Railroad worker injuries are covered under the Federal Employees Liability Act which requires that a railroad maintains their fleet, ensuring that their trains are in good working order and free of defects. If a railroad does not comply with these standards, they may be liable for injuries to their workers. Damages railroad workers may receive include medical treatments, present and future lost wages and mental trauma. An injury on the railway can range from a minor sprain to a spinal injury so severe that it leads to death. Some of the most common injuries that affect railway workers are head trauma, knee injuries, back injuries, neck injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome, brain trauma or spinal cord injuries. The Federal Employees Liability Act protects railroad workers and others as diverse as clerical employees whose day-to-day functions do not directly involve trains or outdoor activity.
Termo (also, Snowstorm and Armstrong) is an unincorporated community in Lassen County, California. It is located on the Southern Pacific Railroad 32 miles (51 km) north-northeast of Susanville, at an elevation of 5305 feet (1617 m). This town straddles U.S. Highway 395 north of Ravendale. In 1909, Termo was the terminus of the Nevada–California–Oregon Railway. The Termo post office opened in 1908, closed in 1914, and re-opened in 1915. Termo soils are on lake terraces and in lake basins and have slopes of 0 to 2 percent. The mean annual precipitation is 9 inches (230 mm) and the mean annual temperature is 45 °F (7 °C). The ZIP code is 96132 and the area code 530.