Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Regulation Compliance Violations

The clatter of steel wheels on the track, the rumble of a locomotive, the sheer scale of railroad operations — these are the daily realities for railroad workers. It is an environment where safety is not just a policy but a necessity. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) establishes and enforces a comprehensive set of safety regulations designed to protect railroad employees and the public from the inherent dangers of the industry. When railroad carriers neglect these rules, the results can be catastrophic.

What is the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)?

The Federal Railroad Administration, or FRA, is the agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation responsible for the safety of the nation’s railroad system. Its mission is to enable the safe, reliable, and efficient movement of people and goods. To achieve this, the FRA has the authority to issue and enforce a wide range of safety regulations that govern nearly every aspect of railroad operations.

These regulations are not suggestions; they are federal laws that railroad carriers must follow. They are developed based on extensive research, accident data, and industry experience to address known hazards. The FRA’s authority covers a vast territory, including:

• Track and Infrastructure: Setting standards for track geometry, maintenance, and inspection.
• Equipment: Mandating requirements for locomotives, rail cars, brakes, and other safety-critical components.
• Operating Practices: Establishing rules for how trains are operated, including speed limits and communication protocols.
• Employee Qualifications: Defining training and certification requirements for engineers, conductors, and other personnel.
• Employee Work Hours: Limiting work hours to prevent fatigue through laws like the Hours of Service Act (HSA).
• Hazardous Materials: Regulating the safe transportation of dangerous substances by rail.

The FRA enforces these rules through regular inspections, audits of railroad records, and investigations following accidents. When a railroad is found to be non-compliant, it can face significant fines and other penalties. For an injured worker, proof of an FRA regulation violation is a powerful component in a claim for compensation.

Why Are FRA Safety Regulations Vital for Railroad Worker Protection?

FRA safety regulations are the bedrock of a safe railroad working environment. They exist because the industry has a long history of accidents caused by predictable and preventable failures. Each rule is a lesson learned, often written in the aftermath of a tragedy. The importance of these regulations cannot be overstated, as they directly address the leading causes of injuries and fatalities in the railroad industry.

The core purpose of these rules is to mitigate risk. In an environment with massive moving equipment, high speeds, and hazardous materials, even a small error can have devastating consequences. By standardizing safety procedures and equipment maintenance, FRA regulations aim to:

• Prevent Human Error: Rules governing operating practices and work hours reduce the likelihood of mistakes caused by fatigue, miscommunication, or lack of training.
• Ensure Equipment Integrity: Regulations on equipment inspection and maintenance prevent failures of critical components like brakes, couplers, and wheels that can lead to derailments.
• Maintain Safe Infrastructure: Track safety standards ensure that the rails, ties, and roadbed can safely support the weight and speed of modern trains.
• Establish a Culture of Safety: The presence of a strong regulatory framework forces railroads to prioritize safety in their daily operations, rather than sacrificing it for speed or profit.

When a railroad carrier cuts corners on FRA compliance, it is not just breaking a rule it is actively increasing the danger for its employees. A loose bolt, a missed signal, or an overworked crew member can be the difference between a routine day and a life-altering injury.

What Are Common Types of FRA Regulation Violations?

FRA regulation violations can occur in any area of railroad operations. They often stem from systemic issues like inadequate staffing, deferred maintenance, or pressure from management to move freight at all costs. Some of the most frequent and dangerous violations we encounter involve:

• Track Safety Standards Violations: The track itself is the foundation of railroad safety. Defects in the track are a leading cause of derailments. Common violations include failure to maintain proper track geometry, worn or defective rails, broken joint bars, and insufficient track inspections.
• Hours of Service Act (HSA) Violations: Worker fatigue is a known killer. The HSA limits how long train crews can be on duty and mandates minimum rest periods. Violations happen when railroads require employees to work longer than the 12-hour limit, fail to provide the required 10 hours of rest, or improperly calculate on-duty time. This directly contributes to accidents caused by impaired judgment and slowed reaction times.
• Motive Power and Equipment Violations: Locomotives and rail cars are complex machines that must be kept in proper working order. Violations can include defective brakes, inoperative horns or bells, broken safety appliances (like ladders and handrails), and overdue inspections.
• Signal and Train Control Violations: The signal system is the traffic control of the railroad. A failure in this system can lead to catastrophic collisions. Violations include malfunctioning signals, improper maintenance of signal equipment, and failure of train crews to obey signal indications.
• Operating Practices and Crew Conduct Violations: These rules govern the actions of the train crew. Common violations include exceeding maximum authorized speeds, failure to perform required brake tests, improper handling of switches, and failure to communicate effectively between crew members.
• Hazardous Materials Transportation Violations: The transportation of hazardous materials by rail carries immense risks. Violations can include improper placarding of cars, leaking tank cars, and failure to have proper shipping papers, all of which can turn a derailment into a major public safety and environmental disaster.

These violations are not just paperwork errors. Each one represents a failure to maintain a safe environment and a direct threat to the health and safety of railroad employees.

How Do FRA Violations Contribute to Railroad Accidents?

There is a direct and undeniable link between a railroad’s failure to comply with FRA regulations and the occurrence of accidents. These safety rules are in place to prevent specific, known hazards. When a rule is broken, that hazard is reintroduced into the workplace.

Consider these scenarios: 

• A railroad defers maintenance on a section of track to save money, ignoring FRA Track Safety Standards. A train traveling over that section hits a defective rail and derails, injuring the crew. The violation is the direct cause.
• A train crew is pushed to exceed their 12-hour limit under the Hours of Service Act to complete a run. The fatigued engineer misreads a signal and collides with another train. The HSA violation led directly to the human error that caused the collision.
• A car inspector rushes a pre-departure inspection and misses a cracked wheel on a rail car, a violation of FRA equipment standards. The wheel fails mid-journey, causing a derailment. The non-compliance with inspection protocols is the root cause.

