National Academies Press: OpenBook

Practices for Wayside Rail Transit Worker Protection (2012)

Chapter: Chapter Two - Pre-Work Accident Prevention

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Suggested Citation:"Chapter Two - Pre-Work Accident Prevention." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2012. Practices for Wayside Rail Transit Worker Protection. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14657.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter Two - Pre-Work Accident Prevention." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2012. Practices for Wayside Rail Transit Worker Protection. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14657.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter Two - Pre-Work Accident Prevention." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2012. Practices for Wayside Rail Transit Worker Protection. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14657.
×
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter Two - Pre-Work Accident Prevention." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2012. Practices for Wayside Rail Transit Worker Protection. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14657.
×
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter Two - Pre-Work Accident Prevention." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2012. Practices for Wayside Rail Transit Worker Protection. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14657.
×
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter Two - Pre-Work Accident Prevention." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2012. Practices for Wayside Rail Transit Worker Protection. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14657.
×
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter Two - Pre-Work Accident Prevention." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2012. Practices for Wayside Rail Transit Worker Protection. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14657.
×
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter Two - Pre-Work Accident Prevention." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2012. Practices for Wayside Rail Transit Worker Protection. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14657.
×
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7INTRODUCTION The rail agencies included in this study have established rules and procedures to provide structure, guidance, and adminis- trative oversight of employees and contractors working on, around, or near the ROW. The universal goal of each agency’s effort is to prevent incidents on the ROW that could result in worker injuries and deaths. However, each agency’s road- way worker protection program strives to reach that goal in different ways. The basic components of the programs are similar, but the sophistication and implementation of the approaches are driven by each agency’s unique set of envi- ronmental and operational factors, as well as organizational history and culture. Some other measures, outside of rules and practices governing track worker protection, have also reduced risk levels for employees by modifying or relocating work processes and modifying equipment designs. TARGET AUDIENCES An agency’s rules and procedures regarding roadway worker protection are designed to apply to various audiences based on the level of risk they are exposed to while carrying out their prescribed duties, as well as the risks they could present to other employees. The primary audience protected by the rules and procedures includes employees and contractors performing MOW activities. To keep MOW workers safe, specific rules and procedures also apply to train operations staff. Train oper- ators, control center personnel, supervisors, and managers are responsible for operating the trains through MOW work zones according to the agency’s operating rules. In addition, operators at NYCT, MBTA, and TTC provide flagging func- tions for contractor crews. RULES DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNICATION, AND ENFORCEMENT Development ROW Safety/Railroad Worker Protection rules at each agency included in the study had undergone major revisions within the last 8 years. The impetus for these changes included the need to respond to State Safety Oversight agency recommen- dations, actions implemented in the wake of serious incidents or accidents, and compliance with FRA regulations. The rules development process ranged from an initiative executed mainly by the rail operations department to an interdepartmental task force driven effort that included union representation. MBTA’s current ROW Rulebook, issued in 2008, was the result of an ongoing management and labor collaborative effort to create safe ROW work practices. MBTA officials inter- viewed indicated that they were in the process of reestablishing their rule book committee to evaluate the impact of the 2008 revisions and make needed modifications. NYCT convened a Track Safety Task Force after two employee fatalities occurred in April 2007. The task force consisted of two representatives from the Office of System Safety, three representatives from the Department of Subways, and three representatives from the Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 100. The task force was charged with evaluating the safety culture, identifying deficiencies and strengths in their track safety process, and developing recommendations to improve the safety process and culture (1, p. 3). The NYCT Track Safety Task Force invested in efforts to educate the task force members on the scope of the problem and effective strategies for fostering organizational change. To identify the cultural and behavioral factors that influence track safety, a survey of MOW hourly employees and super- visors, train operators, construction flaggers, and train service supervisors was conducted. In addition, the task force members were given training on the process of influencing individual behavior to effect culture change in an organization. The insights gleaned from the employee survey and the guidance provided by the task force training was used to develop the task force’s recommendations. These recommendations were implemented in early 2008. The Track Safety Task Force continues to exist to oversee NYCT track safety initiatives (1, pp. 4–6). TTC is in the process of completing a major revision to its Subway/SRT Rule Book to make it more user friendly. The goal of the revision effort is not to change any of the rules, but rather to communicate the existing rules more clearly and to be more specific regarding employee responsibilities. The layout of the revised book will also be easier to read by employing a color-coding scheme and other formatting enhancements. The agencies interviewed developed and issued their work-site protection rules in different ways. MBTA pub- lished all roadway worker protection rules in a separate ROW CHAPTER TWO PRE-WORK ACCIDENT PREVENTION

