FTA Proposes Minimum Safety Standards for Rail Transit Roadway Workers

FTA

WASHINGTON, D.C. – FTA proposed minimum safety standards that would work to ensure the safe operation of public transportation systems.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) proposed minimum safety standards for rail transit roadway worker protection (RWP), according to a docket in the Federal Register. The standards would work to “ensure the safe operation of public transportation systems and to prevent accidents, incidents, fatalities, and injuries to transit workers who may access the roadway in the performance of work.” 

The notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) applies to rail transit agencies covered by the State Safety Oversight program, SSO agencies, and rail transit workers. It sets standards for “RWP program elements, including an RWP manual and track access guide; requirements for on-track safety and supervision, job safety briefings, good faith safety challenges, and reporting unsafe acts and conditions and near-misses; development and implementation of risk-based redundant protections for works; and establishment of RWP training and qualification and RWP compliance monitoring activities.”

According to the docket, rail transit agencies would be expected to comply with Federal standards and use their existing Safety Management System processes to determine any mitigations appropriate to address the level of roadway worker protection risks identified. The State Safety Oversight agencies would oversee and enforce the RWP program requirements. 

Any comments need to be filed by May 24^th of this year, and the FTA will consider comments received after May 24^th “to the extent practicable.”