Union Pacific Railroad’s Commitment to Safety
CEO Statement
At Union Pacific, safety is our top priority. Our commitment to safety defines who we are and drives our operations. We are dedicated to conducting business in a manner that addresses the safety of not only our employees, but also our contractors, customers and the communities we serve. While rail is already the safest mode of ground freight transportation, and we have made significant strides in improving our safety record, we still have work to do. We are continuously working to identify and manage safety risks in our operations.
Union Pacific fosters a culture of safety by encouraging and supporting employee engagement to create a Total Safety Workplace. We strive to prevent incidents, injuries and occupational illnesses through the active participation of everyone involved. Below you will find our Safety Policy, which aligns with federal and state law.
Thank you for your continued support and commitment while we strive to lead by example in our communities.
Jim Vena, CEO
Our Commitment
Safety is Union Pacific’s first priority. We are dedicated to conducting business in a manner that addresses the safety of all our employees, contractors, customers and communities. With world-class safety, employees go home every day, customers receive better service with fewer delays and communities avoid the negative impacts of incidents and derailments. We take seriously our goal of preventing all incidents, injuries and occupational illnesses. The company is committed to continuous efforts to identify and manage safety risks associated with its activities; we continuously look for innovative approaches to improve our safety measures.
Union Pacific complies with all applicable laws, regulations, rules and instructions. It is our policy to respond quickly, effectively, and with care to emergencies or incidents in cooperation with authorized government agencies. We go beyond just compliance; Union Pacific is committed to investing in training, research and development, technology and public education to further our safety goals. We understand the importance of undertaking appropriate reviews and evaluations of our operations to measure progress, foster compliance and continually improve. Thus, we are committed to updating and revising this policy when necessary.
Our Initiatives
Union Pacific has measures in place to keep safety at the forefront as our operations are performed. Through the following initiatives and employee training, we strive to prevent incidents and provide the most reliable rail service to our customers while keeping our employees and communities safe. We work diligently to promote safety awareness among our employees through effective training programs, communication, and community engagement. Below you will find explanations of some of our most robust safety initiatives.
Risk Reduction Program
This comprehensive, system-oriented safety plan describes how Union Pacific identifies and analyzes hazards and their associated risks and how we develop and implement plans to eliminate or mitigate those risks. The purpose is to improve operational safety and complement our adherence to other Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) regulations. The program includes plans for risk-based hazard management; safety performance evaluation; safety outreach; technology implementation; employee/contractor training; railroad employee involvement; and internal assessment.
Peer-Based Safety Programs
Union Pacific employees share an absolute commitment to safety. Our Peer-Based Safety programs are voluntary, employee-owned process focused on Peer-to-Peer training, observations and feedback. Peer-Based Safety Programs directly empower our front-line employees to address risky behaviors. The values of the program are shared and supported by Union Pacific's senior management. Peer-Based Safety Programs are active in both regions of our company's service area.
Rail Safety Maintenance
Maintaining quality rail infrastructure is foundational to our ability to safely operate. We have active derailment prevention programs in order to provide safe transit for rail equipment and employees. Union Pacific is committed to regularly inspecting railroad tracks and locomotives using state-of-the-art technology. Our systems evaluate track structure wear to prevent derailments and maintain track health. We are committed to continually monitoring and revising train make-up and handling rules to enhance safety conditions for train operations.
Hazardous Materials
Union Pacific is obligated by federal law to transport hazardous materials. Safely transporting hazardous materials is a priority for all employees. Our train crews are trained to handle hazardous materials safely and carry proper instructions when transporting such materials. We collaborate with contractors, customers and government regulators to inspect, report and address issues identified during inspections. If recurring issues are identified with a shipper, our hazmat team provides on-site training to assist the shipper in following best practices. We focus on incident prevention, preparedness, response and recovery. We have a Hazardous Material Management group which consists of highly trained experts in hazardous material transportation safety. The group works with customers to ensure that tank cars are properly secured and operating safely.
While our primary goal is to prevent incidents by conducting regular inspections, Union Pacific’s Hazardous Material Management group prepares for such an event through working with first responders and other stakeholders throughout the communities we operate. If an incident were to occur, the Management group is dedicated to responding quickly and safely to mitigate any potential hazards.
Technology
We continually invest in technology, equipping us with information to assess risk, improve our operations and make us safer. Our robust network of more than 7,000 wayside detection devices monitors the condition of freight cars and locomotives in real time, generating 16 million data points daily to help us proactively identify risks. When a wayside detector flags a potential issue, a dedicated centralized team uses specialized software to determine how to safely address the issue. Based on the severity of the alert, the appropriate risk-based response is taken. In cases where thresholds are reached for critical alarms, the train crew and dispatchers are immediately and directly notified by the wayside detector so the train can be stopped for inspection or repair. Strategic use of wayside detectors improves proactive risk identification and enhances repair capabilities.
Innovation is critical in determining how we build trains and the routes we traverse. We leverage a tool called Train Builder, which simulates and replicates the forces trains experience based on several factors, including the terrain they travel. We use that data to improve the way we build trains and enhance training.
Our front-line employees use mobile devices that put critical information at their fingertips. These tools include visualization capabilities enabling them to see the condition of tracks, locomotives and rail cars in real time. Some features help them prioritize important tasks and even give the ability to throw switches and protect tracks. We are continuously infusing technology into highly manual processes to improve safety.
We are committed to protecting the security and confidentiality of our own data and that of our customers, employees and contractors. We have developed a program that aligns with and complies with the California Consumer Privacy Act, the most comprehensive state privacy law. The California Consumer Privacy Act can be found here: https://oag.ca.gov/privacy/ccpa
Our Information Assurance team is responsible for the confidentiality, integrity and availability of Union Pacific’s infrastructure and assets. This team has robust processes and redundancies in place to prevent, detect and respond to potential cyber threats. Regular vulnerability scanning and system penetration testing are performed to validate our security controls.
Security and Union Pacific Police Department (UPPD)
Union Pacific has its own team of highly trained special agents dedicated to maintaining safety. These special agents are an important part of the communities the railroad serves. The Department holds accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). This is considered the highest standard in law enforcement accreditation.
The Union Pacific Police Department and its special agents have primary jurisdiction over crimes committed against the railroad. The Department is responsible for all Union Pacific locations across 32,000 miles of track in 23 states.
Our Values Line
We take seriously our goal of preventing incidents, injuries and occupational illnesses and want every employee to go home safe every day. Every employee is responsible for maintaining a safe physical environment, exercising situational awareness, and always making the safe choice. When an incident does occur during railroad operations, it must be reported accurately and completely in a timely manner and in accordance with the law and company policy. We will not tolerate harassment, intimidation, or retaliation of any kind against an employee who engages in a safety-related or protected activity, such as reporting work-related injury or illness.
Employees have several avenues to raise concerns if they believe this policy has been violated, including speaking directly with their supervisor and managers. Any suspected ethical or legal violations, as well as suspected violations of company policy, should be reported to the UP Values Line by calling 1-800-998-2000 or submitting a report online. Each report made to our Values Line is confidential and handled with care.