Metro News Release

For immediate release: June 13, 2013

Metro first rail transit in U.S. to implement Close Call Reporting

New safety Program reflects labor-management partnership

Thanks to an effective partnership between ATU Local 689 and management, Metro is launching a new pilot program designed to enhance safety by increasing the opportunity for employee reporting of incidents or situations that have the potential for more serious consequences. Metro will become the first rail transit agency in the nation to promote a confidential “Close Call Transit Safety Reporting System.”

While Metro has instituted many safety initiatives to report safety concerns, close call reporting provides another avenue of reporting incidents confidentially which will enable employees to keep a constant focus and attention to safety. These incidents will not be subject to administrative discipline, but the knowledge of their existence is critical in maintaining and changing the safety culture.

“We want to know what we don’t know, and Close Call reporting is a proven way of gathering information at a stage when we can act to prevent more serious safety incidents, reverse bad habits or address emerging trends,” said Metro General Manager and CEO, Richard Sarles. “We are very proud that our effective partnership with labor leaders is making this new safety program possible.”

Confidentiality for employees who report close calls is critical for success of the pilot. It allows them to report events that would otherwise go unreported, without fear of possible discipline. “This effort will continue the creation of a safer culture and that is the reason for this partnership,” said ATU Local 689 President Jackie Jeter. We see Close Call reporting programs working well in freight and commuter rail, and strongly believe that transit employees can benefit from a safer workplace, and deliver safer service when we encourage confidential reporting.”

The partnership also includes the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), a part of the Research Innovative Technology Administration, to help manage the project and take confidential safety reports from employees.

Beginning this summer, WMATA employees who see or experience unsafe conditions can submit a report to BTS. To maintain confidentiality, BTS removes all identifying information, conducts interviews with employees who submit reports, and then presents information about emerging trends and new sources of risks to a joint Metro/Labor committee known as the Peer Review Team. This trained team, which works under a strict confidentiality agreement required by BTS, will meet regularly to establish root causes of reported events and recommend actions Metro should take to stop them from reoccurring. BTS has more than six years’ experience in the same role for Canadian Pacific Railway, Union Pacific Railroad and New Jersey Transit in the Federal Railroad Administration’s separate and ongoing Confidential Close Call Reporting System (C3RS) pilot.

“While reporting will be confidential, this program does not eliminate employee accountability for serious rules violations such as signal adherence,” said Metro Deputy General Manager of Operations Rob Troup.

News release issued at 10:59 am, June 13, 2013.