WASHINGTON (Oct. 29, 2024) ¾ Today, the National Transportation Safety Board applauded a new Federal Transit Administration final rule aimed at protecting rail transit roadway workers.
Under the FTA final rule, rail transit agencies must adopt approved protection programs for all workers who access tracks and the right-of-way. It would establish required job safety briefings, training programs and lone-worker protections.
“The NTSB has been sounding the alarm on roadway worker safety for years,” NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said. “While we still have to fully analyze the final rule, it appears to be a strong effort aimed at implementing multiple NTSB safety recommendations. This new rule is a critical step in protecting roadway worker safety and saving lives.”
Rail transit roadway workers are subject to on-the-job risks that include moving trains and other equipment as well as falls, electrocution and natural hazards. Since 2020, NTSB has investigated four accidents involving roadway workers on FTA regulated properties. Ten days ago, the NTSB launched a team of investigators to Atlanta, where a Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority employee was struck and severely injured by a rail transit vehicle.
“Improving rail worker safety means making sure that roadway workers have the training, equipment, rest, and layers of protection they need while working on or around tracks, said NTSB board member Tom Chapman. “FTA’s new rule represents important progress.”
The NTSB has long made recommendations to improve the safety of roadway workers. In 2014 the NTSB issued a special investigative report on railroad and rail transit roadway worker protections. That report included a recommendation to the FTA to establish roadway worker protection rules.
The final rule may address as many as six NTSB safety recommendations previously issued to FTA. After a full analysis by NTSB staff, the five presidentially appointed members of the NTSB board will determine whether the new rule satisfies any open safety recommendations.
To report an incident/accident or if you are a public safety agency, please call 1-844-373-9922 or 202-314-6290 to speak to a Watch Officer at the NTSB Response Operations Center (ROC) in Washington, DC (24/7).
