Probably a Dumb Question about Railway Safety ...

slips and falls.....

They are the # 1 cause of work place injuries.

Back in the Jurassic period when I volunteered at the Illinois Railway Museum, I was told because the rail or your boot might be slippery, possibly from grease or oil, you may fall, and might hit your head on the rail. I didn't argue with it.

Thanks! That makes sense.

We’re not supposed to walk on ties either.

@Double Check posted:

We’re not supposed to walk on ties either.

Has something to do with large objects traveling on the rails.   

Actually, as can be seen in railway safety films, the ties are spaced such that walking on them tends to make for awkward paces. 

Mitch

Why not both? As well as lying immediately beneath the path of unstoppable objects, ties are hard to walk on, what with their inconvenient spacing and that lumpy ballast stuff. Safest to walk elsewhere.

For twelve years we lived beside the Johnstown branch of the B&O that saw one train a day, out-and-back between Rockwood and Johnstown. I walked every day, (after an MI at age 38 the Cardio told me "walk or die") mostly beside the track on the cinders of what had been a passing siding. In a couple spots I had to walk on the track and that was always a bit awkward as well as requiring an ear always being tuned to the sound of a locomotive exhaust or whistle. You see, we lived at the top of the grade so approaching trains from either direction were always under full throttle plus there was a grade crossing about ¾ mi in either direction so I always knew in plenty of time to get off the track.

Stepping on the ball of the rail:

Think for a moment how it would feel for your stepping foot on top of the rail to slip out from under you toward your back, and you hit the opposing rail face first. I would think that would NOT be a fun experience.

Walking on the ties:

You're in the "Kill Zone" (fouling the track). You are ALWAYS at risk in the "kill zone".

Andre

I used to tell rookie trainmen that the guage was designed to be just the right width so that when you slip from stepping on one rail, your head will come in perfect contact with the other.   And yet they still did it.  I had a new crew member step on a rail to reach for a back-up hose in order to avoid  getting his feet wet in the standing water in the yard. When I called him on it he tried to explain himself to me as I stood in the pouring rain and in the same water up to my ankles, My response to him was "if  you are not up to the job, find another one". 

Just as important is the need to cross tracks at a right angle.  More than once I have seen crew members cross casually  at obtuse angles and then trip and fall or stumble. 

Good habits only become intuitive by practicing them every day and in every situation.  No exceptions! 

Was told in yard back 40 years ago to treat the running rails as if it was the third rail which in our case was 600 volts dc.

There were some deadly accidents during career .

With almost silent (no clickety-clack) running on welded rail, a train can sneak up on you. I was "surprised" on one occasion, knowing exactly when the few scheduled LIRR trains passed a certain spot, and therefore confident that I wouldn't get squished, when a Sperry rail inspection unit snuck up on me, and I had just enough time to fling myself out of the way.  "Change underwear event."

A friend of mine who worked on the plant railroad in a steel mill was switching in the rain one night. He stepped up on the rail to adjust a coupler as the other half of his consist was approaching. When he kicked the coupler his other foot slipped off the rail and both feet went towards the center of the track. He lost both legs above the knee.

Hi B&O 2817, The story of your friend made my skin crawl. While sympathizing with his pain, there is more than one safety violation here:

*Stepping on the rail;

*Fouling the track while equipment is approaching;

*Working without situational awareness in inclement weather;

*And kicking couplers, especially while equipment is approaching.

I have fallen while on the track while working SAFELY, and believe me, it does NOT give or forgive. But I retired with thirty years service intact and with no reportable injuries, although the fall should have been reported. But trying to instill safety in a few of my co-worker's minds was an exercise in futility. Those rules were written in blood; truer words were never spoken. Also I wonder whether the plant's rule book was adequate to cover the situation.

Please realize I'm not trying to minimize your friend's accident, but attempting to pass a safety message along. Have a better year than 2020--anything will be an improvement!     Don Francis

There are several reasons to step over rails, and to not step on them.

Traditionally, the number one on-duty injury to railroad employees has been sprained or broken ankles.  Slipping or turning an ankle while stepping onto or off of the ball of a rail, a mis-step while walking on uneven surfaces, and stumbling when alighting to the ground from equipment (especially moving equipment) cause almost all railroad ankle injuries.

Additionally, there is an accumulation of grease on the outer edges of rails, which, when transferred to the sole of a shoe, can contribute to slipping, particularly when stepping up to a stirrup or onto a step, to board equipment.

This was one of the first "universal" safety rules, because of the predominance of ankle injuries.

Absolutely SOLID advice!

Like all the above correct answers , if you’ve ever fell by stepping on a slick crosstie or section of rail you’ll learn real fast why the rule is there 😳

Back on Labor weekend 1983 I went with a friend to New Jersey to do some rail fanning.  First we stopped in South Amboy to watch the GG1s on NJT before they were retired the next month.  Then we went to Little Ferry to the Susquehanna yard.  We went to the yard office and asked if we could walk and and take photos of the equipment.  The yardmaster said yes, first asking us to sign a liability release, and then telling us two things:  Do not climb on the equipment, and do not step on the top of the rails.

Stuart

when I first started, an older guy told me like it was told to him. Don't stand on wood. (Ties, crossings, bridges)

Just take a look at the top of the railhead, it is NOT flat, it has a curve to it. So when you try to step on it, it will roll your ankle-foot one way or the other. Guess what? now you have a sprained or broken ankle-foot or torn tendons or ligaments.

Stay Safe!