Metro News Release
For immediate release: July 22, 2010
Metro keeps safety at forefront, closes more corrective action plans, complies with NTSB recommendations
Safety efforts focused on customers, employees
Metro General Manager Richard Sarles provided an update on the status of outstanding corrective action plans (CAPs) and other safety initiatives while speaking at the Metro Board of Directors monthly meeting today, July 22. During the meeting he announced that Metro has received approval from the Tri-State Oversight Committee (TOC) to close six corrective action plans so far this month.
During the last six years, Metro has received approval to close 202 of 256 CAPs by the safety oversight group.
Sarles also reported on the aggressive steps being taken to comply with the NTSB’s recommendations. He specifically noted actions that were taken immediately following the June 2009 train collision, which will be the subject of an NTSB meeting on July 27. In advance of the hearing, Metro staff has:
• Changed the operation of trains from automatic to manual mode, immediately after the accident.
• Instituted a twice-daily evaluation of track circuit performance.
• Established new test procedures to identify track circuits susceptible to parasitic oscillation.
Sarles also enumerated on other NTSB recommendations that the transit agency has followed up on:
• The Metro Board has given approval to replace the 1000 series railcars. The manufacturer has extended its notice to proceed date to August 13, while it works with the FTA to demonstrate compliance with Buy America standards.
• Staff has begun installing rollback protection on all of its rail cars—the 1000 series will be complete by the end of this month
• Staff has begun installing guarded switches to decrease the risk of derailments. To date, 114 of 178 have been completed with all of the guarded switches expected to be in place by the end of FY2012, with the next two scheduled for replacement during the Labor Day Holiday Weekend.
• Work has begun to establish a program to identify rail operators who are at a high risk for sleep apnea.
• Work is underway to determine and establish a stricter standard for the maintenance of rail car wheels. • Revised procedures to ensure cooperation among rail car maintenance and engineering design staff have been developed.
• Developed a comprehensive rail lubrication procedure to help prevent derailments, with those procedures currently undergoing testing.
Sarles also reported that Metro is prepared to implement additional recommendations that may come from the NTSB next week’s July 27th NTSB meeting with more than $30 million dedicated to that purpose over the next three years in the transit agency’s capital budget.
Additionally, Sarles reported that Metro’s Rail and Safety Departments have rewritten the rules and procedures governing the operation and safety of the entire Metrorail system, “Metrorail Safety Rules and Procedures Handbook.”
One other advancement reported on was the completion of the expansion of Metro’s Safety Department this month to 41 positions. The collective experience of the new staff brings 230 years of experience in safety, incident investigation, training, quality assurance, industrial hygiene, and environmental management.
Also with respect to Metro staff, Sarles reported that a July internal safety survey aimed at understanding and improving Metro’s safety culture was completed by 97 percent of the Metro workforce, or more than 9,400 employees.
Sarles also told the Board that all 100 of the 4000 series rail cars affected have been repaired and cleared to return to service. “Removing those cars from service was a precautionary and proactive measure that was taken when tests revealed a safety concern with the doors. This is exactly what I envision happening whenever we have a safety concern,” Sarles said. “We identified an issue, took action to ensure the safety of our passengers and employees, developed a solution and implemented that solution as quickly as possible.”
Metro has invited members of the public to review and monitor Metro’s safety progress online where a safety fact sheet that details safety goals and accomplishments are located. To view the fact sheet click here. For more safety statistics, view Metro’s vital signs report, here.
News release issued at 2:37 pm, July 22, 2010.