in the yards 

than yard train and engine service crews. 
18

• During the data period (3 years, 3 months), yard train and engine service employees 

sustained 35.6 percent of the total Severe Injuries, while road train and engine service 

employees sustained 64.4 percent of the total Severe Injuries. 

 

• Yard engineers sustained 12.7 percent of the total number of Severe Injuries to yard 

crews, while road engineers sustained 24.1 percent of the total number of Severe Injuries 

to road crews. 

• Yard train service employees sustained 87.3 percent of the total Severe Injuries to yard 

crews, while road train service employees sustained 75.9 percent of the total number of 

Severe Injuries to road crews. 

• During the data period, road freight engineers incurred 3.4 times as many Severe Injuries 

as yard engineers. 

• There were significantly more Severe Injuries in the yard during the months of January, 

February, and March than during the other months of the year. 

• Except for a significantly less number of Severe Injuries on Saturday at industry 

locations, there does not appear to be any significant differences in the day of the week 

when these Severe Injuries occurred in the yard or on the main track/branch line. 

• Significantly more Severe Injuries occurred in the first hour after midnight than during 

any other time of the day or night. 

• At all locations, many more Severe Injuries occurred to older employees, i.e., those over 

38 years of age. 

• Over 90 percent of the Severe Injuries during the data period were amputations and 

fractures. 

• Severe Injuries are six to seven times more likely to affect legs and feet than hands and 

arms. 

• Compared with fractures, there were twice as many amputation Severe Injuries that 

occurred in the yard and at industries than on the main track/branch line for the same 

period. 

• The proportion of “human factor” possible contributing factor (PCF) Severe Injuries to 

the total Severe Injuries is the same in the yard, on the main track/branch line, and at 

industries. 

• Over one half of the Severe Injuries in each identified location were impacted by “the 

ground, ballast, or floor” as the identified “tools, machinery, appliances, structures, 

surfaces, etc.” 
19

• More than one third of the Severe Injuries in each identified location had a PCF of human 

factors. 

• All the Severe Injuries “adjusting couplers” occurred in the yard. 

• Five times more Severe Injuries occurred in yards, and nine time more injuries occurred 

on the main track/branch lines, getting off rather than getting on equipment. 

• Severe Injuries resulting from the “environmental” PCF were significantly higher in the 

yard, compared with “environmental” PCF of Severe Injuries that occurred on “the main 

track/branch line” or at “industries.” 

4.3 CLASSIFICATION EXERCISE OF NARRATIVE FROM FORM FRA F 6180.55A 

The narrative description of the FORM FRA F 6180.55a was completed in about 25 percent (109 

events) of the Severe Injury cases. A reporting railroad does not necessarily have to fill in the 

narrative. This position in the form is provided because of the concern that the coded part of the 

form cannot provide all the information necessary for understanding the circumstances of an 

injury to a railroad employee. A railroad uses the narrative to “further explain unusual 

circumstances surrounding a worker’s injury or illness using up to 250 characters. Completion of 

this narrative is mandatory for the reporting railroad unless the injury or illness can be 

adequately described using all other entries (information blocks) on the form.” 7

At one of its meetings, the SOFA Working Group undertook an analysis of those narratives. 

With three pieces of coded information — “type injury,” “injury location,” and “event” — this 

analysis grouped each injury into categories as best as they could be understood. In some cases, 

the narrative the Working Group examined was not complete. This resulted from the narrative 

being truncated because data processing procedures used could not capture the entire record 

from the FRA’s web site.8

 In other cases, the record itself was not complete and/or contained 

typographic errors. 

The classification procedure was somewhat similar to an exercise performed on the 72 SOFA 

FEs at the very beginning of work on analyzing FEs after the SOFA Matrix had been 

constructed. (Note: four additional FEs were subsequently added to complete the SOFA Matrix 

on which the final SOFA Report was based.) However, the injury data classification could not be 

as rigorous or systematic as that undertaken with the FEs. 

The results of the classification are presented in Table 8. The SOFA Working Group created 14 

categories for the 109 Severe Injuries. The name of 12 of these categories was suggestive of a 

recurring event or circumstances that may have been a PCF of the Severe Injury. Two of those 

12 categories had the name of the first two of THE FIVE LIFESAVERS that were based on the 

five major findings and recommendations made in the SOFA Report. The narratives did not 

 

7

 Chapter 6 – Page 19. FRA Guide for Preparing Accident/Incident Reports. January 1997. DOT/FRA/RRS-22 8

 http://safetydata.fra.dot.gov/officeofsafety 
20

contain any information — like years of service or whether a safety briefing was held — to 

consider the other three LIFESAVERS. Two other categories contained injury records that were 

difficult to tell what transpired or where the unusual event had occurred. 

After performing this analysis, due to the lack of conclusive data, the Working Group recognized 

that it is not possible to conclusively establish if any of the five major findings and 

recommendations could have been applicable to the Severe Injuries sustained by train and engine 

service employees. This lack of certainty even applied to the two categories based on the first 

two LIFESAVERS. The SOFA Working Group concluded that, even if all Severe Injury 

information — coded and narrative — were considered simultaneously, no major findings or 

recommendations could be developed by using the data available. 

 4.4 CONCLUSION ON SEVERE INJURY DATA 

The SOFA Working Group looked at the injury data from the perspective of the knowledge 

gained from its detailed investigation of FEs where the circumstances surrounding and leading 

up to, a FE were identified. The Working Group realized that Severe Injuries are not investigated 

or reported the way FEs are; hence, it is not always possible to identify these circumstances. The 

implication of this is clear: it is not possible for the Working Group to tell if one or more of its 

five safety recommendations applies to a particular Severe Injury event. The SOFA Working 

Group makes this information available in the interest of railroad safety. 
yard

main/branch lineindustrysidinghighway/roadwaypassenger terminalotherrow totalrow 

JOB CODE

conductor, road freight-608 26 29 5 4 5 0 5 74 16.6%

conductor, yard-614 51 3 17 0 0 0 1 72 16.1%

brakeman, yard-615 38 4 10 1 0 0 2 55 12.3%

engineer, road freight-617 20 17 0 3 5 0 4 49 11.0%

brakeman, road freight local-613 21 10 8 5 1 0 1 46 10.3%

conductor, road freight local-609 20 9 10 5 0 0 2 46 10.3%

brakeman, road freight through-612 8 5 6 4 1 0 0 24 5.4%

conductor, road passenger-606 8 7 0 0 0 1 3 19 4.3%

engineer, yard-619 15 2 0 1 1 0 0 19 4.3%

engineer, road passenger-616 8 6 0 0 0 1 0 15 3.4%

conductor, asst. road passenger-607 3 2 0 0 0 3 1 9 2.0%

engineer, road freight-618 5 2 1 0 0 0 1 9 2.0%

switch tender-601 1 2 2 0 0 0 0 5 1.1%

hostler, outside-603 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.4%

brakeman, lead passenger-611 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

fireman, yard-623 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

column totals 228 98 59 23 13 5 20 446

51% 22% 13% 5% 3% 1% 4%

INJURY TYPE

fracture-70 176 81 43 20 13 4 19 356 79.8%

amputation-80 45 10 12 2 0 0 0 69 15.5%

other burns-50 5 4 4 1 0 1 1 16 3.6%

electric shock/burns-40 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 4 0.9%

dislocation-60 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

column totals 228 98 59 23 13 5 20 446

51% 22% 13% 5% 3% 1% 4%

Table 6: 446 Severe Injuries by 15 Attributes and 7 

Track Locations 

January 1, 1997 to March 31, 2000

21
yard

main/branch lineindustrysidinghighway/roadwaypassenger terminalotherrow totalrow 

INJURY LOCATION

leg or foot 119 50 28 10 2 2 14 225 50.4%

torso 72 30 20 11 9 2 5 149 33.4%

arm or hand 20 7 7 1 2 0 0 37 8.3%

head or face 15 8 4 1 0 1 1 30 6.7%

various body parts 2 3 0 0 0 0 0 5 1.1%

column totals 228 98 59 23 13 5 20 446

51% 22% 13% 5% 3% 1% 4%

YEAR

1997 72 28 23 5 4 1 6 139 31.2%

1998 66 32 18 12 3 0 6 137 30.7%

1999 67 31 16 6 4 3 8 135 30.3%

2000, Jan-March 23 7 2 0 2 1 0 35 7.8%

column totals 228 98 59 23 13 5 20 446

51% 22% 13% 5% 3% 1% 4%

MONTH

Jan 27 9 6 3 4 1 5 55 12.3%

Mar 31 11 7 0 0 1 3 53 11.9%

Feb 30 10 5 1 1 0 4 51 11.4%

Oct 22 8 2 5 2 0 1 40 9.0%

Sep 21 7 7 0 0 1 0 36 8.1%

Aug 12 11 6 3 2 0 0 34 7.6%

Dec 14 10 4 3 0 1 2 34 7.6%

Nov 18 6 5 1 1 1 1 33 7.4%

Jul 15 8 6 4 0 0 0 33 7.4%

Jun 15 5 4 0 1 0 2 27 6.1%

May 14 5 4 1 1 0 1 26 5.8%

Apr 9 8 3 2 1 0 1 24 5.4%

column totals 228 98 59 23 13 5 20 446

51% 22% 13% 5% 3% 1% 4%

Table 6: 446 Severe Injuries by 15 Attributes and 7 

Track Locations (cont.)

