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10/31/2024
The Federal Transit Administration has issued a new regulation to protect transit workers while on or near railways.
The rule marks the first time the FTA has issued a national standard to make transit-rail workers’ jobs safer.
Under the final rule, published today in the Federal Register, transit-rail agencies nationwide will be required to create a roadway worker protection program and receive State Safety Oversight Agency (SSOA) approval for it within one year. The agencies will also be required to implement training for workers on reporting unsafe acts and conditions, FTA officials said in a press release.
According to data reported in the National Transit Database, 29 transit workers were killed and 114 were seriously injured while performing trackwork between Jan. 1, 2008, and June 30, 2024, FTA officials said.
The new rule drew praise from the National Transportation Safety Board, which has been sounding the alarm on roadway worker safety for years.
“While we still have to fully analyze the final rule, it appears to be a strong effort aimed at implementing multiple NTSB safety recommendations," said NTSB Chair Homendy in a prepared statement. "This new rule is a critical step in protecting roadway worker safety and saving lives.”