In each case, the accident was not a random event. It was the predictable outcome of a decision to ignore a federal safety regulation. This is a key point in holding a railroad accountable for the harm it causes.

What is the Role of FELA in FRA Violation Cases?

Injured railroad workers do not file for state workers’ compensation. Their rights are protected by a specific federal law known as the Federal Employers’ Liability Act (FELA). Under FELA, an injured worker can bring a lawsuit against their railroad employer and must prove that the railroad’s negligence played a part, even a small part, in causing the injury.

This is where FRA violations become critically important. A violation of a federal safety statute, such as an FRA regulation, is often considered negligence per se. This means that if it can be proven that the railroad violated an FRA regulation and that violation contributed to the injury, the element of negligence is automatically established.

This significantly strengthens an injured worker’s FELA claim. The focus of the case shifts from a broad argument about negligence to a more straightforward question: Did the railroad violate the regulation? If so, the railroad is typically held strictly liable for the resulting harm.

Furthermore, if an injury is caused by an FRA safety violation, the railroad is generally prohibited from arguing that the worker was also partially at fault (contributory negligence) to reduce its liability. This provision of FELA provides a powerful tool for holding railroads fully accountable when their disregard for federal safety laws leads to injury.

What Types of Injuries Result from FRA Rule Breaches?

The injuries that result from accidents caused by FRA violations are often severe and life-altering. The immense forces involved in train derailments, collisions, and equipment failures can cause devastating harm. Common injuries include:

• Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI): From violent impacts in collisions or falls.
• Spinal Cord Injuries: Leading to partial or full paralysis.
• Amputations: Crush injuries from being pinned between cars or in derailments.
• Severe Fractures: Broken bones in the legs, arms, ribs, and back.
• Internal Organ Damage: From the blunt force trauma of an accident.
• Burns: In accidents involving fires or explosions, particularly with hazardous materials.
• Slips, Trips, and Falls: Caused by defective equipment or unsafe walking surfaces, leading to broken bones, sprains, and concussions.
• Repetitive Stress Injuries: Exacerbated by long hours or poorly maintained equipment.
• Wrongful Death: In the most tragic cases, these violations can be fatal.

These physical injuries are often accompanied by severe emotional and psychological trauma, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression, which can affect a worker for the rest of their life.

What Compensation Can Be Recovered in a FELA Claim Involving FRA Violations?

Because FELA is not a workers’ compensation system, it allows for a much broader and more complete recovery of damages for an injured worker. The goal is to provide full compensation for all losses stemming from the injury. If your FELA claim involving an FRA violation is successful, you may be entitled to recover:

• All Past and Future Medical Expenses: This includes everything from initial emergency room visits and surgeries to long-term rehabilitation, physical therapy, medications, and necessary medical equipment.
• Past and Future Lost Wages: Compensation for the income you have already lost and the income you will be unable to earn in the future due to your injuries. This is often called “loss of earning capacity.”
• Pain and Suffering: Damages for the physical pain, discomfort, and emotional distress you have endured and will continue to endure because of the injury.
• Mental and Emotional Anguish: Specific compensation for conditions like PTSD, anxiety, or depression resulting from the traumatic event.
• Loss of Enjoyment of Life: Damages for the inability to participate in hobbies, family activities, and other parts of life that you enjoyed before the injury.
• Disfigurement and Scarring: Compensation for the physical changes to your body caused by the injury.

Determining the full value of these damages often requires the input of medical doctors, life care planners, and economists to project future needs and losses accurately.

What Steps Should You Take After an Injury Caused by a Suspected FRA Violation?

The actions you take immediately following a railroad injury are important for both your health and your potential legal claim.

• Seek Immediate Medical Attention: Your health is the top priority. Report your injury and get a thorough medical evaluation as soon as possible. Be sure to tell the doctor about every symptom, no matter how minor it seems.
• Report the Injury to the Railroad: Follow your employer’s procedures for reporting an accident and injury. Fill out an injury report, but be careful what you write. State the facts of what happened clearly and concisely without admitting fault.
• Document Everything: If possible, take photographs of the accident scene, the equipment involved, and your injuries. Write down the names and contact information of any witnesses. Keep detailed notes about your medical treatment and how the injury is affecting your daily life.
• Do Not Give a Recorded Statement to the Railroad Claim Agent: Railroad claim agents are trained to protect the company’s interests, not yours. You are not required to give a recorded statement. It is best to decline until you have spoken with a knowledgeable FELA attorney.
• Contact an Experienced FELA Attorney: FELA law is a highly specialized field. An attorney with deep experience in handling railroad injury cases will know how to investigate potential FRA violations, gather the necessary evidence, and protect your rights throughout the process.

Your Rights After a Railroad Injury in Alabama

The Federal Railroad Administration sets safety rules for a reason to keep workers like you safe. When a railroad in Alabama disregards these federal mandates, it puts your life and livelihood at risk. A violation is more than a citation; it is a breach of trust that can lead to devastating injuries.

The legal team at Burge & Burge, PC, focuses on representing injured railroad workers in complex FELA claims. We meticulously investigate every case, digging deep to uncover evidence of safety failures, including non-compliance with FRA regulations. Our single goal is to secure the maximum compensation available under federal law so that you can focus on your recovery and rebuilding your life.

If you have been injured and believe a railroad’s failure to follow FRA rules played a role, you do not have to face the railroad’s legal team alone. We are here to listen and provide the guidance you need. Contact us today at 205-947-2962 for a consultation to discuss your case.