Safety Rule Book that applies to both MOW and operations employees. MTA and the River LINE have a Railroad Worker Protection Manual that applies to MOW employees. Rules regarding operating employees’ responsibilities when traveling through work zones are covered in the overall System Operating Rules. NYCT and TTC integrate both the MOW employee rules and the operating rules into their overall Department of Subways or Subway/SRT Rule Book. Agencies that have separate ROW rule books require all employees, crew supervisors, and forepersons to carry the book with them on the job. Several of the agencies interviewed published their rule books in handy 7-in.-by-41⁄2-in. spiral- bound booklets or binders that are easy to carry and use. Periodically, the agencies issue additions, changes, or clarifications to the rules. At the River LINE and MTA, the responsibility for updating the ROW rules rests with the Superintendent of Rail Transportation or a similar position. The initial ROW Safety Committee that completed a major revision of MBTA rules in 2008 is not a standing committee. Modifications to the rules are issued jointly by the directors of the operating departments and divisions and the director of safety. The next major revision to the MBTA rulebook is planned in late 2011. This revision effort will be spearheaded by the reconstituted ROW Safety Committee. In New York, changes to the rules regarding track safety (additions, deletions, modifications of rules) must be approved by a standing Track Safety Committee that includes Transportation (MOW and Service Delivery) and System Safety management employees, and union representatives. At all agencies, the Transportation Department largely “owns” the relevant rule books and is the driving force behind any revisions. TTC, in addition to the standard approaches to revising the rules, has a documented application process. Through this application process, an employee from any depart- ment with a vested interest in the rules can apply for a rules change by providing justification for the change to the Rail Transportation Department. The proposed change is reviewed by the department and discussed with the other relevant depart- ments. All rule changes must be approved by all stakeholder departments, such as Signals/Electric/Communications, Track & Structure, Training & Support Services, and Safety. Communication Employees working for agencies with ROW rules integrated into the larger operating rule book receive the rule book when they are hired. At that time, they are required to sign a document indicating that they had received and understood the rules. ROW training reinforces specific ROW rules. Employees working for agencies that have a separate ROW rule book receive the rule book at their ROW training and also are required to sign an acknowledgment. For all the agencies, contractor requirements regarding ROW safety are written into the contracts. Some agencies provide contractor employees 8 with copies of the rule book when they attend ROW training, and others provide contractors with an electronic copy of the rule book and require them to distribute it to their employees. All the agencies interviewed communicate rule changes via bulletins. In addition, depending on the nature of the modification, changes can be communicated in the issuance of new standard operating procedures, payroll flyers, or toolbox meetings. Generally, the bulletins are e-mailed to managers and supervisors, who reproduce hard copies for employees or post them at work locations. Some agencies require employees to acknowledge receipt of new standard operating procedures or rule changes that relate to policy compliance. The rule changes are also covered in each agency’s annual refresher training. In addition to bulletins, TTC has developed and imple- mented a more structured rule book version control process. The person to whom the rule book is issued is responsible for updating his or her copy. The person is directed to record all revisions in a “Revision Records” section of the book, and to indicate the change in the appropriate section and rule number by crossing out the current wording and inserting a copy of the change notice. All changes are issued by TTC as a notice and distributed to all cost center department heads. The department heads are responsible for ensuring that all change notices are issued to their employees by having the employee sign for each change notice. The change notices are distributed on paper that is sized and hole-punched to fit directly into the rule rook. New rules and revised rules are clearly identified in the change notices (2, pp. iv–viii). To reinforce the rules, NYCT MOW supervisors are required to advise hourly employees of a prepared Rule of the Day during their job-specific Toolbox Safety Talk before the tour’s assigned task. A monthly list of the Rule of the Day is developed by each subdivision. In addition, a job-specific Rule of the Day, which relates to the tasks to be performed, and newly issued safety bulletins and advisories must be discussed. These items are included on the MOW Daily Supervisor’s Checklist that each supervisor must complete and forward to his or her superintendent daily. The River LINE includes a Safety Rule of the Day and a Light Rail Rule of the Day as part of the Daily Bulletin issued to employees. Enforcement Work rules and procedures are enforced through daily oversight performed by field supervisory personnel. In addi- tion, most of the agencies interviewed have rules requiring employees to report violations to supervisory personnel or the control center. The violations most frequently communicated are MOW workers reporting train operator violations or vice versa. As one agency representative admitted, even though rules require employees to report violations, accidents, and near misses, enforcing these reporting rules is more difficult than enforcing work practice, flagging, and PPE rules.

