SEPTA, BLET, SMART-UTU join FRA close call reporting system

Written by Kyra Senese, Managing Editor
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The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET), SMART United Transportation Union-Local 61 (SMART-UTU) and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) signed an Implementing Memorandum of Understanding (IMOU) on Dec. 12 to join the Confidential Close Call Reporting System (C3RS).  

 

C3RS is described as an FRA-sponsored, voluntary and confidential program that encourages transparency and allows railroad carriers and industry employees to report close calls. The program aims to facilitate a safe environment for reporting hazardous instances and conditions. The program protects reporting employees from disciplinary actions against them and from FRA enforcement, and railroads are protected from FRA enforcement for reported risks, as well. 

SEPTA employees will now have the ability to anonymously report safety risks without fear of consequences. As a C3RS site, SEPTA is among carriers including Amtrak, New Jersey Transit, Metra, MBTA, Long Island Railroad and Metro North.

“Building a strong safety culture is a key organizational goal for SEPTA. We are always exploring ways to expand and enhance our programs,” said SEPTA General Manager Jeffrey Knueppel. “As a C3RS site, we will be made aware of situations that we might not have been previously alerted to so that we can take action to prevent accidents and protect our employees and passengers.”

The C3RS system will allow SEPTA conductors and engineers to submit notices of safety concerns online or by U.S. mail to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The program uses NASA as an independent third party federal agency to analyze all C3RS data, redact employee names and contact information and return the reports to a peer review team including SEPTA managers, the unions and FRA officials for review.

“We are looking for conditions or close calls other than accidents or injuries that might not otherwise be reported to the FRA,” said Scott Sauer, SEPTA assistant general manager of system safety. “We are asking employees to report events that we might not otherwise know about, the warning signs and precursors that could lead to major safety risks and accidents.” 

Knueppel added that the C3RS program, paired with the implementation of positive train control, is expected to significantly improve SEPTA’s safety.

“Previously, employees may have been hesitant to report a close call, fearing disciplinary action for themselves or colleagues,” Sauer said. “When NASA returns the report to the peer review team, it is completely scrubbed of any employee information. We never know who submitted the information to NASA.”

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