Building a Safety Culture

Wisconsin & Southern Railroad Achieves 1 Million Man-Hours Injury-Free

Watco’s Wisconsin & Southern Railroad (WSOR) has accomplished a feat very few other short lines can claim to have done: They celebrated the tremendous milestone of achieving more than 1 million man-hours injury free.

“For a regional railroad to go over three years without a recordable injury is extremely impressive. It’s even more so when you consider the number of WSOR team members, who work in the challenging, complex work environment a railroad of that size deals with each and every day,” said Travis Herod, Senior Vice President of Environmental, Health and Safety.

When talking with team members, several of them credit the training they receive currently for the improvement in their safety record.

WSOR Roadmaster Chris Jacobson was with the WSOR before Watco purchased the line in 2012. He’s been with the railroad for 22 years and said, “Back when I first started, when you got hired on, you just kinda got thrown into a position and were expected to perform with very little training. Training is a

big focus now. I think that has a lot to do with our success. The training program that we run starts out with ground school. We then run the guys through 90 days on-the-job training with an experienced team member and then do the follow-up for up to six months with one-on-one meetings, and I think that has a lot to do with building a safety culture here and getting the guys steered in the right direction.”

He added, “I think that the culture we have now is all about keeping people safe and getting people the right training and development to get where they are at.”

The team says that another factor in their successful safety culture is the investment the railroad has made in them and in the proper equipment enabling them to work safe.

“We’ve got the right equipment to do the right job, and I think that’s a huge part of it, having the right equipment to do your job safely and effectively,” said Ryan Esser, WSOR Carman.

The WSOR team has an active Team Safety and Improvement Committee (TSIC) that plays a key part in keeping the property safe and responding to team members’ requests and suggestions. With more than 150 team members it’s important to have that additional help in discovering what the team needs and making sure the team has the right equipment to keep everyone safe. The TSIC also makes sure the property is safe and works to keep morale high and build a sense of pride in the team.

And finally, one of the most important factors is that the team is encouraged to stop work if an action appears unsafe.

Esser said at the rule is: If you think it’s unsafe, speak up. “We bring that up in the job briefings every morning. If you see something that’s unsafe or you think there’s something unsafe, don’t be afraid to say anything. Whether you started yesterday, or you’ve been here six years or 15 years, it’s your right to work safe, and I take it as an obligation to make sure that everybody else at work is safe as well.”

“Achievements like this don’t just happen, it takes a coordinated effort by their entire team, with every single team member doing their part,” said Herod. “I’m extremely proud of the work the WSOR has done and the way they’re leading the way for the rest of our organization. They are truly a railroad to emulate.”

“This incredible milestone is one that is very special and one we feel privileged to be a part of, as none of us have had the honor to experience it before,” said WSOR General Manager Preston Nelson. “It’s truly a testament of the relentless commitment this team has. We see more and more that as we accept the challenge and engage in safety, our team and each piece of our business improves each and every day. It’s a privilege to see what the WSOR team can do in the face of adversity and their ability to collaborate and find new ways to combat the safety challenges we face.”