Winter FREEZE

Are you up for the challenge?

Winter FREEZE runs NOW through March 31, 2022!

The Watco safety team selected the second group of Winter FREEZE (Following Rules Every Day Ensures Zero Errors) safety award winners. Thank you to these nine team members for recognizing these hazards and taking preventative action before they became incidents.

Name: Eric Vail, railcar mechanic

Location: Coffeyville, Kansas, Repair and Maintenance Terminal

Safety Suggestion/Near Miss: The team member identified a leaking propane tank on a powered industrial truck and immediately shut off the gas and replaced the cylinder. The replacement was found to be leaking as well.

Solution: The vehicle was removed from service until the line could be replaced, preventing a fire hazard.

Name: Richard Burns, railcar mechanic

Location: Dallas, Texas, Mobile Railcar Repair

Safety Suggestion/Near Miss: While building a train to put in service, Burns identified an excessive amount of bearing grease on the race of the bearing. Further inspection identified a damaged seal.

Solution: The seal was repaired before the train left the location, potentially preventing a serious derailment.

Name: Aaron Day, railcar mechanic

Location: Coffeyville, Kansas, Repair and Maintenance Terminal

Safety Suggestion/Near Miss: Day noticed someone had returned a power washer to inside the shop on a pallet with a can of gasoline beside it, creating a fire hazard.

Solution: The gasoline can was moved and properly stored in a flammable liquids locker.

Name: Christopher Walther, utility team lead

Location: Tioga, North Dakota, Dedicated Terminal

Safety Suggestion/Near Miss: Walther discovered a contractor inside the closed building with their vehicle running while trying to thaw system valves they were repairing. This created a potentially hazardous low-oxygen atmosphere that could have resulted in asphyxiation.

Solution: Walther used Stop Work Authority, the contractor vehicle was removed from the building, and the contractor received additional instruction on safety rules.

Name: David Alvarado, unloader

Location: Bayway, New Jersey, Dedicated Terminal

Safety Suggestion/ Near Miss: Alvardo was performing a dual verification inspection on a hazardous material tank car waiting to be unloaded. He found the side stencils did not match the top stencils, creating uncertainty of the actual railcar number and commodity. Stop Work Authority was used to clarify the car number and commodity.

Solution: The car number was verified and corrected, preventing a potentially hazardous situation.

Name: Aaron Awbrey, clerk in charge

Location: Greens Port, Houston, Texas, Stevedoring

Safety Suggestion/Near Miss: Awbrey noticed there was a portion of fence leaning near the foul of an active railroad track. This presents a close-clearance hazard to the train crew and potential for equipment damage.

Solution: The leaning fence is being corrected.

Name: Chris Bollin, conductor

Location: Alabama Southern Railroad, Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Safety Suggestion/Near Miss: Bollin identified a frequent walking area with inadequate lighting and suggested using solar lighting to illuminate the area.

Solution: The leadership at the Alabama Southern Railroad is currently sourcing lighting to address this issue.

Name: Nathaniel Burke, location manager

Location: Toledo, Oregon, Switching

Safety Suggestion/Near Miss: Burke determined that a railroad bridge walkway appeared to have been tampered with, creating an unsafe condition and potential fall hazard.

Solution: The customer worked with the railroad to correct this significant safety concern.

Name: Neal Ward, roadmaster

Location: Baton Rouge Southern Railroad, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Safety Suggestion/Near Miss: Ward suggested that because of the complex nature of the large rail yard, numbering the switches in the yard would be beneficial. This would provide for more accurate switches and be safer for the younger workforce and outside contractors.

Solution: All switches in the yard have been numbered.