OmniTRAX honors five employees' safety efforts

OmniTRAX Inc. yesterday named the five winners of its 2014 Safety Awards. Selected by division managers based on nominations from team members at individual railroads, the winners will receive a framed plaque and gift card.

By division, this year’s winners are:

• John Davis, Northern Division, an engineer and safety lead for Chicago Rail Link (CRL) who spearheaded the railroad's safety team and led monthly meetings on CRL property, at partner carrier meetings and at CSX Corp.'s Bedford Park, Ill., intermodal facility;

• Anthony Foster, Canadian Division, the general manager of the Kettle Falls International Railway who led the short line as it reached more than 550 days without an injury and more than 520 days since the last reportable derailment;

• Winston Deason, Western Division, the superintendent of operations for the Stockton Terminal and Eastern Railroad who never had an on-the-job injury and helped the railroad avoid an injury or facility for two years;

• Randy Matson, Central Division, the GM of the Nebraska, Kansas & Colorado Railway who developed a philosophy of operating the railroad safely, such as through daily direct communications with all associates and a derailment prevention committee, which enabled the short line to record 932 straight days without an injury, 574 days without a reportable derailment and 302 days without a human-failure incident; and

• William "Bill" Johnson Jr., Southern Division, the operations manager at the Georgia Woodlands Railroad who set a safety standard by mentoring associates and helping to maintain an injury-free workplace for almost 20 years.

“Everything at OmniTRAX begins and ends with safety, so we spend a disproportionate amount of time and effort recognizing the people that help make our people and properties free from harm," said OmniTRAX Chief Executive Officer Kevin Shuba in a press release. "This year’s honorees are exceptional in that they run the gamut from engineer to general manager, with each contributing to our overall safety culture every day."