FELA Attorney

The Federal Railroad Administration - What Does it Do?

When it comes to railroads, there are several parties and entities that can claim to be involved and included in the enforcement of the general public policy that these railroads need to be kept safe and running smoothly. These parties include Congress, who passed FELA in 1908, the courts, which decide cases under FELA and other statutes and a governmental agency that's charged with handling a plethora of railroad issues - the Federal Railroad Administration, or FRA. Below is a look at the FRA and what its role is in regards to railroads.

History

In 1966, Congress passed a law known as the Department of Transportation Act. This law is enormous, and within its tenets is the requirement of the creation of the FRA. Since then, the FRA has developed and grown to fill several roles in regards to railroads, and the FRA is one of ten entities now charged with handling railroads. A few of the FRA's duties are briefly explained below.

Mission

On the FRA's Web site, one can find its mission statement explicitly printed: promulgate and enforce rail safety regulations; administer railroad assistance programs; conduct research and development in support of improved railroad safety and national rail transportation policy; provide for the rehabilitation of Northeast Corridor rail passenger service; and consolidate government support of rail transportation activities.

Safety

Although this aspect of railroads is technically overseen by the Office of Safety, the FRA still performs several duties in this regard. The FRA employs safety inspectors, and their responsibilities include:

• Track, Signal and Train Control
• Motive Power and Equipment
• Operating Practices
• Hazardous Materials
• Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Safety

These duties are carried out in several ways, and generally, the FRA begins any process by collecting data and statistics and completing analyses in relation to this information. For instance, if an accident has occurred during a typical day on a railroad, and it involved a faulty piece of equipment, the FRA would investigate the situation and come to a conclusion as to the cause of this accident.

This could be an important aspect of a FELA claim, as although the FRA does not oversee claims, its reports and investigations could be used as evidence that a railroad worker has been wrongfully harmed while performing his or her duties.

Overall, there is a lot to remember and a lot to understand when it comes to protecting your rights under FELA. If you have been injured while working on a railroad, you need to contact a FELA attorney at Williams Kherkher immediately to schedule a free initial consultation.