January 1, 1997 to March 31, 2000

22
yard

main/branch lineindustrysidinghighway/roadwaypassenger terminalotherrow totalrow 

DAY

Thursday 37 18 17 4 3 1 4 84 18.8%

Friday 43 15 7 1 2 1 3 72 16.1%

Tuesday 36 14 11 4 1 1 3 70 15.7%

Monday 26 13 8 4 4 0 2 57 12.8%

Wednesday 30 14 6 1 2 1 3 57 12.8%

Sunday 32 12 2 6 0 1 3 56 12.6%

Saturday 24 12 8 3 1 0 2 50 11.2%

column totals 228 98 59 23 13 5 20 446

51% 22% 13% 5% 3% 1% 4%

TIME OF DAY

00:00-01:00 17 10 4 1 3 0 2 37 8.3%

01:01-02:00 12 5 1 1 0 0 0 19 4.3%

02:01-03:00 9 5 1 0 0 0 0 15 3.4%

03:01-04:00 13 5 0 1 1 0 0 20 4.5%

04:01-05:00 5 2 0 2 0 1 0 10 2.2%

05:01-06:00 3 2 3 1 0 0 3 12 2.7%

06:01-07:00 4 1 2 0 0 0 0 7 1.6%

07:01-08:00 6 3 0 2 2 1 2 16 3.6%

08:01-09:00 10 4 5 0 0 0 0 19 4.3%

09:01-10:00 10 6 2 0 1 0 3 22 4.9%

10:01-11:00 5 3 3 1 1 0 0 13 2.9%

11:01-12:00 14 5 4 1 1 0 2 27 6.1%

12:01-13:00 5 8 5 2 0 0 1 21 4.7%

13:01-14:00 11 5 5 0 0 0 0 21 4.7%

14:01-15:00 11 7 1 0 0 1 1 21 4.7%

15:01-16:00 11 1 1 1 1 0 0 15 3.4%

16:01-17:00 12 6 3 1 0 0 0 22 4.9%

17:01-18:00 13 4 5 2 2 0 0 26 5.8%

18:01-19:00 8 1 4 1 0 0 1 15 3.4%

19:01-20:00 12 4 2 2 0 0 1 21 4.7%

20:01-21:00 8 5 2 0 0 2 2 19 4.3%

21:01-22:00 12 2 3 3 1 0 1 22 4.9%

22:01-23:00 10 2 0 0 0 0 0 12 2.7%

23:01-24:00 7 2 3 1 0 0 1 14 3.1%

column totals 228 98 59 23 13 5 20 446

51% 22% 13% 5% 3% 1% 4%

Table 6: 446 Severe Injuries by 15 Attributes and 7 

Track Locations (cont.)

January 1, 1997 to March 31, 2000

23
yard

main/branch lineindustrysidinghighway/roadwaypassenger terminalotherrow totalrow 

AGE

45-50 47 27 17 4 2 2 8 107 24.0%

51-56 48 12 11 8 1 2 2 84 18.8%

39-44 41 17 6 2 7 0 3 76 17.0%

57-62 38 18 10 4 2 0 2 74 16.6%

33-38 19 12 5 1 0 1 3 41 9.2%

27-32 18 11 6 1 1 0 1 38 8.5%

21-26 8 1 4 2 0 0 0 15 3.4%

63-68 7 0 0 1 0 0 1 9 2.0%

15-20 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.4%

column totals 228 98 59 23 13 5 20 446

51% 22% 13% 5% 3% 1% 4%

Table 6: 446 Severe Injuries by 15 Attributes and 7 

Track Locations (cont.)

January 1, 1997 to March 31, 2000

24
yard

main/branch lineindustrysidinghighway/roadwaypassenger terminalotherrow totalrow 

ACTIVITY

walking 54 22 14 8 1 1 8 108 24.2%

riding 33 12 12 5 9 0 0 71 15.9%

getting off 28 9 7 2 0 0 1 47 10.5%

stepping down 15 9 4 2 0 3 4 37 8.3%

standing 9 3 4 0 0 0 2 18 4.0%

getting on 9 1 3 1 0 1 0 15 3.4%

operating 6 5 0 1 1 0 0 13 2.9%

adjusting coupler 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 2.2%

climbing over/on 6 3 0 1 0 0 0 10 2.2%

crossing over 7 1 1 1 0 0 0 10 2.2%

jumping from 1 6 2 0 0 0 0 9 2.0%

lining switches 5 2 2 0 0 0 0 9 2.0%

other 3 3 3 0 0 0 0 9 2.0%

pulling pin/uncoupling 5 0 2 1 0 0 0 8 1.8%

stepping 6 1 0 0 0 0 1 8 1.8%

closing 3 3 1 0 0 0 0 7 1.6%

sitting 1 4 0 0 1 0 1 7 1.6%

adjusting, other 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 1.1%

coupling air hose 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 1.1%

inspecting 2 3 0 0 0 0 0 5 1.1%

opening 2 3 0 0 0 0 0 5 1.1%

stepping over 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 4 0.9%

reaching 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 3 0.7%

74...unknown 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.4%

75...unknown 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0.4%

driving (vehicle...) 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 2 0.4%

handling other 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 2 0.4%

opening/closing angle cock 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.4%

uncoupling air hose 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0.4%

bending, stooping 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

crossing between 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

flagging 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

handling car parts 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

handling loc parts 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

handling material, general 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

jumping onto 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

pulling 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

Table 6: 446 Severe Injuries by 15 Attributes and 7 

Track Locations (cont.)

January 1, 1997 to March 31, 2000

25
yard

main/branch lineindustrysidinghighway/roadwaypassenger terminalotherrow totalrow 

repairing 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

running 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

welding 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

column totals 228 98 59 23 13 5 20 446

51% 22% 13% 5% 3% 1% 4%

Table 6: 446 Severe Injuries by 15 Attributes and 7 

Track Locations (cont.)

January 1, 1997 to March 31, 2000

26
yard

main/branch lineindustrysidinghighway/roadwaypassenger terminalotherrow totalrow 

INJURY EVENT

slipped, fell, stumbled, etc. due to climatic... 23 9 4 2 0 1 8 47 10.5%

slipped, fell, stumbled, etc. due to object... 28 13 2 1 1 0 1 46 10.3%

slipped, fell, stumbled, etc. due to irregular... 24 8 3 3 0 0 3 41 9.2%

lost balance 16 8 7 3 0 2 1 37 8.3%

struck by on-track equipment 21 2 5 1 0 0 0 29 6.5%

70-unknown 17 5 2 2 0 1 1 28 6.3%

struck against object 12 1 6 1 0 0 0 20 4.5%

collision between on-track equipment 8 9 1 1 0 0 0 19 4.3%

missed handhold, grabiron, step, etc. 10 3 3 3 0 0 0 19 4.3%

other (desribe in narrative) 7 5 4 0 0 0 0 16 3.6%

slack action, draft, compressive buff/coupling 9 2 0 1 0 0 0 12 2.7%

sudden/unexpected movement of on-track equipment 8 1 2 0 0 0 0 11 2.5%

stepped on object 6 3 1 0 0 0 1 11 2.5%

collision/impact-auto, truck, bus, van, etc. 0 0 0 0 10 0 0 10 2.2%

slipped, fell, stumbled, etc. on oil, grease 6 1 1 0 0 0 1 9 2.0%

struck by object 2 5 2 0 0 0 0 9 2.0%

exposure to chemicals-external 3 1 3 0 0 1 0 8 1.8%

highway-rail collision/impact 0 7 1 0 0 0 0 8 1.8%

defective/malfunctioning equipment 4 2 1 0 0 0 0 7 1.6%

derailments 4 1 2 0 0 0 0 7 1.6%

caught in or crushed by materials 3 2 1 0 0 0 0 6 1.3%

sudden/unexpected movement of material 2 1 2 0 0 0 1 6 1.3%

68...unknown 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 5 1.1%

overexertion 0 2 1 1 0 0 0 4 0.9%

bodily function/sudden movement, e.g., sneezing 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0.7%

other impacts on-track equipment 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 3 0.7%

struck by falling object 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 3 0.7%

sudden/unexpected movement of on-track equipment 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 3 0.7%

69...unknown 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.4%

71...unknown 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 2 0.4%

assulted by other 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.4%

caught in or compressed by other machinery 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.4%

pushed/shoved into/against 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0.4%

ran into object/equipment 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0.4%

ran into on-track equipment 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0.4%

climatic conditions, other (e.g., high winds) 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0.2%

Table 6: 446 Severe Injuries by 15 Attributes and 7 

Track Locations (cont.)

January 1, 1997 to March 31, 2000

27
yard

main/branch lineindustrysidinghighway/roadwaypassenger terminalotherrow totalrow 

exposure to welding light 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

pushed/shoved onto 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

rubbed, abraded, etc. 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

sudden release of air 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

column totals 228 98 59 23 13 5 20 446

51% 22% 13% 5% 3% 1% 4%

Table 6: 446 Severe Injuries by 15 Attributes and 7 

Track Locations (cont.)

January 1, 1997 to March 31, 2000

28
yard

main/branch lineindustrysidinghighway/roadwaypassenger terminalotherrow totalrow 

EQUIPMENT LOCATION

freight car moving 44 7 22 5 0 0 0 78 17.5%

other non-equip 25 16 10 2 2 0 15 70 15.7%

freight train moving 29 22 12 5 1 0 0 69 15.5%

freight train standing 41 18 1 6 0 0 0 66 14.8%

locomotive standing 39 15 5 2 0 0 1 62 13.9%

freight car standing 23 4 6 3 0 0 0 36 8.1%

locomotive moving 17 5 0 0 0 0 0 22 4.9%

pass train moving 2 7 0 0 0 1 1 11 2.5%

pass train standing 3 1 0 0 0 2 1 7 1.6%

auto 2 0 0 0 2 0 1 5 1.1%

pass car standing 2 1 0 0 0 2 0 5 1.1%

van passenger 0 0 0 0 4 0 1 5 1.1%

taxi 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 4 0.9%

crane 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

loaders, etc. 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

other equip 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

other on-track equip moving 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

other on-track equip standing 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

truck 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

column totals 228 98 59 23 13 5 20 446

51% 22% 13% 5% 3% 1% 4%

Table 6: 446 Severe Injuries by 15 Attributes and 7 

Track Locations (cont.)

