Norfolk Southern defends safety record
Written by William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-ChiefNorfolk Southern announced Thursday that it has filed objections with the Chief Administrative Law Judge of the U.S. Department of Labor to the Aug. 8, 2011, findings of a Regional Administrator of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
“In the involved findings, OSHA concluded, after an investigation, that Norfolk Southern’s 2009 dismissal of a maintenance-of-way employee was retaliation for his reporting a workplace injury and thus in violation of the Federal Railroad Safety Act,” said the railroad in a statement.
The statement went on to say: “The filing of objections by Norfolk Southern means that an Administrative Law Judge will consider de novo, in a full evidentiary proceeding, OSHA’s findings of retaliation in the instant individual complaint, findings with which Norfolk Southern strongly disagrees.
“Norfolk Southern has set forth in its detailed objections the bases for its complete disagreement with OSHA’s decision, including its disagreement with the altogether unjustified aspersions OSHA has cast on Norfolk Southern’s strong safety record in its findings and in a press release accompanying its findings,
"Norfolk Southern takes very seriously its legal and ethical obligations for accurate injury reporting and fair treatment of employees," the railroad said.
