Senior Field Team Leader Jeff Zoeteman is enthusiastic about the Belt’s safety profile.

“We have a lot of positive things,” he said. 

He cited the present as a “period of growth” in which engineering solutions, communication and interdepartmental training were being deployed to make the railroad safer. 

“I’m impressed with the amount of pride people take in safety,” Zoeteman  said. 

Employee recognition has been part of the safety effort. Earlier this year, each manager selected an employee who was excelling with safety and service. For going above and beyond, they were presented safety awards and certificates as tokens of appreciation. Zoeteman said it was a small way to remind employees that what they do is appreciated.

He looks forward to the railroad recognizing more employees.

“Employees who work in a safe, efficient manner set an example and we want them to succeed at work and outside of work,” Zoeteman said. “It goes hand in hand with our vision of getting better each day.” 

He added that while conditions change, including weather, a strong safety culture and mindset offer the consistency to weather any storm.