A new review of Metro’s rail safety and security procedures finds the transit agency breaking its own policies in more than 30 key safety categories, and uncovered dozens more “areas of concern.”
The audit by Metro’s federally mandated oversight agency also found major deficiencies in Metro’s procedures for keeping track workers safe, saying that seven employees have died since 2005 because of “preventable” accidents.
The findings are in a 296-page triennial audit on Metro’s safety and security practices by the TriState Oversight Committee, which is composed of transportation officials from the Virginia, Maryland and D.C. departments of transportation.
Matt Bassett, chairman of the committee, said Metro’s follow-through on investigating accidents and developing “corrective action plans” was one of the most glaring problems identified in his agency’s report. “There were a series of accident investigations that [Metro] was required by federal regulation to complete, and they simply hadn’t,” Bassett said, referencing a string of incidents stretching back to 2006.
Bassett said the findings indicate that Metro’s current safety policies and procedures are mostly adequate, but are in many cases not being properly implemented.
Among gaps identified between Metro’s safety policies and practices, the report found Metro has processes to address major, or “safety-critical,” rule violations, but not to identify all such violations.
“[Metro] does not appear to have clear guidance directing field supervisors how to monitor compliance with rules and procedures,” the report states.
Bassett said Metro was aware of the problems and was already working to implement the steps laid out in the report.
“I think this will probably end up being the national model for how you keep track workers safe,” Bassett said of the report’s recommendations.
Metro officials received the TriState report in August, Bassett said, and were well on their way to implementing the report’s recommendations.
Metro General Manager Richard Sarles and his agency’s safety officials will have to submit a response to the committee laying out their plan of action, and Bassett said he is “very confident” Metro is taking steps to address its safety issues.
“The agency’s level of awareness when it comes to systemic safety concerns is higher than it’s ever been,” Bassett said.
Metro officials did not respond immediately to requests for comment.
