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(a) Accident/Incident reports made by railroads in compliance with these rules shall be available to the public in the manner prescribed by part 7 of this title. Accident/Incident reports may be inspected at the Office of Safety, Federal Railroad Administration, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590. Written requests for a copy of a report should be addressed to the Freedom of Information Officer, Office of Chief Counsel, FRA, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590, and be accompanied by the appropriate fee prescribed in part 7 of this title. To facilitate expedited handling, each request should be clearly marked “Request for Accident/Incident Report.”

(b) 49 U.S.C. 20903 provides that monthly reports filed by railroads under § 225.11 may not be admitted as evidence or used for any purpose in any action for damages growing out of any matters mentioned in these monthly reports. The Employee Human Factor Attachment, Notice, and Employee Supplement under § 225.12 are part of the reporting railroad's accident report to FRA pursuant to the 49 U.S.C. 20901 and, as such, shall not “be admitted as evidence or used for any purpose in any suit or action for damages growing out of any matter mentioned in said report * * *.” 49 U.S.C. 20903.