Foster-Miller studied workplace safety issues in railroad yards to identify the factors contributing to accidents and injuries. Our approach to gathering information involved a combination of quantitative statistical analysis methods along with qualitative research techniques. Foster-Miller analyzed the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) injury and accident databases and collected additional data from participating railroads.

Through structured interviews with railroad supervisors and focus group interviews with railroad yard workers, we explored institutional factors that contributed to railroad worker safety issues in yards. Our findings were presented in a report to FRA that has been distributed to railroad companies as guidelines to improve worker safety.

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