PTS Accident and Incident Reporting 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A worker witnesses a near-miss where a train passed closer than expected to a colleague on an adjacent track. What is the FIRST action the witness should take?
- Continue working and report at the end of the shift
- Immediately alert the lookout and report the near-miss to the supervisor (Correct answer)
- Only report it if the colleague was actually struck
- Write a personal note about it to review later
Correct answer: Immediately alert the lookout and report the near-miss to the supervisor
Near-misses must be reported immediately to the supervisor so corrective action can prevent a future injury.
Question 2: Which detail is MOST critical to include when completing a PTS incident report involving a track worker injury?
- The worker's seniority rank
- The exact track milepost and time of the incident (Correct answer)
- The worker's personal opinion of the cause
- The names of workers not present at the scene
Correct answer: The exact track milepost and time of the incident
The exact location (milepost) and time are essential for investigators to reconstruct the event accurately.
Question 3: Under PTS protocols, who is responsible for preserving the scene of a serious track worker incident until investigators arrive?
- The injured worker
- Any available bystander
- The Roadway Worker in Charge (RWIC) or designated supervisor (Correct answer)
- The nearest dispatcher
Correct answer: The Roadway Worker in Charge (RWIC) or designated supervisor
The RWIC or designated supervisor is responsible for securing and preserving the incident scene pending investigation.
Question 4: A track worker slips and sprains an ankle while walking to the worksite but does not require medical attention beyond first aid. How should this event be classified?
- No report needed since no medical treatment was required
- A recordable first-aid incident requiring documentation (Correct answer)
- A near-miss only
- A critical injury requiring federal notification within one hour
Correct answer: A recordable first-aid incident requiring documentation
First-aid injuries on the worksite must still be documented as recordable incidents under railroad safety regulations.
Question 5: When a track worker damages railroad property (e.g., a signal bungalow) with equipment, what reporting obligation applies?
- Report only if the damage exceeds $10,000
- No report is needed for property damage without personal injury
- The incident must be reported to the supervisor regardless of dollar value (Correct answer)
- Report only if the equipment was personally owned
Correct answer: The incident must be reported to the supervisor regardless of dollar value
Any damage to railroad property caused during track work must be reported to the supervisor regardless of the estimated cost.
Question 6: Which statement best describes a 'close call' under Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) voluntary reporting programs?
- An event where a worker was actually struck by equipment
- An unplanned event that could have resulted in injury or damage but did not (Correct answer)
- A scheduled safety drill that simulates an accident
- A formal disciplinary hearing about a safety violation
Correct answer: An unplanned event that could have resulted in injury or damage but did not
A close call is an unplanned event with accident potential that fortunately caused no injury or damage.
Question 7: A foreman discovers a falsified entry in the incident log — a previous worker marked 'no injury' for an event where a colleague was sent to a clinic. What should the foreman do?
- Cross out the entry and leave a note
- Correct the record and report the falsification to safety management (Correct answer)
- Ignore it since the affected worker has already been treated
- Remove the page to prevent embarrassment for the crew
Correct answer: Correct the record and report the falsification to safety management
Falsifying safety records is a serious violation; the foreman must correct the record and escalate the falsification to safety management.
PTS Accident and Incident Reporting 4
A worker witnesses a near-miss where a train passed closer than expected to a colleague on an adjacent track.
What is the FIRST action the witness should take?