Sec. 21. (a) Every railroad company subject to this chapter shall report to the department as soon as possible after it has occurred, every accident and the general cause thereof, involving loss of life or serious injury to passenger or employee.

     (b) Whenever the department shall secure reliable information, or complaint shall have been made, or, because of reports made by its inspectors, shall have reason to believe, that any carrier in this state does not provide and adequately maintain sanitary drinking water and sanitary dispensers therefor on all locomotives and cabooses in use, or that any such carrier does not provide a room or rooms at all terminals, for the use of the department’s employees, containing adequate wash basins, shower baths, inside toilets, sanitary drinking water dispensed in a sanitary manner, and sufficient lockers for checking employees’ clothing, it shall be the duty of the department to cause such investigation to be made as it may deem necessary, and when such investigation shall have been made, the department shall make a report to the manager or superintendent of the railroad company. In said report and recommendations, the department shall make an accurate statement of the time such examination was made, of the exact location, character, and extent of such defects or omissions, if any such shall have been found, and shall also recommend such reasonable changes and improvements, additions, buildings, and accommodations, as are, in the opinion of the department, necessary to remedy such faults, neglects, requirements, or defects. Such recommendations shall set out specifically a reasonable time within which such improvements or changes or additions shall be made by the railroad company, and if they are not so made within said time so specified, then the department, if it considers it best so to do, may commence proceedings by mandamus or other remedy, in some circuit or superior court having jurisdiction of the carriers, to enforce compliance with its order. All courts, circuit, superior, appellate, or supreme, as shall obtain jurisdiction in these cases, shall give preference to such cases, and shall hear and determine the same speedily to the end that the employees’ interests and the public interests may not suffer.

Formerly: Acts 1905, c.53, s.23; Acts 1907, c.241, s.19; Acts 1911, c.76, s.1; Acts 1933, c.58, s.1; Acts 1949, c.9, s.1. As amended by P.L.12-1984, SEC.2; P.L.384-1987(ss), SEC.29; P.L.50-2011, SEC.2.