9The agencies interviewed also require some form of struc- tured review process to ensure that the oversight is provided. This usually involves a job site supervisor or foreman complet- ing some form of safety checklist before the commencement of work. These range from checklists to verify that workers have the required PPE to a more detailed evaluation of job site safety concerns. In addition, all the agencies require supervisors to conduct some form of job-site monitoring. MBTA chief inspectors and area supervisors are required to conduct field observations of each flagging site in their area of responsibility every day. MTA supervisors are tasked with completing one Railroad Worker Protection Monitoring Report per month. Depending on the department, TTC supervisors are required to complete two to eight Job Safety Observations per month. Supervisors at NYCT must inspect each gang that is performing full flagging once per shift. Gangs whose normal job duties are performed under point-to-point flagging are randomly inspected at least once every 5 days. In addition to identifying rule violations, NYCT’s supervisor training encourages supervisors to use the monitoring process to acknowledge employees who are observed working safely. The agency believes that positive reinforcement can influence rule compliance and nurture the organization’s safety culture. The supervisory person conducting the review in all cases has the authority to remove a worker from the work site or shut down the entire operation if employees are found to be in violation of the rules. Work can resume upon correction of the violation(s). Disciplinary actions can range from a verbal warning if an employee is missing a piece of required equip- ment to formal action in accordance with the agency’s progres- sive discipline policy. Interviews with supervisory personnel revealed differences in the seriousness with which minor infractions were handled. Hourly employees at agencies with stricter enforcement complained about the lack of discretion exercised by supervisors in enforcing the rules, but at the same time acknowledged real improvements in the organization’s safety culture. Some of the agencies interviewed also had formal processes in place to use the information collected to help evaluate and improve the overall effectiveness of their roadway worker protection efforts. MBTA requires the monitoring forms to be sent to the operating division chiefs for review and potential corrective actions. Similarly, the NYCT Division of Subways produces quarterly reports that outline the violations observed and corrective actions. These reports are provided to the Office of System Safety and reviewed with workers at quarterly operating unit meetings. TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION All of the agencies interviewed provided some form of training, certification, and recertification related to roadway worker protection. However, each agency reported different combinations of curriculum and certification/recertification processes for the target audiences. Generally, the training focused on three main topics: • General hazards associated with working on, around, or near the ROW; • Employee responsibilities and the specific ROW rules; and • Flagging procedures. A summary of the ROW training efforts at each agency follows. Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority The Operations Training Department is the agency lead for developing and delivering all track safety-related courses based on the ROW Safety Rule Book, including flagging training and other pertinent information provided to them. Labor–management committees review the course pilots. Current offerings are described here. ROW Rules Training and Certification This is an 8-h, instructor-led course that includes 6 h of ROW Hazards and Rules training and a 2-h Occupational Safety and Health Administration presentation from the Safety Department. The entire course is delivered in the classroom. All job classifications governed by ROW rules must com- plete the training and score above 70% on a test to receive a certification card. Employees and contractors must carry their certification cards at all times on the ROW. The card is listed in the rules as one of the agency’s essential pieces of PPE. This training is conducted as part of new ROW employees’ orientation. Employees promoted into MOW classifications requiring the training take the course before assuming their new duties. Course participants are given two chances to pass the test. Those not passing after two tries must repeat the full- day course. All employees and contractors must complete recertification training every 2 years. The recertification training is a 4-h, instructor-led course conducted in the classroom. It is essen- tially a repeat of the rules component of the initial full-day course. The ROW Rule Training and Recertification classes are mixed with operations, ROW maintenance, and contractors except for the courses given in Spanish to meet the needs of contractors. The instructors are usually former inspectors. The course is updated every time a new rule book is issued, but interim changes are covered in the class deliveries. All MBTA employees and contractors attending the course are asked to complete a training evaluation form. The completed evaluations are reviewed by the Operations

