BART's Crunican responds to worker-safety citations

Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) is making permanent changes to its safety procedures, BART officials said in a response to the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health's (Cal/OSHA) recent issuance of three citations relating to worker safety following an accident in October 2013 that killed two BART track workers.

"BART has fundamentally upgraded its safety procedures with the implementation of an enhanced wayside safety program and a proposed budget investment of over $5 million in additional resources to bolster BART’s safety performance," BART General Manager Grace Crunican said in a prepared statement.

"Cal/OSHA has informed BART these changes correct the concerns which are at the heart of their citations, designating the issues as 'abated,' meaning that none are continuing violations or pose continuing safety hazards," she added.

Additionally, BART has embraced comprehensive rail safety regulations adopted by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) affecting all California transit-rail agencies in California, she said.

"These requirements will add extra procedures and protections for trackside crews during both operating and non-operating hours," Crunican said.

Changes that will take effect in May include better communication between BART's Operation Control Center, train operators and work crews on the track; safety measures and reduced train speeds when workers are close by; and a mandatory watch person, including during non-operating hours when maintenance vehicles are on the tracks working.

The agency's fiscal-year 2014-2015 preliminary budget reflects the changes by increasing resources and employees needed to implement the new safety procedures. Also, BART is awaiting the National Transportation Safety Board's final report and recommendations from its independent investigation of the accident, and will work with the CPUC to act on those recommendations, she said.