This item was posted by Union Pacific on its employee web site today, and might be of interest to those of you who'll be out along the right-of-way.

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Weekly Safety Topic: Reporting Trespassers and Suspicious Activity to RMCC
April 6, 2011 | 03:50 p.m. CDT

UPOnline publishes a Weekly Safety Topic to remind employees about the importance of safety. Today's reminder discusses reporting trespassers and suspicious activity to the RMCC.

The Response Management Communication Center (RMCC) manages the response to critical, as well as non-emergency, incidents at Union Pacific. A Quality Safety Meeting (QSM) was developed to give all employees an understanding of what RMCC is and what it does, so they can better report information needed to ensure safety in and around the railroad. The QSM training code is QS32.

What types of incidents should an employee report to the RMCC?
The RMCC fields about 1,100 calls every 24 hours. Examples of what to report include personal injuries, fire, derailments, crossing accidents, vehicles stalled on crossings, medical emergencies, trespassers, suspicious activities, abandoned vehicles on company property, and other information that may affect the safety of employees, the general public and railroad operations.

How do you contact the RMCC?
Company line 402-544-7622, or 1-888-877-7267 (1-888-UPRR-COP). Please add this number to your mobile device contacts.

What does the RMCC do with this information?
Depending on the circumstances of the incident being reported, the RMCC will contact local police, fire, and EMS personnel. Internally, RMCC may contact Railroad Police, Operating, Claims, safety personal and the Harriman Dispatching Center.

Safety Rules Effective October 25, 1998
70.9 Removal of Unauthorized Persons

Unauthorized persons or trespassers on company property must be told to leave the premises, unless confronting the person(s) would be unsafe. If the person(s) refuse to leave, or if confronting the person(s) would be unsafe, request immediate assistance from Railroad Police or local law enforcement authorities.

When feasible, Railroad Police must be advised of all unauthorized persons or trespassers on company property.

Dispatcher Rules Effective October 25, 1998
20.11 Reports of Trespassers or Suspicious Activity

In the event a report is received of suspicious activity, trespassers along the right of way, or unauthorized persons on equipment, obtain and forward to Corridor Manager as much detailed information as possible. This should include a description, vehicles in the area, license plate numbers, or any other information that may help in a possible investigation.

If report involves suspicious activity or trespassers:

1.Protect the area, notifying trains if necessary.
2.Notify the RMCC.
If report involves vehicles on or near the track:

1.Immediately instruct all trains approaching the area to be prepared to stop short of obstruction.
2.Notify the RMCC.
3.If told that vehicle was stuck on track, notify Maintenance of Way to inspect track.
If report involves livestock on the right of way, advise closely approaching trains.

Comments
The comments and opinions expressed by users below are theirs alone and do not reflect the opinions of Union Pacific.

Deven J. Neider wrote at Thursday, April 7 3:24 AM:
FRA agents have reported testing this policy by not wearing vests in the field. They claim hardly anyone challenges them. We all need to take this more seriously. Too many transients have lost their lives or threatened and or injured crew members. Not to mention theft and property damage. One engineer in Salt Lake City (in the 1990s) was hit in the head with a hammer, while inspecting power, and then robbed. During the same week another engineer was hit in the head with a wrench or hammer.