Training Department and shared with the operating units. In a few instances, feedback received on the training eval- uation forms led to the reassessment and modification of the ROW rules. Flagging Training All operators and MOW employees are required to take flagging training. Contractors do not receive flagging training. A flagging team composed of MBTA operators is assigned to each contractor job. Contractors are not allowed to provide their own flagging protection. Flagging training consists of a 2-day course of which approximately 75% is conducted in the field. All MOW employees and train operators, supervisors, and managers take flagging training. Students must achieve 100% on the test. If a person does not score 100%, an instructor will work with him or her to clear up any issues and prepare to retake the test. The Operations Training Department also developed this training and updates it as necessary. There is no formal certification or recertification process or documents associated with completing flagging training. Maryland Transit Administration Once every calendar year, the MTA Training Department provides all roadway workers initial and refresher training on the on-track safety rules and procedures that the workers are required to follow. Light rail employees other than roadway workers (whose primary duties concern the movement and protection of trains) are trained to perform their functions related to On-Track Safety as part of their operating qualifi- cation training. MTA ROW safety training is divided into three modules: basic ROW rules, a flagmen/watchmen module, and an on-site coordinator (OSC) module. The OSC module includes the detailed information on levels of protection that is usually covered in the separate flagging training at other agencies. ROW employees and contractor supervisory personnel receive all three modules. Upon completion of this 8-h training program, participants must score 80% or higher on the test to be certified as an OSC. The nonsupervisory-level contractor employees are provided with the basic ROW rules and flagmen/ watchmen modules only. Upon completion of this 6-h training program, participants must score 80% or higher to be certified as flagmen/watchmen. The difference between an OSC and flagmen/watchmen is that an OSC is responsible for the on-track safety of work crews. The OSC establishes working limits and assigns and supervises flagmen/watchmen. ROW employees and contractors must repeat the OSC or flagmen/watchmen training each year to maintain their certification. A successful practice that MTA has recently implemented is offering employees a computer-based version 10 of the OSC training for recertification purposes. Employees can complete the required training and end-of-course test online from home. Those opting to complete the refresher training online are not compensated for their time. Employees taking advantage of this option do so to avoid having to sit in class for an entire day. New York City Transit The Operations Training Department is the agency lead for developing and delivering all track-safety-related courses based on the Employee Rule Book and other pertinent infor- mation provided to them. The courses are described here. Track Safety Training This is an 8-h, instructor-led course. Approximately half of the time is spent in the classroom and the other half is spent on the ROW. All personnel who must enter the ROW, including MOW and Rapid Transit Operations employees, must complete the training and score above 70% on the test to receive their certification card. Certification cards are required to be carried at all times on the ROW. People hired into the job classifications that require Track Safety certification are scheduled for the course as part of their orientation training. Employees promoted into classifications requiring the training take the course before assuming their new duties. Employees are given three chances to pass the test. Those not passing after three tries are not permitted to enter the ROW. All employees and contractors must complete recertification training every 2 years, except personnel who successfully completed flagging refresher training in the past year. The recertification training is an 8-h, instructor-led course con- ducted in the classroom. The recertification training is different from the initial track safety training and includes class dis- cussions and interactivities that highlight specific safety issues. Flagging Training All MOW employees and train conductors who choose to serve as flaggers for construction crews are required to take flagging training. This is a 9-day course with a significant “hands-on” component. The 9-day course consists of 3 days of class instruction, 5 days posting with experienced flaggers, and a 1-day final exam. Point-to-point flagging involving small moving work crews and near-miss incident reporting requirements are incorporated into the training. Students must score 100% on the test to pass the course. If a person is unable to score 100% after three attempts, he or she is not permitted to perform flagging. Requalification requires the successful completion of a 1-day refresher course each year. Employees who successfully complete the annual Flagging Refresher Course are not required to attend the Track Safety Refresher course.

