Railroad BNSF stresses safety but is still held back by longstanding industry issues, report finds

abcnews.go.com:

Freight railroad BNSF is generally striving to improve safety on a consistent basis but that message doesn’t always reach front-line workers who often don’t feel comfortable reporting safety concerns for fear of being disciplined

Freight railroad BNSF is generally striving to improve safety on a consistent basis, but that message doesn't always reach front-line workers who often don't feel comfortable reporting safety concerns for fear of being disciplined, according to an assessment released Wednesday by regulators.

The Federal Railroad Administration's review of BNSF's safety culture also found that the company continues to be held back by some of the same issues that have been common across the industry for years.

This new report is the second one the agency has completed to address railroad safety concerns following the disastrous February 2023 Norfolk Southern derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, as it works to review all the major railroads.

The BNSF review is more positive than last summer's Norfolk Southern report, which said executives at that railroad were too often satisfied with only doing the minimum for safety.

The FRA found that company leaders consistently stressed safety as a core value, but at the lower levels of the railroad, some managers still prioritize keeping the trains moving ahead of safety.

“Changes in messaging create doubt among front-line craft employees as to the true goals, priorities and commitments of the railroad,” the agency said in the report.

Regulators also reiterated their recommendation for BNSF and all the major freight railroads to sign on to the confidential federal safety reporting hotline for workers to report concerns without fear of being punished.

BNSF earned praise for