January 1, 1997 to March 31, 2000

29
yard

main/branch lineindustrysidinghighway/roadwaypassenger terminalotherrow totalrow 

WORKING LOCATION

beside track 38 17 13 4 1 0 2 75 16.8%

near on-track equip-on ground 42 9 12 2 0 0 2 67 15.0%

in/on loc 29 31 2 4 0 0 0 66 14.8%

on side of car 33 3 14 5 1 1 0 57 12.8%

on end of car 14 5 7 4 0 0 0 30 6.7%

between tracks 12 3 5 0 0 0 0 20 4.5%

between cars/loc 13 2 2 1 0 0 0 18 4.0%

other location on loc 9 5 1 0 0 0 1 16 3.6%

on stairs 4 5 1 0 0 1 4 15 3.4%

at work station 2 4 0 0 0 2 6 14 3.1%

on track 11 0 0 2 0 0 0 13 2.9%

in car 2 4 0 1 3 1 0 11 2.5%

on ladder 8 2 0 0 0 0 0 10 2.2%

on platform 2 4 2 0 0 0 1 9 2.0%

in/operating vehicle 0 0 0 0 7 0 1 8 1.8%

other location 6 1 0 0 0 0 1 8 1.8%

on bridge/trestle 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 0.7%

on highway-rail crossing 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 3 0.7%

in tower 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0.2%

under car 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

under loc 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0.2%

column totals 228 98 59 23 12 6 20 446

51% 22% 13% 5% 3% 1% 4%

Table 6: 446 Severe Injuries by 15 Attributes and 7 

Track Locations (cont.)

January 1, 1997 to March 31, 2000

30
yard

main/branch lineindustrysidinghighway/roadwaypassenger terminalotherrow totalrow 

TOOLS, MACHINERY, APPLIANCES, 

STRUCTURES, SURFACES (ETC.)

ground 81 34 19 5 0 1 8 148 33.2%

other 28 10 17 1 0 0 5 61 13.7%

ballast 23 11 4 4 0 0 1 43 9.6%

floor 9 13 1 2 2 0 3 30 6.7%

ladder 17 4 3 2 0 0 0 26 5.8%

coupler 15 0 1 0 0 0 0 16 3.6%

highway, street, road 0 5 1 0 10 0 0 16 3.6%

stair 5 5 1 1 0 1 3 16 3.6%

tie 8 1 2 1 0 0 0 12 2.7%

grabiron 5 2 2 2 0 0 0 11 2.5%

switch 5 1 3 2 0 0 0 11 2.5%

36...unknown 7 1 1 1 0 0 0 10 2.2%

door 4 4 1 0 0 0 0 9 2.0%

43...unknown 2 0 0 1 0 2 0 5 1.1%

baggage 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0.9%

end of train device 2 1 0 1 0 0 0 4 0.9%

37...unknown 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0.7%

bridge/trestle 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 0.7%

34...unknown 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.4%

42...unknown 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 2 0.4%

hose 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.4%

window 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.4%

38...unknown 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

39...unknown 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0.2%

40...unknown 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

41...unknown 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

46...unknown 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

TOFC, COFC 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

caboose 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

cutting tools 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

fusees/torpedoes 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

welder-electric 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

column totals 228 98 59 23 13 5 20 446

51% 22% 13% 5% 3% 1% 4%

Table 6: 446 Severe Injuries by 15 Attributes and 7 

Track Locations (cont.)

January 1, 1997 to March 31, 2000

31
yard

main/branch lineindustrysidinghighway/roadwaypassenger terminalotherrow totalrow 

ASSIGNED CAUSE OF INJURY

human factors 83 36 19 12 6 2 4 162 36.3%

undetermined 63 34 20 6 4 0 9 136 30.5%

environmental 33 10 5 3 3 2 7 63 14.1%

equip procedures not followed 25 6 6 1 0 1 0 39 8.7%

equipment 20 8 6 0 0 0 0 34 7.6%

track 3 0 3 0 0 0 0 6 1.3%

no safety equip 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 2 0.4%

physical condition 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.4%

trespassing 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.4%

column totals 228 98 59 23 13 5 20 446

51% 22% 13% 5% 3% 1% 4%

Table 6: 446 Severe Injuries by 15 Attributes and 7 

Track Locations (cont.)

January 1, 1997 to March 31, 2000

32
yard

main/branch lineindustrysidinghighway/roadwaypassenger terminalotherrow totalrow 

RAILROAD

UP 45 36 12 4 5 0 8 110 24.7%

CSX 41 10 4 4 0 0 1 60 13.5%

BNSF 23 9 6 6 4 0 3 51 11.4%

CR 28 4 1 1 1 0 0 35 7.8%

NS 14 9 3 4 2 0 1 33 7.4%

ATK 6 5 0 0 0 2 3 16 3.6%

IC 6 4 3 0 0 0 0 13 2.9%

SOO 5 1 4 0 1 0 0 11 2.5%

KCS 4 4 1 0 0 0 0 9 2.0%

LI 4 1 0 0 0 2 0 7 1.6%

MNCW 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 6 1.3%

IHB 3 0 2 0 0 0 0 5 1.1%

WC 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 5 1.1%

GTW 2 0 1 1 0 0 0 4 0.9%

SEPA 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 4 0.9%

BS 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 3 0.7%

CC 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 3 0.7%

FEC 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 3 0.7%

GRS 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0.7%

IMRL 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 3 0.7%

NJTR 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0.7%

URR 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 3 0.7%

CRSH 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 0.4%

CUVA 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 2 0.4%

FWWR 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0.4%

IAIS 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.4%

MBTA 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 2 0.4%

PAL 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.4%

PATH 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.4%

TM 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 0.4%

WSOR 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 2 0.4%

AA 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

AKDN 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

ARR 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

BAR 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

BPRR 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

Table 6: 446 Severe Injuries by 15 Attributes and 7 

Track Locations (cont.)

January 1, 1997 to March 31, 2000

33
yard

main/branch lineindustrysidinghighway/roadwaypassenger terminalotherrow totalrow 

CASS 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

CDAC 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

CONW 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

CSS 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

DGNO 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

DH 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

DSRR 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

DWP 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

EACH 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

EJE 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

ELKR 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0.2%

FMWX 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

GNBC 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

GRWR 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

GWWR 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

HRT 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0.2%

INRD 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

KJRY 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

KYLE 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0.2%

LT 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

MDLR 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

MRL 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

NECR 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

NIRC 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0.2%

PBR 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

PHL 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

PPU 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

RT 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

SB 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

SERA 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

SH 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

TOE 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

TXTX 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

column totals 228 98 59 23 13 5 20 446

51% 22% 13% 5% 3% 1% 4%

Table 6: 446 Severe Injuries by 15 Attributes and 7 

Track Locations (cont.)

January 1, 1997 to March 31, 2000

34
35

Table 7. 399 of 446 Severe Injuries Reported by 

Job Code and Track Location, 

 January 1, 1997 to March 31, 2000

Job Code yard main or 

branch line

industry siding TOTAL 

 

Conductor, road freight-608 26 29 5 4 64

Conductor, road freight local-609 20 9 10 5 44

Brakeman, road freight through-612 8 5 6 4 23

Brakeman, road freight local-613 21 10 8 5 44

Conductor, road passenger-606 8 7 0 0 15

Conductor, assist. Road passenger607 3 2 0 0 5

TOTAL, ROAD TRAIN SERVICE 86 62 29 18 195

Conductor, yard-614 51 3 17 0 71

Brakeman, yard-615 38 4 10 1 53

TOTAL, YARD TRAIN SERVICE 89 7 27 1 124

TOTAL, TRAIN SERVICE 175 69 56 19 319

Engineer, road freight-617 20 17 0 3 40

Engineer, road passenger-616 8 16 0 0 24

Engineer, road freight-618 5 2 1 0 8

TOTAL, ROAD ENGINE SERVICE 33 35 1 3 72

Engineer, yard-619 15 2 0 1 18

TOTAL ENGINE SERVICE 48 27 1 4 80

ROAD, TRAIN & ENGINE 119 87 30 21 257

YARD, TRAIN & ENGINE 104 9 27 2 142

TOTAL 223 96 57 23 399
 Table 8: 109 Severe Injuries Containing Narrative, 1997 to 1999 

#

Narrative Type injury Injury location Event

ON GROUND AT START OF INJURY EVENT

'LIFESAVER 1' 

7 of 109 (6.4 percent)

1 WHILE ADJUSTING DEFECTIVE COUPLER SLACK 

ACTION OF CARS RESULTED IN CARS DRIFTING IN 

PINCHING EMPLOYEE

#70-fracture torso slack action, draft, compressive 

buff/coupling

2 5M. WALKING AROUND END OF TRAIN AND HIT 

KNUCKLE OF RAILCAR.

#70-fracture torso struck against object

3 FOR REASONS UNKNOWN, THE INJURED WENT 

BETWEEN A COUPLER OF TWO EMPTY GONS WHICH 

HE HAD PLACED INTO THE MILL AND A COUPLER OF 

TWO LOADED GONS WHICH HE HAD PULLED FROM 

THE SAME MILL. HE SUFFERED A CRUSHING INJURY 

TO THE PELVIC AREA WHEN CAUGHT BETWEEN

#70-fracture torso SUDDEN/UNEXPECTED 

MOVEMENT OF ON-TRACK 

EQUIPMENT

4 WHILE ATTEMPTING TO COUPLE ENGINE TO TANK 

CAR, THE COUPLING DID NOT MAKE. EMPLOYEE 

REACHED IN WITH LEFT HAND TO OPEN THE 

KNUCKLE, TANK CAR ROLLED BACK PINCHING LEFT 

HAND.

#80-amputation arm or hand caught in or compressed by 

other machinery

5 SWITCHING OUT BOX CARS TO SPOT VALLIANT 

PAPER SHED. SHOVED EMPTY BOXES DOWN TRACK 

#1. EMPLOYEE CUT 7 CARS OFF AND WAS IN 

PROCESS OF CHOCKING THE WHEELS AND SLACK 

RAN IN AND CAR WHEEL ROLLED UP ON CHOCK AND 

CAUGHT EMPLOYEE'S HAND BETWEEN CHOCK AND 

WHEEL

#80-amputation arm or hand SUDDEN/UNEXPECTED 

MOVEMENT OF ON-TRACK 

EQUIPMENT

6 EMPLOYEE HAD CUT OFF SCALE TEST CAR AND NOT 

SECURED IT. WHEN HE SAW IT START TO ROLL 

BACK TOWARDS HIM

#80-amputation leg or foot collision between on-track 

equipment

7 EMPLOYEE USED FOOT TO ALIGN DRAWER AND WAS 

CAUGHT BETWEEN COUPLERS.

