BNSF Railway fined for firing injured worker

The U.S. Department of Labor has ordered BNSF Railway Co. to pay more than $290,000 in damages for terminating a worker following his work-related injury, the department announced Wednesday.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the worker said he was accused by Fort Worth, Texas-based BNSF of violating his doctor’s physical activity restrictions and terminated. At a subsequent hearing, the worker provided documents that proved his doctor had allowed the physical activity, the DOL said in a statement.

OSHA cited BNSF, which is a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., for violating federal law and ordered the railway to reinstate the worker and pay back wages, attorneys fees and compensatory damages. The agency also assessed BNSF $150,000 in punitive damages.