A Norfolk Southern conductor died in a dump truck accident at a steel plant in Ohio.



CNN

A Norfolk Southern conductor was killed Tuesday after being hit by a dump truck at an Ohio facility, prompting the National Transportation Safety Board to investigate railroad safety culture due to the “number and significance” of recent accidents.

The conductor, identified as Louis Schuster, 46, was fatally shot early Tuesday at the Cleveland-Cliffs Cleveland Works, the railroad said in a statement. news release. This is the third case with Railway in the state for just over a month.

Shuster was hit when a dump truck carrying limestone collided with the front left side of the first car of the train. He was outside the car when he was hit, a Cleveland police spokesman told CNN.

Norfolk Southern is working with the Governor of Ohio. Mike Devine, Cleveland Police Department and Cleveland-Cliffs representatives for more information, the post said.

This was announced by the National Transportation Safety Board. Twitter that he sent crews to the scene.

The NTSB later said in a statement that its safety culture investigation includes multiple incidents and three deaths since December 2021, including a toxic rail derailment in East Palestine and a staff member killed earlier Tuesday. He’s already investigating the October 28 crash in Sandusky, Ohio.

“The NTSB is concerned that several organizational factors may be involved in crashes, including safety culture,” the board said in a statement. “The NTSB will conduct a thorough investigation into the company’s safety practices and culture. At the same time, the company should not wait to improve security, and the NTSB is urging them to do so immediately.”

The CEO of Norfolk Southern is due to testify before a Senate committee on Thursday.

“Norfolk Southern has reached out to the conductor’s family and will do everything possible to support them and his colleagues. Today we mourn the loss of a colleague. Our hearts go out to his loved ones during this extremely difficult time.”

Schuster was a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Machinists (BLET) and worked as a conductor in Norfolk, according to the union.

“Lou was a passionate and dedicated union member,” said Pat Redmond, local chairman of BLET Division 607. “He was always there for his colleagues. He was very active in helping veterans who worked on the railroad and veterans throughout our community.”

Shuster, a resident of Broadview Heights, Ohio, was the president of BLET Division 607 in Cleveland. According to the union, Schuster has a 16-year-old son, cared for his elderly parents and was an army veteran.

“It was a tragic situation and it is a huge loss for the Schuster family and also for the members of this union,” said BLET National President Eddie Hall. “All train accidents can be avoided. This collision highlights the need for a significant improvement in rail safety for both workers and the public.”

Cleveland-Cliffs is a flat steel company. Web siteAnd him Cleveland Works The facility is located on the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland.

CNN contacted the Cleveland-Cliffs, the Cleveland Police and the Ohio Governor’s office for more information.

The conductor’s death comes after Norfolk Southern came under fire for two recent derailments in Ohio, including one in Eastern Palestine last month, this resulted in the release and burning of a toxic chemical, causing local residents to complain of headaches, coughs and rashes that they believe are related to the fire accident.

As the railroad is working with the Environmental Protection Agency to restore the area, it has announced a new six point safety plan Monday is meant to help prevent similar derailments in the future.

And in Springfield, about 200 miles southwest of East Palestine, another Norfolk Southern freight train arrived. derailed Saturday.

The accident shut down power and the area, and resulted in temporary shelters for homes within 1,000 feet of the scene. Later, the crews found that nothing had spilled from the derailed cars, and no harm had been done to the environment.

Casualties, including injuries and death, involving rail workers are not uncommon, according to Federal Railroad Administrationwhich shows there were over 13,500 incidents involving on-duty employees in the industry in 2022, including 1,060 involving Norfolk Southern employees.

According to the administration, 42 railroad workers died in the line of duty last year. Five of these people were employees of Norfolk Southern.