11 The implementation of standardized flagging training and the 1-day flagging refresher course was a direct result of NYCT’s Track Safety Task Force. Previously, different divi- sions had their own interpretations of flagging rules, training programs differed, and only some employees received refresher training. The Track Safety and Flagging curriculum is updated on an as-needed basis. Frequently after a near miss or accident, the course scenarios are updated to incorporate “lessons learned” from the incident. The last major overhaul of the training was in 2008 and was a result of the Track Safety Task Force efforts. The training was revised to make it more interactive and engaging. For example, the Track Safety training refresher was changed from a 20-min video to a full-day interactive course. The course instructors are former operations employees with an aptitude and an interest in teaching. Toronto Transit Commission All employees and contractor personnel who are required to work at track level must be rule book trained and certified, and must carry proof of certification. All ROW employees attend a 2-day course that addresses ROW hazards, ROW rules, and flagging procedures. There is no separate flagging training or certification requirement. The ROW rules training includes both classroom instruction and field experience encompass- ing a walk from station to station in a tunnel to get a feel for the environment. Participants must score 80% or higher to receive rule book certification. However, there are some “safety critical” questions that must be answered correctly to pass the test. Rule book-certified ROW employees are re- certified annually by participating in a 1-day refresher training course and scoring 80% or higher on the exam. ROW rules training is integrated into TTC’s 31-day new operator training program. The content is the same as what is taught to the ROW employees. Operators must be recertified every 3 years. Contractors receive a shorter (1-day) version of the course and must also receive a score of 80% or higher on the end-of- course test. Unless there is an emergency situation, all contract work is carried out in impassable work zones outside revenue service hours or by isolating the contract employees from track level through hoarding. All contract work carried out at track level must be set up and supervised at all times by a rule book-certified TTC employee. Toronto Police Service Transit Enforcement Officers are provided with a 2-day training program that provides officers with vehicle safety features familiarization, door operations, and track-level tours. All TTC training is conducted in English. The certification tests are also in English only, but employees can request that the test be administered orally. Employees who do not pass the test are retrained and permitted to retake the test. New employees unable to pass the test are dismissed. Existing employees are reassigned to their original positions that do not involve them working at track level. In addition to the ROW rules training, all TTC personnel at the foreperson or higher level are expected to attend a 3-day Risk Assessment course offered at a local university. The purpose of this training is to provide all supervisory personnel with the skills and knowledge to identify and mit- igate potential safety hazards in the work environment. TTC personnel interviewed indicated they had benefited from participation in the course. Work Practice Modification/Relocation TTC is taking steps to modify work practices on both the subway (heavy rail) and the SRT (intermediate capacity rail) operations, which will reduce some employee risk exposure levels. On the subway lines, TTC has relocated the car-cleaning functions from storage and service yards to end-of-line terminals. The relocation removes these employees from the yard environment, including the hazards of train movement and walking at grade with third-rail power. Cleaners will work at terminals where they will access trains from platforms, eliminating the need to use step rails and grab irons to climb onto trains. The system also installed walkways in the yards to allow employees to walk through yards to storage tracks without stepping over third rails or walking in track-fouling areas. TTC is examining the feasibility of installing some platforms in the system’s three storage yards to ease access for the mechanical employees and switch-yard operators who still need to access train interiors within the yard limits. Another measure has been included in the design of the latest rolling stock. The semipermanently connected six-car train sets, named “Rockets,” have ergonomically improved step rails and grab irons at the cab locations, allowing easier and safer access to the interior. The “Rockets” also include new forward-facing indicator lights on the cab fronts that begin flashing when the operator sounds the horn. The lights will switch to steady mode when the brakes are being applied. This provides an additional layer of communication and will let track-level workers know that the operator has observed and acknowledged the workers and work zone warning flags. On TTC’s streetcar operation a necessary maintenance practice has been modified through the customization and application of commercially available cleaning equipment. Previously, the switch points and frogs of in-street tracks were cleaned by a two-person crew who traveled the line in a work truck. At each switch they would stop the truck, and one worker would manually sweep the switch while the other would flag motor vehicle traffic around the site. The system

