OSHA Announces Accord with BNSF Railway Over Whistleblower Issues

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration said Jan. 15 that BNSF Railway Co. has agreed to voluntarily revise certain personnel policies that OSHA alleged “dissuaded workers from reporting on-the-job injuries.”

OSHA said it sought the agreement because it felt that some of BNSF’s practices violated the FRSA’s Section 20109 ban on retaliation against workers who report perceived safety issues or other suspected violations of federal laws.

“This accord makes significant progress toward ensuring that BNSF employees who report injuries do not suffer any adverse consequences for doing so," Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and …