#80-amputation leg or foot other (describe in narrative)

'LIFESAVER 2' 

9 of 109 (8.3 percent)

1 THE Y21403 WAS STOPPED IN TRACK NO. 7 WITH 

THEIR ENGINE COUPLED TO A CUT OF CARS. THE 

Y21203 SHOVED A CUT OF CARS INTO THE REAR CAR 

OF THE Y21403 CAUSING THE SLACK TO RUN IN ON 

Y21403'S TRAIN. ENGINEER INJURED.

#70-fracture head or face slack action, draft, compressive 

buff/coupling

2 EMPLOYEE WAS STRUCK BY CAR BEING SHOVED 

INTO INDUSTRY.

#70-fracture torso STRUCK by ON-TRACK 

EQUIPMENT

3 EMPLOYEE WAS WALKING TOO CLOSE TO TRACK 

AND WAS STRUCK BY ROLLING HOPPER CAR.

#70-fracture torso STRUCK by ON-TRACK 

EQUIPMENT

36
 Table 8: 109 Severe Injuries Containing Narrative, 1997 to 1999 (cont.)

#

Narrative Type injury Injury location Event

4 COUPLING AIR HOSES BETWEEN CARS, WAS 

KNOCKED DOWN AND DRAGGED BY CAR, LEFT LEG 

SEVERED. 5M (RESULT) SHOULD BE NEW CODE 41 

(HOSES).

#80-amputation leg or foot pushed/shoved into/against

5 EMPLOYEE WAS PERFORMING A ROLL-BY 

INSPECTION OF A TRAIN DEPARTING THE WEST 

YARD WHEN SHE APPARENTLY BACKED INTO THE 

PATH OF 2 LITE ENGINES ON THE WEST LEAD. 

EMPLOYEE WAS STRUCK AND RUN OVER BY THE LI 

TE ENGINES. EMPLOYEE SUSTAINED MULTIPLE 

INJURIES

#80-amputation leg or foot STRUCK by ON-TRACK 

EQUIPMENT

6 EMPLOYEE HAD LEG RUN OVER BY ROLLING CARS. #80-amputation leg or foot STRUCK by ON-TRACK 

EQUIPMENT

7 REMOVING LOCK FROM ELECTRIC SWITCH BOX 

WITH BACK TOWARD THE RAIL, STRUCK BY 

ENGINES AS THEY WENT BY HITTING EMPLOYEE 

CAUSING HIM TO FALL AND LEFT LEG SEVERED.

#80-amputation leg or foot STRUCK by ON-TRACK 

EQUIPMENT

8 5J. LEANING BACK READING CAR NUMBERS WHEN 

CAR STRUCK HIM FROM BEHIND (BELIEVE 

UNCOUPLER LEVER STRUCK HIM IN THE BACK 

KNOCKING HIM BETWEEN THE TRACKS). UPDATE 

ON 5R. 1/4/99 SPOKE TO EMPLOYEE ABOUT RET 

RAINING FOR SUITABLE POSITION. SUBSEQUENTLY 

SERVE

#80-amputation leg or foot SUDDEN/UNEXPECTED 

MOVEMENT OF ON-TRACK 

EQUIPMENT

9 COUPLING AIR BETWEEN CARS WHEN TRACK 

MOVED.

#80-amputation leg or foot SUDDEN/UNEXPECTED 

MOVEMENT OF ON-TRACK 

EQUIPMENT

SLIP, TRIP, TWIST, OR FALL

10 of 109 (9.2 percent)

1 WALKING TOWARD SWITCH FOR TRACK 

ALIGNMENT. TRIPPED ON END OF CROSS TIE AND 

FELL, HITTING FACE ON SW

#70-fracture head or face slipped, fell, stumbled, etc. due 

to object

2 EMPLOYEE APPARENTLY TWISTED ANKLE WHILE 

WALKING DOWN EMBANKMENT TO GET VAN TO 

RETURN TO OFFICE.

#70-fracture leg or foot 70...unknown

3 EMPLOYEE WAS STANDING IN BETWEEN #3 

RUNNERS AND #1 RELAY, THREE TO FOUR CAR 

LENGTHS FROM WESTEND TO MAKE A CUT ON CAR 

ETTX 950409 IN TRACK #1. HE STATED THAT HE 

COULDN'T PULL THE PIN ON HIS FIRST ATTEMPT, SO 

HE TRIED A SECOND TIME AND HIS RIGHT FOOT

#70-fracture leg or foot slipped, fell, stumbled, etc. due 

to climatic condition

4 WALKING FROM CAB TO BUILDING, SLIPPED ON 

SNOW AND TWISTED RIGHT ANKLE.

#70-fracture leg or foot slipped, fell, stumbled, etc. due 

to climatic condition

5 WHILE WALKING ON THE STATION PLATFORM ON 

EDGE AND FELL FRACTURING BONES IN HIS ANKLE.

#70-fracture leg or foot slipped, fell, stumbled, etc. due 

to climatic condition

37
 Table 8: 109 Severe Injuries Containing Narrative, 1997 to 1999 (cont.)

#

Narrative Type injury Injury location Event

6 EMPLOYEE STEPPED BACK IN DOORWAY TO LET 

ANOTHER EMPLOYEE ENTER DOOR AND STEPPED 

ON UNEVEN SURFACE CAUSING HIM TO TURN HIS 

ANKLE.

#70-fracture leg or foot slipped, fell, stumbled, etc. due 

to irregular surface

7 EMPLOYEE WAS WALKING EASTWARD HOLDING 

UPCUT LEVER TO SHOVE CARS INTO 18 TRACK 

WHEN LEFT ANKLE TURNED

#70-fracture leg or foot slipped, fell, stumbled, etc. due 

to irregular surface

8 YARD CONDUCTOR WAS UNCOUPLING AIR HOSE 

UNDER ENGINE WHEN HE SLIPPED BACKWARD AND 

CAUGHT HIMSELF WITH HIS HAND ON THE RAIL. HE 

FELT HIS SHOULDER POP. MRI REVEALED NONDISPLACED FRACTURE IN HIS SHOULDER

#70-fracture torso 70...unknown

9 EMPLOYEE SLIPPED ON WET GROUND AND FELL 

BREAKING HIS LEFT HIP. EMPLOYEE HAS NOT YET 

RETURNED TO WORK.

#70-fracture torso slipped, fell, stumbled, etc. due 

to climatic condition

10 EMPLOYEE WALKING BACK TO YARD OFFICE, WAS 

IN PROCESS OF CROSSING OVER TRACKS. WHEN HE 

STEPPED OVER RAIL BEHIND FROG, HIS RIGHT FOOT 

SLIPPED ON PIECES OF COKE IN 6-FOOT. HIS RIGHT 

FOOT HAD ALL HIS WEIGHT ON IT AND HE CAUGHT 

HIS BALANCE WITH HIS LEFT

#70-fracture torso slipped, fell, stumbled, etc. due 

to object

THROWING SWITCHES

3 of 109 (2.8 percent)

1 SLIPPED DURING HEAVY RAINSTORM WHILE 

MANUALLY THROWING SWITCH.

#70-fracture leg or foot slipped, fell, stumbled, etc. due 

to object

2 EMPLOYEES HANDS SLIPPED OFF SWITCH HANDLE. #70-fracture torso 71...unknown

3 EMPLOYEE TORE LIGAMENT IN LEFT SHOULDER 

WHILE THROWING CONOCO 2-3 SWITCH.

#70-fracture torso overexertion

ON EQUIPMENT AT START OF INJURY EVENT

CLOSE CLEARANCE

5 of 109 (4.6 percent)

1 EMPLOYEE WAS RIDING POINT OF CAR CNW 170703 

INTO INDUSTRY, AND DID NOT CHECK THE 

CLOSENESS OF CLEAR

#70-fracture torso other impacts-on track 

equipment

2 BRAKEMAN WAS RIDING ON SIDE OF CAR WHEN 

SMALL TREE SNAGGED PANTS AND PULLED HER OFF 

SIDE OF CAR. IMPACT WITH GROUND BROKE HER 

TAILBONE.

#70-fracture torso ran into object/equipment

3 EMPLOYEE WAS KNOCKED FROM SIDE OF CAR BY 

MODIFIED HIGH MAST SWITCH. EMPLOYEE 

EXPECTED TO RETURN AROUND 6/1.

#70-fracture torso struck against object

38
 Table 8: 109 Severe Injuries Containing Narrative, 1997 to 1999 (cont.)

#

Narrative Type injury Injury location Event

4 WHILE RIDING SIDE OF CAR AND WAS KNOCKED TO 

GROUND WHEN STRUCK BY DERAIL INDICATOR 

STOP SIGN IN UPRI GHT POSITION.

#70-fracture torso struck against object

5 WHILE RIDING THE SIDE OF RAIL CAR EMPLOYEE 

FINGER STRUCK A SIGN FOULING THE TRACK 

RESULTING IN THE TIP OF THE FINGER BEING 

AMPUTATED.

#80-amputation arm or hand struck against object

JUMPING OFF EQUIPMENT

4 of 109 (3.7 percent)

1 EMPLOYEE JUMPED FROM MOVING LOCOMOTIVE 

THINKING IT WAS GOING TO STRIKE ANOTHER 

CONSIST.

#70-fracture head or face 69...unknown

2 THE STEP OF THE IRON LADLE P. FERRANTE WAS 

RIDING ON BROKE AND WHEN HE JUMPED TO THE 

GROUND HE FRACTURED

#70-fracture leg or foot defective/malfunctioning 

equipment

3 YARD CONDUCTOR SUSTAINED A BROKEN TIBIA 

AND FIBIA WHEN HE JUMPED FROM CAR AS IT WAS 

DERAILING. THE DERAILMENT DID NOT MEET THE 

THRESHOLD FOR REPORTING.