piloted and then adopted a new practice using small rubber- tired street sweepers, as seen in Figure 1. TTC worked with the manufacturer of the sweeper to modify the angle and positioning of the brushes, allowing brushes to reach into the flange-ways of the in-street switches. This modification has removed six employees per day from the hazards of vehicular traffic, allowing safer and faster cleaning practices. Summary All the agencies in this study viewed the implementation of standardized ROW rules and flagging training as a major step in advancing ROW employee safety. MBTA Operations Training reported that the feedback received is evaluated to help guide future rule modifications. Several agencies cited the practice of bringing trainees onto the ROW to emphasize the importance of the training to their safety. After the 2007 ROW worker fatalities, NYCT reevaluated its training and made it more interactive and engaging. Major improvements included integrating more exercises and class discussions into the curriculum. In addition, unlike other agencies in which the refresher training is exactly the same as the initial training, NYCT developed separate refresher training courses for both the ROW and the flagging training. The refresher training is intended to take students to the next level and challenges them to apply the rules and concepts covered in training to actual situations. MTA’s initiative to create a computer-based refresher training module is also aimed at getting employees more involved in their learning. HAZARD IDENTIFICATION AND EVALUATION All of the agencies interviewed reported conducting hazard identification and evaluation processes that included ROW worker safety considerations. Generally, these include multi- departmental meetings to review major construction jobs, the issuance of General Orders or similar measures that 12 identified major track construction and maintenance jobs and the levels of worker protection required, and safety brief- ings with work crews before commencing work. In addition, most of the agencies interviewed had implemented a Safety Hotline that employees with safety concerns could use to make anonymous reports. The hotline was monitored by the safety department. All credible reports were investigated and addressed as needed. In their interview, NYCT personnel highlighted the NYCT Department of Subways’s successful practice of conducting a joint management/union safety inspection prior to the commencement of all major track construction projects and large-scale scheduled track maintenance jobs (e.g., multiple rail replacement, switch renewal, and extensive plate renewal). A track construction/maintenance superintendent schedules the inspections by contacting the TWU and support divisions (Infrastructure, Signals, and Third Rail Operations) a week or more before a job is scheduled to start. The overall process includes three major steps. The first step is for all parties to meet and review the job. The track construction/maintenance superintendent gives a brief description of the job. This includes the type of work that will be done on the nights and weekend General Orders (e.g., dig out, rail job, hand chip out, concrete pour, and welding) and the details of the timing and length of the job. The second step is to conduct the joint pre-job walk- through safety inspection using a standardized inspection form. The inspection is handled like any other ROW mainte- nance job. The Rule of the Day is reviewed, Tool Box Safety Talk is conducted, and appropriate flagging protection is established. The track construction/maintenance superintendent points out to all parties entering the track area the starting point (column marker) and clear-up spaces. The site is then assessed for: • Any immediate and obvious conditions or hazards; • Egress and emergency evacuation exits—identified, properly illuminated, and unobstructed; • Working blue lights to indicate the location of EAB, ET, and fire extinguisher; • Emergency telephone(s) and working emergency alarm box(es); • Full fire extinguisher(s), with an inspection card verify- ing a recent inspection; • Electrical hazards; • Configuration of the track; • Adjacent track flagging needs, including the number of flaggers required; • Illumination of the job site; • Cleaned and illuminated wide areas; • Adequate ventilation; • Presence of old material; • Tripping and slipping hazards; and • Water conditions. FIGURE 1 TTC streetcar switch sweeper (Photo: Chris Kozub).

13 In addition the following are discussed: • Air quality meter; • Power off locations; • Infrastructure drop site; • Location of material; and • Asbestos abatement. The need for a barrier or bunting separating the work track from active adjacent tracks will be determined at this inspection. Finally, a closing meeting is held immediately following the inspection in which all participants review items that need to be addressed. The track superintendent prepares a Punch List Report that is reviewed by the inspection team and the TWU safety department. Follow-up inspections are scheduled. Before any work commences, an inspection certificate or placard is signed by a supervisor and a TWU safety repre- sentative, and displayed at the work site. Figure 2 shows a placard (3, pp. 3.1–3.4, 4.5–4.8). To help ensure the effectiveness of this process, NYCT developed a 3-day training course for TWU safety represen- tatives and track construction/maintenance supervisors who conduct the joint labor/management pre-job inspections. The outline for the training appears in Figure 3. In addition to this training, individuals conducting these inspections are required to attend 41⁄2 days of prerequisite training in various safety courses. CONCLUSION Interviews with multiple representatives from the five agencies for this report revealed that agencies of all sizes are moving toward comprehensive ROW worker protection programs that include rules development in collaboration with labor, specific training requirements, and enforcement initiatives. Successful practices focus on clearly and concisely communicating rules and procedures to target audiences through written documen- tation and high quality training, and implementing structured processes for encouraging compliance. The research team met with two ROW work crews during the MBTA site visit. During the meeting, employees empha- sized the value of training and the need for supervisors and managers to “walk the talk.” Some concerns were expressed that elements of the MBTA program were too strict, but all workers recognized management’s commitment to the pro- gram and acknowledged that MBTA was a much safer place to work because of it. FIGURE 2 NYCT sample placard (Courtesy: NYCT).

14 FIGURE 3 NYCT joint management/union safety inspection outline of training curriculum (Courtesy: NYCT).

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