In a January 15, 2013 press release, the U.S. Department of Labor announced that OSHA and BNSF Railway Co. had reached an agreement for the company to revise personnel policies that violate the whistleblowers provisions of the Federal Railroad Safety Act and discourage employees from reporting work-related injuries.
"Protecting America’s railroad workers who report on-the-job injuries from retaliation is an essential element in OSHA’s mission. This accord makes significant progress toward ensuring that BNSF employees who report injuries do not suffer any adverse consequences for doing so," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels. "It also sets the tone for other railroad employers throughout the U.S. to take steps to ensure that their workers are not harassed, intimidated or terminated, in whole or part, for reporting workplace injuries."
The major terms of the accord are listed in the OSHA press release.