#70-fracture leg or foot derailments

4 TWO TRAINS GIVEN TRACK WARRANTS FOR THE 

SAME TRACK. CONDUCTOR FRACTURED LEG AS HE 

STEPPED OFF A MOVING

#70-fracture leg or foot other (describe in narrative)

GETTING OFF EQUIPMENT

17 of 109 (15.6 percent)

1 5J-CLIMBING DOWN LADDER. #70-fracture inj to various body 

parts of equal 

severity

slipped, fell, stumbled, etc. due 

to climatic condition

2 STEPPED OFF CAR TO MAKE BRAKE TEST. TWISTED 

LEFT ANKLE WHEN DISMOUNTED FROM CAR.

#70-fracture leg or foot lost balance

3 EMPLOYEE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF STEPPING OFF A 

BRAKE PLATFORM ON A RAILCAR AND MISSED THE 

STEP.

#70-fracture leg or foot missed handhold, grabiron, 

step, etc.

4 EMPLOYEE STATED THAT HE PUT HIS RIGHT FOOT 

ON THE GROUND WHILE DISMOUNTING EQUIPMENT, 

AND THAT HIS FOOT

#70-fracture leg or foot other (describe in narrative)

5 EMPLOYEE SLIPPED ON LOCOMOTIVE STEP DUE TO 

MUDDY CONDITIONS. FOOT WENT UNDER STOP AND 

HIT RAIL CAUSING

#70-fracture leg or foot slipped, fell, stumbled, etc. due 

to climatic condition

6 STEPPING DOWN FROM ENGINE TO SET HANDBRAKE, 

SLIPPED ON STEPS TO WALKWAY.

#70-fracture leg or foot slipped, fell, stumbled, etc. due 

to climatic condition

39
 Table 8: 109 Severe Injuries Containing Narrative, 1997 to 1999 (cont.)

#

Narrative Type injury Injury location Event

7 GOT OFF LOCOMOTIVE WITH BROOM IN HAND TO 

SWEEP OUT SWITCH (IT WAS SNOWING HARD), 

SLIPPED AND FELL BACK

#70-fracture leg or foot slipped, fell, stumbled, etc. due 

to climatic condition

8 EMPLOYEE WAS GETTING DOWN FROM 113/15 

LOCOMOTIVE. AS HIS RIGHT FOOT CAME IN 

CONTACT WITH THE GROUND, HE TWISTED HIS 

RIGHT ANKLE. EMPLOYEE REQUESTED MEDICAL 

TREATMENT AND THE INJURY WAS DIAGNOSED AS 

A FRACTURE TO THE RIGHT ANKLE.

#70-fracture leg or foot slipped, fell, stumbled, etc. due 

to irregular surface

9 EMPLOYEE WAS ENDING HIS SHIFT FOR THE DAY. 

WHEN BACKING DOWN FROM THE LOCOMOTIVE, HE 

STEPPED ON SOFT

#70-fracture leg or foot slipped, fell, stumbled, etc. due 

to irregular surface

10 EMPLOYEE WAS DISMOUNTING A BOX CAR AFTER 

APPLYING HAND BRAKE AND STEPPED DOWN ON 

SOME UNEVEN BALLAST . HIS ANKLE GAVE WAY 

AND TWISTED, RESULTING IN A FRACTURE TO THE 

RIGHT ANKLE.

#70-fracture leg or foot stepped on object

11 WHILE DISMOUNTING ACAR, EMPLOYEE CLAIMS HE 

STEPPED ON A ROCK CAUSING HIM TO TWIST HIS 

ANKLE.

#70-fracture leg or foot stepped on object

12 EMPLOYEE STRUCK KNEE ON HAND BRAKE WHEEL 

WHILE GETTING OFF LOCOMOTIVE TO LINE SWITCH.

#70-fracture leg or foot struck against object

13 AS CONDUCTOR WAS STEPPING DOWN FROM CAR HE 

REACHED FOR GRABIRON AND MISSED FALLING 

BACKWARDS OF CAR BREAKING LEFT HIP AND 

WRIST.

#70-fracture torso missed handhold, grabiron, 

step, etc.

14 EMPLOYEE MISSED STEP WHILE GETTING OFF SIDE 

OF TANK CAR AND STRUCK SIDE ON TANK 

PLATFORM.

#70-fracture torso missed handhold, grabiron, 

step, etc.

15 EMPLOYEE DISMOUNTING LOCOMOTIVE TOO CLOSE 

TO END OF BRIDGE. PLANTED ONE FOOT ON 

GROUND, LET GO OF LADDER AND STEPPED INTO 

SPACE.

#70-fracture torso slipped, fell, stumbled, etc. due 

to irregular surface

16 BS CONDUCTOR WAS DISMOUNTING A MOVING 

RAILROAD CAR, EMPLOYEE STRUCK A STEEL POLE, 

AS HE DISMOUNTED.

#70-fracture torso struck against object

17 EMPLOYEE BRAKEMAN APPARENTLY DISMOUNTED 

FROM REAR OF LOCOMOTIVE TO LINE A SWITCH 

WHILE TRAIN WAS TRAVELING AT 2-3 MILES PER 

HOUR. CONDUCTOR OF CREW HAD JUST 

DISMOUNTED PRIOR TO THIS WHEN HE NOTICED 

THAT BRAKEMAN WAS ON THE TRACKS BETWEEN 

LOCOMOTIVE

#80-amputation leg or foot other (describe in narrative)

40
 Table 8: 109 Severe Injuries Containing Narrative, 1997 to 1999 (cont.)

#

Narrative Type injury Injury location Event

KNOCKED OFF EQUIPMENT BY COLLISON, 

DERAILMENT, SLACK ACTION, OR LOST BALANCE

9 of 109 (8.3 percent)

1 Y304 SHOVING TRACK 12 FROM SOUTH END SHOVED 

TRACK OUT N E INTO SIDE OF Y301 ON LEAD N E 

YARD DERAILING

#70-fracture head or face collision between on-track 

equipment

2 EMPLOYEE WAS TYING A HANDBRAKE ON WITH ONE

FOOT ON THE LADDER WHEN SHE LOST HER GRIP 

AND FELL OFF STEP

#70-fracture leg or foot lost balance

3 HE WAS ON THE END OF THE CAR WHILE THE TRAIN 

WAS MOVING. HE DECIDED TO MOVE ACROSS THE 

PLATFORM, EVEN THOUGH HE SAID HE KNEW 

BETTER, AND THE TRAIN SLOWED CAUSING HIM TO 

LOSE HIS BALANCE AND FALL. A RAILCAR STRUCK 

HIS ANKLE BEFORE HE COULD MOVE IT.

#70-fracture leg or foot lost balance

4 CONDUCTOR WAS RIDING THE 8TH CAR FROM THE 

REAR, SLACK RAN OUT AND CONDUCTORS LEADING 

FOOT (RIGHT) SLIPPED OFF STIPPUP OF THE SIDE 

LADDER CAUSING HIS BODY TO ROTATE 

FRACTURING HIS LEFT KNEE.

#70-fracture leg or foot slack action, draft, compressive 

buff/coupling

5 EMPLOYEE LOST FOOTING IN STIRRUP AND WAS 

DRAGGED BY TRAIN.

#70-fracture torso 70...unknown

6 RIDING THE HANDBRAKE ON CAR, CARS ROLLED 

INTO ENGINE KNOCKING EMPLOYEE TO GROUND, 

LACERATION TO FORE HEAD AND FRACTURED HIP.

#70-fracture torso collision between on-track 

equipment

7 5L - EMPLOYEE WAS THROWN FROM END OF THE 

CAR THAT HE WAS RIDING AFTER COLLISION WITH 

ANOTHER TANK CAR.

#70-fracture torso collision between on-track 

equipment

8 CSXT8611 SIDE SWIPED BY HTTX 92932 WHILE 

MOVING NORTH IN #4 TRACK 2ND ENGINE 8222 ALSO 

DAMAGED. S E

#80-amputation arm or hand collision between on-track 

equipment

9 WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TIE HANDBRAKE, SLIPPED 

OFF CAR ONTO GROUND AND LOWER RIGHT LEG 

WAS SEVERED BY CAR.

#80-amputation leg or foot slipped, fell, stumbled, etc. due 

to irregular surface

HIGHWAY-RAIL COLLSION/IMPACT

3 of 109 (2.8 percent)

1 GRADE CROSSING COLLISION - JUMPED FROM 

LOCOMOTIVE BEFORE IMPACT TO AVOID BEING 

CAUGHT BETWEEN LOCOMOTIVES AND TRACTOR 

TRAILER, FRACTURING ANKLE.

#70-fracture leg or foot highway-rail collision/impact

2 PASSENGER ON AMTRAK #59 THAT STRUCK 

TRACTOR TRAILER ON CROSSING.

#70-fracture torso highway-rail collision/impact

41
 Table 8: 109 Severe Injuries Containing Narrative, 1997 to 1999 (cont.)

#

Narrative Type injury Injury location Event

3 A TRACTOR-TRAILER FAILED TO YIELD THE RIGHT 

OF WAY AT A HIGHWAY GRADE CROSSING AND WAS 

ABOUT TO STRIKE

#70-fracture torso highway-rail collision/impact

WALKING ON, GETTING ON EQUIPMENT

10 of 109 (9.2 percent)

1 CONDUCTOR TRIPPED UP LOCOMOTIVE STEP. #70-fracture leg or foot 70...unknown

2 WHILE LOCOMOTIVE WAS STOPPED TO UNCOUPLE 

CARS, YARD FOREMAN WAS WALKING ON 

LOCOMOTIVE WALKWAY WHEN HE

#70-fracture leg or foot missed handhold, grabiron, 

step, etc.

