Union Pacific fined in federal safety case

The U.S. Labor Department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued a ruling against Union Pacific Railroad and fined the company $20,000 in punitive damages, as well as $5,000 in compensatory damages.

The investigation found reasonable cause that UP violated the Federal Railroad Safety Act in a case that occurred on Nov. 20, 2015.

Locomotive engineer Mike Fletcher, of Maxwell, and conductor Todd Krekovich, of North Platte, were taken out of service and escorted from the office of Jeff Everett, UP’s director of transportation services. Fletcher then “filed a complaint with the Secretary of Labor alleging {UP} had retaliated against him in violation of FRSA,” according to the OSHA report.

Fletcher and Krekovich each were awarded $10,000 in punitive damages and $2,500 each for compensatory damages. UP also must pay their legal costs.

Read more: http://www.nptelegraph.com/news/local_news/up-fined-in-federal-safety-case/article_f6b929e8-f983-11e6-86e8-834dcee6e027.html