Union Pacific Employees Achieve Record 2012 Safety Performance

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Jan 28, 2013, 11:58 ET

OMAHA, Neb., Jan. 28, 2013 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Union Pacific Railroad's 2012 employee safety performance was the best in the company's 150-year history. Employees achieved a 1.01 reportable injury rate, surpassing the previous best of 1.15 established in 2011. From 2002-2012, Union Pacific employees improved their reportable injury rate by 58 percent.

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A company's reportable injury rate is the total number of injuries reportable to the Federal Railroad Administration per 200,000 worker hours, which is equivalent to 100 employees working a full year.

"Our injury-rate improvement is evidence of our employees' personal commitment to actively caring for their fellow employees, practicing behaviors such as peer-to-peer observation and feedback," said Bob Grimaila, Union Pacific vice president-Safety, Security and Environment. "Our safety leadership development and continuous process improvement team efforts, including those driving down operational variability to provide a more predictable work environment, also play key roles in safety results."

Union Pacific utilizes innovative technology to improve employee safety, as well. For example, many employees receive comprehensive on-the-job training through computer software that teaches them how to maneuver locomotives in rail yards, operate switches and sort rail cars onto different tracks based on rail car destination. This video simulation technology gives employees an opportunity to practice what they have learned in the classroom before they work outside in the real-world rail yard.

About Union Pacific
Union Pacific Railroad is the principal operating company of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE: UNP). One of America's most recognized companies, Union Pacific Railroad links 23 states in the western two-thirds of the country by rail, providing a critical link in the global supply chain. From 2007-2012, Union Pacific invested $18 billion in its network and operations to support America's transportation infrastructure, including a record $3.7 billion in 2012. The railroad's diversified business mix includes Agricultural Products, Automotive, Chemicals, Coal, Industrial Products and Intermodal. Union Pacific serves many of the fastest-growing U.S. population centers, operates from all major West Coast and Gulf Coast ports to eastern gateways, connects with Canada's rail systems and is the only railroad serving all six major Mexico gateways. Union Pacific provides value to its roughly 10,000 customers by delivering products in a safe, reliable, fuel-efficient and environmentally responsible manner.

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SOURCE Union Pacific