3 EMPLOYEE STATES: WAS WALKING FROM ONE 

ENGINE TO ANOTHER AND RIGHT FOOT SLIPPED OFF 

PLATFORM HINGE OF

#70-fracture leg or foot slipped, fell, stumbled, etc. due 

to irregular surface

4 EMPLOYEE STATES WHILE WALKING FROM ONE 

UNIT TO ANOTHER THE WALKWAY BETWEEN 

ENGINES WAS UNEVEN AND HE

#70-fracture leg or foot slipped, fell, stumbled, etc. due 

to irregular surface

5 EMPLOYEE WAS OPERATING WORK CAR 1244 OFF 

LAT 23. HE STEPPED OUT OF THE CAB AND TRIPPED 

OVER RAISED

#70-fracture leg or foot slipped, fell, stumbled, etc. due 

to irregular surface

6 EMPLOYEE WAS ATTEMPTING TO GET A CAN OF POP 

OUT OF THE WATER COOLER ON UNIT 2272. HE 

STEPPED ON THE DOOR STOP AND FELT 

DISCOMFORT IN HIS LEFT ANKLE.

#70-fracture leg or foot stepped on object

7 EMPLOYEE STATES WHILE MOUNTING LOCOMOTIVE

HIS RIGHT FOOT SLIPPED ON TOP STEP CAUSING HIM 

TO FALL. 

#70-fracture torso missed handhold, grabiron, 

step, etc.

8 WHILE INSPECTING LOCOMOTIVES, TRIPPED OVER 

THREE REAR END DEVICES LAYING ON FLOOR OF 

ENGINE CP 9018

#70-fracture torso ran into object/equipment

9 YARD FOREMAN GOT OFF THE LEADING END OF CAR 

IN SHOVING MOVEMENT SO THAT A YARD HELPER 

COULD GET ON THE LEADING END OF CAR FOR 

SWITCHING PURPOSES. THE YARD FOREMEN THEN 

ATTEMPTED TO GET ON THE THIRD CAR FROM THE 

LEADING END AND HIS FOOT MISSED THE

#80-amputation leg or foot missed handhold, grabiron, 

step, etc.

10 EMPLOYEE SLIPPED OR STEPPED (UNKNOWN WHICH) 

ON COUPLER SHANK AS CAR MOVED RESULTING IN 

A CRUSHED FOOT INJURY AND LOSS OF TOES ON 

LEFT FOOT. D-1: EMPLOYEE TESTED NEGATIVE 

EXCEPT FOR MORPHINE WHICH WAS ADMINISTERED 

IN EMERGENCY ROOM. NOT A FACTOR IN

#80-amputation leg or foot slack action, draft, compressive 

buff/coupling

42
 Table 8: 109 Severe Injuries Containing Narrative, 1997 to 1999 (cont.)

#

Narrative Type injury Injury location Event

1 WHILE CLOSING HOPPER DOOR BAR SLIPPED OUT 

AND EMPLOYEE TWISTED ANKLE

#70-fracture leg or foot 70...unknown

2 EMPLOYEE WAS ATTEMPTING TO OPEN STUCK 

VESTIBULE DOOR OF CAR 893. HE PLACED HIS HAND 

ON THE DOOR FRAME FOR LEVERAGE, WHEN THE 

WINDOW TRIM ON THE DOOR CUT OFF THE TIP OF 

HIS FINGER.

#80-amputation arm or hand other (describe in narrative)

3 EMPLOYEE SEVERED TIP OF FINGER WHEN STICKING

LOCOMOTIVE WINDOW OPENED SUDDENLY, 

CATCHING FINGER BETWEEN

#80-amputation arm or hand other (describe in narrative)

BURNED, SPLASHED

6 of 109 (5.5 percent)

1 EMPLOYEE WAS TRYING TO RE-START FIRE IN AN 

OIL BURNING STEAM LOCOMOTIVE. THE FIRE 

IGNITED UNEXPECTEDLY WHEN OIL WAS FED INTO 

BURNER AND IGNITED UPON CONTACT OF HEATED 

FIRE BRICKS.

#40-electric 

shock/burn

head or face other (describe in narrative)

2 TRYING TO RESTART ENGINE, HOT WATER 

SPLASHED OUT OF ENGINE AND ON TOP OF HEAD.

#50-other burns head or face defective/malfunctioning 

equipment

3 EMPLOYEE WAS TRYING TO THAW OUT FROZEN PCS 

WITH A FUSEE WHEN AIR BLEW OUT CAUSING THE 

FUSEE TO BURN

#50-other burns head or face defective/malfunctioning 

equipment

4 EMPLOYEE WAS SPRAYED WITH A BROWN LIQUID 

WHICH CAME OUT OF SOME OVERHEAD PIPES 

BESIDE 13 & 13 1/2 SW

#50-other burns head or face exposure to chemicals-external

5 EMPLOYEE WAS SPRAYED WITH A BROWN LIQUID 

WHICH CAME OUT OF SOME OVERHEAD PIPES 

BESIDE 13 & 13 1/2 SW

#50-other burns head or face exposure to chemicals-external

6 EMPLOYEE ALLEGES DURING THE ATTEMPT TO 

RESTART THE LOCOMOTIVE SOME HOT ASH FROM 

THE EXHAUST STACK FELL INTO HIS LEFT EYE.

#50-other burns head or face struck by object

UNKNOWN

5 of 109 (4.6 percent)

1 CONDUCTOR LOST GRIP ON LADDER AND FELL, 

STRIKING BACK ON ADJACENT CAR

#70-fracture torso 70...unknown

2 5L EVENT: FOOT SLIPPED OFF STEP 5M RESULT: STEP #70-fracture torso other (describe in narrative)

43
 Table 8: 109 Severe Injuries Containing Narrative, 1997 to 1999 (cont.)

#

Narrative Type injury Injury location Event

3 EMPLOYEE ALLEGES AFTER CORNERING CARS HE 

ATTEMPTED TO SEPARATE THE CARS. IN DOING SO 

HE HELD ONTO THE HAND HOLD AND MADE THE 

MOVEMENT. THE STRESS ON THE METAL PULLED HIS

HAND AGAINST ANOTHER PIECE OF STEEL AND 

AMPUTATED HIS LEFT WRIST.

#80-amputation arm or hand 68...unknown

4 WHILE SHOVING CARS, IT APPEARS LEAD WHEEL ON 

SOO 60243 HAD RUN OVER RIGHT FOOT

#80-amputation leg or foot STRUCK by ON-TRACK 

EQUIPMENT

5 WHILE UNCOUPLING AN IRON LADLE FROM THE 

LOCOMOTIVE, THE EMPLOYEE ALLEGES THAT HE 

SLIPPED ON THE UNEVEN

#80-amputation leg or foot STRUCK by ON-TRACK 

EQUIPMENT

UNCLASSIFIED, UNUSUAL CASES

18 of 109 (16.5 percent)

1 ON TRAIN 90/LIGHT LENS #50-other burns head or face struck by falling object

2 5K. BASKETBALL COURT. #70-fracture arm or hand slipped, fell, stumbled, etc. due 

to irregular surface

3 TRAIN DERAILED AT SPEED OF 10 MPH ON A CURVE 

IN MOUNTAIN AREA. AFTER THE TRAIN STOPPED 

THE 4TH CAR IN THE TRAIN TURNED ONTO ITS SIDE. 

IN TURN THE NEXT 3 CARS TURNED OVER 

DERAILING AND TURNING OVER THE LOCOMOTIVE 

(STOPPED AT THE TIME). THE ENGINEER

#70-fracture leg or foot derailments

4 FOR ITEM 5L: EMPLOYEE BROKE ANKLE FOR ITEM 

5M: NO APPLIANCE, TOOL, MACHINE, SURFACE, OR 

STRUCTURE CONTRIBUTED TO ACCIDENT.

#70-fracture leg or foot other (describe in narrative)

5 BS CONDUCTOR WAS STANDING BY ROAD CROSSING 

ENTERING TIME OF DAY IN HIS BOOK WORK ON USX 

PROPERTY AT NORTH END OF #2 SHIPPING AREA. 

AN EIGHTEEN WHEELER (TRACTOR TRAILER) WAS 

BACKING UP, DRIVER DID NOT SEE BS CONDUCTOR. 

TRAILER OF TRACTOR STRUCK EMPLOYEE

#70-fracture leg or foot pushed/shoved onto

`

6 CREW SWITCHING CARS WHEN THEY WERE 

NOTIFIED BY RADIO THAT A CUT OF CARS ON AN 

ADJACENT TRACK WAS ROL

#70-fracture leg or foot slipped, fell, stumbled, etc. due 

to irregular surface

7 BIBS #70-fracture leg or foot slipped, fell, stumbled, etc. due 

to object

8 5N - CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT WILL BE DETERMINED 

AT FORMAL INVESTIGATION CURRENTLY SET FOR 

END OF THIS YEAR. NO SPECIFIC DATE AVAILABLE 

AT THIS TIME.

#70-fracture leg or foot struck against object

44
 Table 8: 109 Severe Injuries Containing Narrative, 1997 to 1999 (cont.)

#

Narrative Type injury Injury location Event

9 EMPLOYEE WAS ATTEMPTING TO RELEASE 

HANDBRAKE ON MOVING TANK CAR. EMPLOYEE 

WAS STANDING ON THE END PLATFORM

#70-fracture torso defective/malfunctioning 

equipment

10 EMPLOYEE STATES: AFTER I TIED HANDBRAKE, I 

STARTED TO MOVE TO THE SIDE OF CAR. I DON'T 

KNOW IF MY FOOT

#70-fracture torso other (describe in narrative)

11 GATEWAY WESTERN BRAKEMAN ON YARD JOB 

Y216 WAS SPOTTING A RAILCAR AT INLAND 

CONTAINER. NOT AWARE OF

#70-fracture torso other (describe in narrative)

12 EMPLOYEE MOUNTED CAR TO RELEASE HAND 

BRAKE - EXTENDED RIGHT ARM (EXPOSING RIGHT 

RIB CAGE) TO RELEASE

#70-fracture torso struck against object

13 SWITCHING LOUISIANA PACIFIC, PULLING LOADS 

NOTICED A HANDBRAKE, SO I RELEASED IT AND 

WAS IN THE PROCESS

#70-fracture torso struck by object

14 WHILE DRIVING PERSONAL VEHICLE, EMPLOYEE 

LOST CONTROL, DUE TO INATTENTION.

