Prohibit Riding Railroad Equipment During Shoving Movements

​​Riding equipment to provide point protection during shoving movements exposes railroad employees to unacceptable risks. Between October 2020 and December 2025, we investigated 16 accidents in which railroad workers were fatally or seriously injured as a result of riding railroad equipment during a shoving movement. In these 16 accidents, 14 workers were fatally injured and 2 were seriously injured.

​Employees riding equipment while providing point protection are vulnerable to undocumented hazards like temporary close clearances, novel situations like unfamiliar yards and railcars with unusual safety appliances, and hard-to-see dangers like traffic approaching skewed highway–railroad grade crossings. Federal regulations and industry rules do not adequately address these hazards or equip employees to recognize and mitigate them.​

We are making the following new safety recommendations.

To the Federal Railroad Administration:

• Prohibit railroads from allowing employees to provide point protection by riding equipment during shoving movements. (R-26-12)
• Require railroads to 1) conduct, document, and reevaluate as necessary a site-specific hazard analysis for planned work locations that includes employee safety; track, walkway, and roadway conditions; visibility limitations; location of switches and derails; close clearances; and availability of applicable technology to determine the safest methods of shove protection and 2) communicate the results of the analysis to employees. (R-26-13)
• Require job briefings conducted before shoving movements to address hazards associated with specific job tasks and information from the site-specific hazard analysis described in Safety Recommendation R-26-13. (R-26-14)

To all Class I railroads:

• Prohibit employees from providing point protection while riding equipment during shoving movements. (R-26-15)
• Conduct, document, and reevaluate as necessary a site-specific hazard analysis for planned work locations that includes employee safety; track, walkway, and roadway conditions; visibility limitations; location of switches and derails; close clearances; and availability of applicable technology to determine the safest methods of shove protection and communicate the results of the analysis to employees. (R-26-16)
• Require job briefings conducted before shoving movements to address hazards associated with specific job tasks and information from the site-specific hazard analysis described in Safety Recommendation R-26-16. (R-26-17)
  

​To the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association:

• Advise your members of report RIR-26-15 and the hazards associated with riding equipment during shoving movements. (R-26-18)
  

Previously Issued Recommendations

To the Federal Railroad Administration:

• Revise Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations 218.99(e)(4)(iv) to require ground protection when conducting shoving movements through highway–railroad grade crossings equipped only with flashing lights or passive warning devices. (R-23-19)  Safety Recommendation R-23-19 is classified Closed—Superseded.

To the General Code of Operating Rules Committee, Northeast Operating Rules Advisory Committee, Canadian National Railway, and Norfolk Southern Corporation:

• Revise your operating rules to prohibit railroad employees from riding shoving movements through highway–railroad grade crossings equipped only with flashing lights or passive warning devices unless ground protection is provided. (R-23-20)  Safety Recommendation R-23-20 is classified Closed—Superseded.