BNSF Railway completed a record year for workplace safety in 2023, with the lowest injury frequency rate in the company’s 175-year history.
BNSF, comprised of 37,000 employees, operated its 32,500-mile network without loss of life, and with the fewest number of employee injuries ever. Employee injury rates decreased more than 20 percent, and injury severity was down nearly 35 percent, year-over-year, leading the industry in safety.
“Our performance in 2023 is a giant step forward in bringing us closer to our ultimate safety vision of a workplace free of accidents and injuries,” said Katie Farmer, president and CEO. “This monumental achievement is a credit to the commitment and passion for safety demonstrated by everyone at BNSF, especially our Operations teams. Everyone—across all teams and crafts—remains aligned in our commitment to safety, and we thank all our employees on the front lines serving customers every day whose dedication to safety made this significant milestone possible.”
This safety record in 2023 builds upon a first of its kind in the industry Transportation Safety Agreement (TSA). The agreement, which BNSF finalized in 2022 with its transportation workforce, has strengthened collaboration and communication between management and employees.
“Our membership is committed to safety and having those closest to the work lead this effort is showing positive results,” said Rich O’Connell, SMART-TD general chairman. Rob Cunningham, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) general chairman added, “We take great pride in our dedicated members who prioritize safety in their daily work. The successful collaboration between labor and management, as evidenced by the TSA, stands as a testament to our effective model.”
Heading into 2024 and beyond, BNSF says their safety vision “continues to be a workplace free of accidents and injuries.”
“Our commitment and passion for safety is something that sets the people of BNSF apart,” said Matt Igoe, executive vice president and COO. “The way we finished the year strong is clear proof of that. A special thanks to everyone who contributed throughout the year to take our safety performance to the next level.”