#70-fracture torso sudden/unexpected movement 

of on-track equipment

15 5N: UNDETERMINED #80-amputation arm or hand lost balance

16 5J PERSON WAS CHECKING OIL LEVEL ON 

OPERATING AUXILLIARY GENERATOR. 5L WHILE 

REPLACING OIL CAP, STUCK HAND IN FAN CUTTING 3

FINGERS ON LEFT HAND, MIDDLE FINGER 

AMPUTATED. 5M NO TOOLS INVOLVED. EMPLOYEE 

RETURNED TO REGULAR DUTY 3/28/00.

#80-amputation arm or hand other (describe in narrative)

17 5L) HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO OBTAIN STATEMENT 

FROM INJURIED EMPLOYEE.

#80-amputation leg or foot other (describe in narrative)

18 BRAKEMAN WORKING SWITCHING CARS IN 

SWITCHING YARD. EMPLOYEE IS IN HOSPITAL AND 

HAS NOT BEEN INTERVIEWED AS OF CLOSING 

OCTOBER REPORTS, SO THE DETAILS OF WHAT 

HAPPENED ARE STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION.

#80-amputation leg or foot other (describe in narrative)

45
47

APPENDIX A 

FORM F 6180.55A 
Alcohol Test

Drug/

5h.

Transfer? (y/n)

Hazmat Permanent

Restricted

Days

From Work

Act Days Away

Code

Illness

Job Code

of Day Person/

Narrative (Up to 250 Characters)

Injury Physical Location Event Result Cause Number of Number of Exposure to Termination or

Accident/Injury Number Day Time County State Type Age

5i.

5s.

5c.

5j. 5k. 5l. 5m. 5n. 5o. 5p. 5q. 5r.

5a. 5b. 5d. 5e. 5f. 5g.

Alcohol Test

Drug/

5h.

Transfer? (y/n)

Hazmat Permanent

Restricted

Days

From Work

Act Days Away

Code

Illness

Job Code

of Day Person/

Narrative (Up to 250 Characters)

Injury Physical Location Event Result Cause Number of Number of Exposure to Termination or

Accident/Injury Number Day Time County State Type Age

5i.

5s.

5c.

5j. 5k. 5l. 5m. 5n. 5o. 5p. 5q. 5r.

5a. 5b. 5d. 5e. 5f. 5g.

Alcohol Test

Drug/

5h.

Transfer? (y/n)

Hazmat Permanent

Restricted

Days

From Work

Act Days Away

Code

Illness

Job Code

of Day Person/

Narrative (Up to 250 Characters)

Injury Physical Location Event Result Cause Number of Number of Exposure to Termination or

Accident/Injury Number Day Time County State Type Age

5i.

5s.

5c.

5j. 5k. 5l. 5m. 5n. 5o. 5p. 5q. 5r.

5a. 5b. 5d. 5e. 5f. 5g.

 1. Name of Reporting Railroad 2. Alphabetic Code 3. Report Month 4. Report Year

OMB Approval No.: 2130-0500 (Continuation Sheet) SHEET ____ OF ____ RAILROAD INJURY AND ILLNESS SUMMARYFEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION (FRA)

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

FORM FRA F 6180.55a
FRA Guide for Preparing Accident/Incident Reports 

 F 6180.55a 50

FORM FRA F 6180.55a – Continued 

D. INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING FORM FRA F 6180.55A (Continuation)

Item Instruction

1. Name of Reporting Railroad

 Enter the full name of the reporting railroad. 

2. Alphabetic Code

 Enter the reporting railroad’s code found in Appendix A. 

3. Report Month

 Enter the month covered by this report. 

4. Report Year

 Enter the year covered by this report. 

5a. Accident/Injury Number

Enter the identifying number assigned to the accident/incident causing the casualty. If 

multiple casualties resulted from a single event, each casualty must have exactly the same 

report number. If the casualty was a result of a rail equipment accident/incident or a 

highway-rail crossing impact, the entry must be the same as that shown on the other 

forms completed for the accident/incident. 

5b. Day

 Enter the day of the accident/incident. Use number day of the month, e.g., 01-31. 

5c. Time of Day

 Enter the time of the accident/incident including "am" or "pm". Do not use military time. 

5d. County

 Enter the County/Parish in which the accident/incident occurred. 

5e. State 

Identify the State in which the casualty occurred using the appropriate code found in 

Appendix B. 
FRA Guide for Preparing Accident/Incident Reports 

 F 6180.55a 51

FORM FRA F 6180.55a – Continued 

5f. Type Person/Job Code

Identify the type of person whose injury or illness is being reported by using the 

following codes (refer to classification of persons found in the definitions in Chapter 2): 

A – Worker on Duty—Employee; B – Employee not on Duty; C – Passengers on Trains; 

D – Nontrespassers—On Railroad Property; E – Trespassers; F – Worker on Duty—

Contractor; G – Contractor—Other; H – Worker on Duty—Volunteer; I – VolunteerOther; and J – Nontrespassers—Off Railroad Property. 

If the report is for a "Worker on Duty", i.e., type person/job codes "A", "F", or "H", or the 

person is an "Employee not on duty", type person code "B", you must enter the code from 

Appendix D that best identifies the individual’s occupation/responsibilities. 

5g. Age

 Enter the age of person whose injury or illness is being reported. 

5h. Drug/Alcohol Test

If any employee was tested for alcohol use in connection with this accident, enter "A-" 

followed by the number of positive tests. If any employee was tested for drug use in 

connection with this accident, enter "D-" followed by the number of positive tests. If 

there were positive tests, but impairment is not reported as a cause of the accident, then 

provide a brief explanation in the narrative of the basis for this determination. The 

narrative is to be used to provide additional clarification, particularly in instances where 

there are positive test results, but impairment was not determined to have been causal. 

You are required to identify all accidents/incidents where testing was performed. The 

recording of this data on a record does not mean that the injured person was the 

individual tested. This situation could occur when the employee(s) tested for the use of 

these substances was not harmed in the accident/incident. Under these circumstances, 

since there was no injury to the tested employee, there would be no entry for this 

employee on the Form FRA F 6180.55a. Therefore, it is critical to record the information 

concerning tests on all reports filed in connection with the accident/incident. 

This situation could arise, for example, when a non-employee, e.g., a passenger, sustains 

the only reportable injury in an incident that resulted in testing of employee(s). In order 

to identify the connection between the injury being reported and possible alcohol or drug 

use by an employee, it is mandatory that the information concerning the alcohol or drug 

use be recorded on the reports made in connection with the accident/incident. 

5i. Injury/Illness Code

Select from the codes in Appendix E the combination that best describes the condition 

being reported. 
FRA Guide for Preparing Accident/Incident Reports 

 F 6180.55a 52

FORM FRA F 6180.55a – Continued 

5j. Physical Act

From Appendix F, select the code which best describes what the injured person was 

doing just before the injury occurred. If the code you have selected does not sufficiently 

describe the "Physical Act", provide further description in the Narrative. 

5k. Location The location is comprised of three sets of codes as described below. 

PART I: Was the person on the right-of-way, off the right-of-way, or on on-track 

equipment? 

Identify the appropriate category of where the casualty occurred, and enter 

the appropriate code listed in Appendix F. When using "Other", a 

narrative must be provided in item 5s. 

PART II: If the casualty involved on-track equipment, select the code that best 

describes the type of on-track equipment involved, and enter appropriate 

code listed in Appendix F. When using "Other", a narrative must be 

provided in item 5s. 

PART III: Select the appropriate code that best identifies the location of the casualty 

being reported listed in Appendix F. When using "Other" a narrative must 

be provided in item 5s. 

5l. Event

From Appendix F, select the code which best describes the event that caused the injury. 

If the code selected does not sufficiently describe the "Event", provide further description 

in the Narrative. 

5m. Result

From Appendix F, select the code which best describes additional information about the 

tools, machinery, appliances, structures, surfaces, etc., associated with the injury. You 

should try to use codes that provide additional information. For example, if the event 

code identified using "hand tools", the entry in this block could be used to identify that 

the tool was a "gripping" type tool. If the code does not sufficiently describe the 

"Result", provide further description in the Narrative. 

5n. Cause

From Appendix F, select the code which best describes what caused the event entered in 

item 5l. If the code you have selected does not sufficiently describe the "Cause", provide 

further description in the Narrative. 
FRA Guide for Preparing Accident/Incident Reports 

 F 6180.55a 53

FORM FRA F 6180.55a – Continued 

5o. Number of Days Away From Work

If the person reported is an employee of the reporting railroad, enter the number of days 

that the employee was away from work because of the injury or illness. If there were no 

such days, or a fatality is being reported, enter "0". If the person is not a railroad 

employee, enter "N/A". 

5p. Number of Days Restricted

If the person being reported is an employee of the reporting railroad, enter the number of 

days that the employee was restricted from work due to the injury or illness. If there 

were no such days, or a fatality is being reported, enter "0". If the person is not a railroad 

employee, enter "N/A". 

5q. Exposure to Hazmat

Enter "Y" (for "yes") if an exposure to hazardous material caused, or was a contributing 

factor to, the condition being reported for this individual. 

5r. Termination or Permanent Transfer

If the employee was suspended from employment or permanently transferred to a new 

position, enter "Y"; otherwise, enter "N". For non-employees, the block is to be left 

blank. 

