A team of independent track safety inspectors was nearly hit by a train running full speed last month when they were finally granted access to see if Metro was following its own safety rules, according to a new report.

The Tri-State Oversight Committee, charged with monitoring the safety of the transit agency, said in a report posted late Wednesday that committee members “observed serious violations” of Metro’s rules and procedures and believes the agency’s track safety program is “not effective as it is currently, written, applied and enforced.”