BNSF News

Tanner Viertel, Tracy Sanders honored as 2012 On Guard Employees of the Year

2013-09-04

Tanner Viertel, manager, Budgets, and Tracy Sanders, manager, Corridor Operations, were honored recently as BNSF 2012 On Guard Employees of the Year.

Viertel and Sanders were both serving in the Alliance yard near Haslet, Texas, as trainmasters when Viertel spotted a trespasser in the yard writing down information about hazardous materials cars. Viertel responded to the trespasser's location, while Sanders reported the incident to the Resource Operations Call Center (ROCC).

The trespasser identified herself as an inspector with the Federal Railroad Administration and indicated she was checking the speed of hazmat car switching. Prior to entering the Alliance Yard, the inspector had also gone to the North Yard and been verified as an inspector checking hazmat car switching speed and employee security awareness. FRA inspectors are permitted to be on railroad property at any time without prior notice or without checking in.

"We select On Guard Employees of the Year based on the criteria of the On Guard program: Recognize, Record and Report," said Duwayne Pennington, assistant vice president, Resource Protection. "The honorees exemplify the purpose of the program, which is to ensure security of railroad personnel and property. In this instance, Viertel and Sanders saw a trespasser and immediately acted on it."

Employees receive On Guard recognition for reporting potential risks to railroad personnel and property to the ROCC and/or local police. Employees are encouraged to "recognize" a potential risk, to "record" as many details as possible and to "report" as soon as possible what they have seen.

About the photo: Tracey Sanders (left) and Tanner Viertel were recently honored as BNSF 2012 On Guard Employees of the Year.

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