5s. Narrative

The railroad can further explain unusual circumstances surrounding a worker’s injury or 

illness using up to 250 characters. Completion of this narrative is mandatory for the 

reporting railroad unless the injury or illness can be adequately described using all other 

entries (information blocks) on the form. Do not record personal identifiers, e.g., 

names, Social Security Numbers, or payroll identifications.
 Railroad Injury and Illness Summary Data File Structure 

And Field Input Specifications 

57

 FIELD 

NAME 

FILE 

POSITION 

FIELD 

TYPE 

FIELD 

LENGTH 

DEFINITION 

BLOCK 

# ON 

FORM 

6180.55a 

CONVERSION

√ ivr 1 - 2 A/N 2 year of incident 4 

√ imo 3 – 4 A/N 2 month of incident 3 

√ railroad 5 – 8 A 4 railroad code 2 

√ incdtno 9 – 18 A/N 10 railroad assigned number 5a 

√ typpers 19 A/N 1 type of person whose injury illness is being reported 

A= worker on duty-employee 

B= employee not on duty 

C= passenger on train 

D= nontrespassers-on railroad property 

E= trespassers 

F= worker on duty-contractor 

G= contractor-other 

H= worker on duty-volunteer 

I= volunteer-other 

J= nontrespassers-off railroad property 

5f 

√ jobcode 20 – 22 A/N 3 employee job occupation codes 

(refer to Appendix D) 

5f 

√ natinj 23 – 24 A/N 2 nature of injury codes 

(refer to Appendix E)

5i 

√ location 25 A/N 1 location of injury on body 

(refer to Appendix E)

5i 

 ifatal 26 A/N 1 for injury specific location 

for illness indicator of death within a year 

(refer to Appendix F)

5i 

 occode 27 – 29 A/N 3 casualty occurrence code old = zeros 

new = data

 tcode 30 A/N 1 indicates equipment movement old = zeros 

new = data

 age 31 – 32 A/N 2 age of person being reported 5g 

 daysabs 33 – 35 N 3 employee # of days away from work 5o 

 daysres 36 – 38 N 3 employee # of days of restricted activity 5p 

 dummy 39 A/N 1 blank data expansion field 

√ state 40 – 41 A/N 2 GSA State Code 5e 

 typrr 42 – 43 A/N 2 type railroad – ICC categories. 1st position 

indicates class 1, 2, or 3 RR 

 

 dummy1 44 – 47 A/N 4 blank data expansion field 

 region 48 A/N 1 FRA designated region 

 dummy2 49 A/N 1 blank data expansion field 

 narrlen 50 - 53 N 4 length of narrative old = zeros 

new = data 
 Railroad Injury and Illness Summary Data File Structure 

And Field Input Specifications 

58

 FIELD 

NAME 

FILE 

POSITION 

FIELD 

TYPE 

FIELD 

LENGTH

DEFINITION 

BLOCK 

# ON 

FORM 

6180.55a 

CONVERSION

 casfatal 54 A/N 1 fatality: N=no Y=yes 

 cas57 55 A/N 1 F6180-57 filed: N=no Y=yes 

 cas54 56 A/N 1 F6180-54 filed: N=no Y=yes 

 dummy3 57 A/N 1 blank data expansion field 

√ day 58 – 59 A/N 2 day of incident 5b old=blank 

new=data 

 year4 60 – 63 A/N 4 4 digit year of incident 4 old=zeros 

new=data 

√ timehr 64 – 65 N 2 hour of incident 5c old=zeros 

new=data 

√ timemin 66 – 67 N 2 minute of incident 5c old=zeros 

new=data 

√ ampm 68 – 69 A/N 2 am or pm 5c old=blank 

new=data 

√ county 70 – 89 A/N 20 GSA County name 5d old=blank 

new=data 

 cntycd 90 – 92 A/N 3 GSA County code old=blank 

new=data 

 stenty 93 – 98 A/N 6 GSA State and County code old=blank 

new=data 

 alcohol 99 – 100 A/N 2 No. of positive alcohol tests 5h result of 

conversion 

formula 

 drug 101 – 102 A/N 2 No. of positive drug tests 5h result of 

conversion 

formula 

√ phyact 103 – 104 A/N 2 code to describe actions just before 

injury 

(refer to Appendix F)

5j old=blank 

new=data 

√ loca 105 – 106 A/N 2 code to identify general location of 

person at time of injury 

(refer to Appendix F)

5k old=blank 

new=data 

√ locb 107 – 108 A/N 2 code to identify on-track equipment 

involved 

(refer to Appendix F)

5k old=blank 

new=data 

√ locc 109 – 110 A/N 2 code to identify specific location of 

person at time of injury 

(refer to Appendix F)

5k old=blank 

new=data 

√ event 111 – 112 A/N 2 code to describe event which caused 

injury 

(refer to Appendix F)

5l old=blank 

new=data 

√ tools 113 – 114 A/N 2 code to describe additional information 

about injury 

(refer to Appendix F)

5m old=blank 

new=data 
Railroad Injury and Illness Summary Data File Structure 

And Field Input Specifications 

59

 FIELD 

NAME 

FILE 

POSITION 

FIELD 

TYPE 

FIELD 

LENGTH

DEFINITION 

BLOCK 

# ON 

FORM 

6180.55a 

CONVERSION

 hzmexpos 117 A/N 1 Hazmat exposure 

N=no Y=yes blank = unknown 

5q old=blank 

new=data 

 terminat 118 A/N 1 Employee suspension or permanent 

transfer 

N=no Y=yes blank = unknown 

5r old=blank 

new=data 

 narrl 119 – 218 A/N 100 narrative 5s old=blank 

new=data 

 narr2 219-318 A/N 100 narrative 5s old=blank 

new=data 

 narr3 319 – 368 A/N 50 narrative 5s old=blank 

new=data 

√ injcaus 115 - 116 A/N 2 Code to describe what probably caused 

the injury 

(refer to Appendix F)

5n old=blank 

new=data 
55

APPENDIX B 

FORM 6180.55A DATA FILE STRUCTURE
Railroad Injury and Illness Summary Data File Structure and Field Input Specifications

FIELD

NAME

FILE

POSITION

FIELD

TYPE

 FIELD

LENGTH DEFINITION

BLOCK#

ON FORM

6180.55a CONVERSION

/ iyr 1 - 2 A/N 2 year of incident 4

/ imo 3 - 4 A/N 2 month of incident 3

/ railroad 5 - 8 A 4 railroad code 2

/ incdtno 9- 18 A/N 10 railroad assigned number 5a

/ typpers 19 A/N 1 type of person whose injury/illness is being

reported:

A= worker on duty-employee

B= employee not on duty

C= passenger on train

D= nontrespassers-on railroad property

E= trespassers

F= worker on duty-contractor

G= contractor-other

H= worker on duty-volunteer

I= volunteer-other

J= nontrespassers-off railroad property

5f

/ jobcode 20 - 22 A/N 3 employee job occupation codes

(refer to Appendix D)

5f

/ natinj 23 - 24 A/N 2 nature of injury code

(refer to Appendix E)

5i

/ location 25 A/N 1 location of injury on body

(refer to Appendix E)

5i

ifatal 26 A/N 1 for injury.: specific location

for illness: indicator of death within a year

(refer to Appendix E)

5i

occode 27 - 29 A/N 3 casualty occurrance code old = data

new = blank

tcode 30 A/N 1 indicates equipment movement old = data

new = blank

age 31 - 32 A/N 2 age of person being reported 5g

daysabs 33 - 35 N 3 employee # of days away from work 5o

daysres 36 - 38 N 3 employee # of days of restricted activity 5p

dummy 39 A/N 1 blank data expansion field

/ state 40 - 41 A/N 2 GSA State code 5e

typrr 42 - 43 A/N 2 type railroad - ICC categories; 1st position

indicates class 1,2,or 3 RR

dummy1 44 - 47 A/N 4 blank data expansion field
Railroad Injury and Illness Summary Data File Structure and Field Input Specifications

FIELD

NAME

FILE

POSITION

FIELD

TYPE

 FIELD

LENGTH DEFINITION

BLOCK#

ON FORM

6180.55a CONVERSION

region 48 A/N 1 FRA designated region

dummy2 49 A/N 1 blank data expansion field

narrlen 50 - 53 N 4 length of narrative old = zeros

new = data

casfatal 54 A/N 1 fatality: N=no Y=yes

cas57 55 A/N 1 F6180-57 filed: N=no Y=yes

cas54 56 A/N 1 F6180-54 filed: N=no Y=yes

dummy3 57 A/N 1 blank data expansion field

/ day 58 - 59 A/N 2 day of incident 5b old =blank

new =data

year4 60 - 63 A/N 4 4 digit year of incident 4

/ timehr 64 - 65 N 2 hour of incident 5c old =zeros

new =data

/ timemin 66 - 67 N 2 minute of incident 5c old =zeros

new =data

/ ampm 68 - 69 A/N 2 am or pm 5c old =blank

new =data

/ county 70 - 89 A/N 20 GSA County name 5d old =blank

new =data

cntycd 90 - 92 A/N 3 GSA County code old =blank

new =data

stcnty 93 - 98 A/N 6 GSA State and County code old =blank

new =data

alcohol 99 - 100 A/N 2 No. of positive alcohol tests 5h result of

conversion

formula

drug 101 - 102 A/N 2 No.of positive drug tests 5h result of

conversion

formula

/ phyact 103 - 104 A/N 2 code to describe actions just before injury

(refer to Appendix F)

5j old =blank

new =data

/ loca 105 - 106 A/N 2 code to identify general location of person at

time of injury 

(refer to Appendix F)

5k old =blank

new =data

/ locb 107 - 108 A/N 2 code to identify on-track equipment involved

(refer to Appendix F)

5k old =blank

new =data

/ locc 109 - 110 A/N 2 code to identify specific location of person at

time of injury 

(refer to Appendix F)

5k old =blank

new =data

/ event 111 - 112 A/N 2 code which describes event which caused injury

(refer to Appendix F)

5l old =blank

new =data

/ tools 113 - 114 A/N 2 code to describe additional information about

injury

(refer to Appendix F)

5m old =blank

new =data

/ injcaus 115 - 116 A/N 2 code to describe what probably caused the

injury

(refer to Appendix F)

5n old =blank

new =data
Railroad Injury and Illness Summary Data File Structure and Field Input Specifications

FIELD

NAME

FILE

POSITION

FIELD

TYPE

 FIELD

LENGTH DEFINITION

BLOCK#

ON FORM

6180.55a CONVERSION

hzmexpos 117 A/N 1 hazmat exposure: 

Y=yes N=no blank=unknown

5q old =blank

new =data

terminat 118 A/N 1 employee suspension or permanent transfer: 

Y=yes N=no blank=unknown

5r old =blank

new =data

narr1 119 - 218 A/N 100 narrative 5s old =blank

new =data

narr2 219 - 318 A/N 100 narrative 5s old =blank

new =data

narr3 319 - 368 A/N 50 narrative 5s old =blank

new =data