Working on a Connecticut railroad can be a rewarding experience. Many workers enjoy long and happy careers. Perhaps you’re among them. You may have loved trains since you were a child and set your sights early upon growing up and working on “real” trains. The toy trains you played with on your living room floor, however, were no doubt much safer than the ones you work on in adulthood.

Whether employed by the railroad, riding as a passenger or simply driving or walking near tracks, there is always a risk for injury. As a paid worker, you hopefully have been given appropriate training and provided with proper safety equipment to lower your risk for an accident injury.

Keeping these things in mind may help as well

As a railroad employee, you may already be aware that train accidents occur in this nation approximately once every three hours. Given those astounding statistics, anyone working on, riding, or coming near trains or railroad tracks may want to take advantage of the following safety tips:

• It’s never a good idea to walk on or near train tracks, and it is also illegal, unless you have an approved reason for being there, such as working on a repair or maintenance crew.
• Just because you don’t hear or see a train coming, doesn’t mean one isn’t nearby. You never know when a locomotive will come barreling down the tracks.
• Many people mistakenly believe trains can instantly stop if the engineer applies the brakes. It often takes these massive machines more than a mile to come to a halt.
• If you are crossing railroad tracks, do not, for any reason, ever, try to beat a moving train across the tracks.
• Many commercial vehicles must come to complete stops before crossing railroad tracks. If you are in a vehicle that gets stuck mid-way across, it is best to immediately get all occupants to safety and look for the emergency number to call, which is typically posted on or near railroad crossings. If you can’t find it, call 911.

If you’ve been working on the railroad for some time, you’re likely at least somewhat familiar with the Federal Employers Liability Act. FELA protects you by allowing you to file a personal injury claim against your employer if negligence leads to an accident that causes you injury on the job.

A Connecticut attorney well-versed in FELA regulations can explain the process and provide effective representation to help you get the care you need and the benefits you deserve so you can achieve as full a recovery as possible.