What happens and who may be responsible
Switching work requires employees to move, classify, couple, uncouple, and position railcars in active yards and terminals. Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) defines switching operations to include assembling cars, changing their position, placing cars for repair or storage, and moving rail equipment in work service.
Serious injuries can happen when workers are struck by moving equipment, caught between cars, exposed to unexpected movement, injured while lining switches, or forced to work around defective couplers or other unsafe equipment.
Depending on the facts, responsibility may involve:
- Unsafe shoving or switching movements
- Defective couplers or uncoupling mechanisms
- Poor communication between crew members
- Inadequate staffing
- Improperly lined switches
- Unsecured rolling equipment
- Unsafe riding or mounting conditions
- Failure to follow operating or safety procedures
FRA has specifically warned about hazards during flat-switching and kicking operations, including unsecured cars rolling back and cars failing to couple securely.
How FELA applies here
A yard injury is not automatically a FELA claim simply because it happened at work. The issue is whether railroad negligence contributed to the injury.
That may require looking at how the movement was planned, whether the crew received an adequate job briefing, whether equipment was functioning properly, whether switches were correctly lined, and whether employees had a safe way to perform the assignment.
Federal regulations also impose specific requirements on switching equipment and operations. For example, switching locomotives must have specified steps, handholds, and uncoupling mechanisms designed so that employees can operate them safely, and railcars with certain defective couplers may not be placed in service or continued in service.
Safety bulletin
Injured During Switching or Coupling? Do this now.
1
Document the equipment and location
Record car numbers, locomotive numbers, switches, equipment, and the exact location involved.
2
Identify everyone involved in the movement
Write down the names of crew members, supervisors, witnesses, and anyone involved in the job briefing or switching operation.
3
Talk to a FELA lawyer before signing important documents
Statements, authorizations, releases, or other paperwork may affect your rights after a serious railroad injury.
Common issues in yard and switching cases
- Defective or malfunctioning couplers
- Cars that fail to couple securely
- Unexpected movement or rollback
- Improper switching or shoving procedures
- Miscommunication between crew members
- Unsafe switch conditions
- Inadequate lighting or visibility
- Poorly maintained walking surfaces
- Insufficient crew size
- Failure to secure equipment
- Unsafe riding positions
- Inadequate training or supervision
Injuries from switching and coupling incidents
Because switching work involves moving rail equipment, the resulting injuries can be severe. These incidents may cause:
- Crush injuries
- Amputations
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal and back injuries
- Shoulder and knee injuries
- Fractures
- Hand and foot injuries
- Burns and electrical injuries
- Internal injuries
- Fatal injuries
What a yard or switching injury case may be worth
The value of a FELA case depends on the specific injury, how it affects the worker’s ability to return to railroad work, lost earnings, future limitations, and the strength of the evidence showing railroad negligence.
There is no standard value for a switching or coupling injury. Serious cases need to be evaluated based on the worker’s actual medical, employment, and liability evidence.
Evidence that may matter
Important evidence can include:
- Switch lists and yard records: These may help establish what movements were planned and how cars were being handled.
- Radio and crew communications: Communications can help reconstruct instructions, warnings, and coordination between crew members.
- Locomotive and event data: Available records may show movement, speed, braking, or other operational information.
- Equipment inspection and repair records: Maintenance records may be important when a coupler, switch, brake, handhold, step, or other equipment is alleged to have failed.
- Operating rules and job briefings: These can help establish how the railroad expected the movement to be performed and whether those procedures were followed.