2024-06251: Rail Transit Roadway Worker Protection

Summary

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is proposing minimum safety standards for rail transit roadway worker protection (RWP) to ensure the safe operation of public transportation systems and to prevent accidents, incidents, fatalities, and injuries to transit workers who may access the roadway in the performance of work. This NPRM would apply to rail transit agencies (RTAs) covered by the State Safety Oversight (SSO) program, SSO agencies (SSOAs), and rail transit workers who access the roadway to perform work. It would set minimum standards for RWP program elements, including an RWP manual and track access guide; requirements for on-track safety and supervision, job safety briefings, good faith safety challenges, and reporting unsafe acts and conditions and near-misses; development and implementation of risk-based redundant protections for workers; and establishment of RWP training and qualification and RWP compliance monitoring activities. RTAs would be expected to comply with these Federal standards as a baseline and use their existing Safety Management System (SMS) processes to determine any additional mitigations appropriate to address the level of RWP risk identified. SSOAs would oversee and enforce implementation of the RWP program requirements.

The agency’s own summary, as published.

What this changes

Amends 1 part of the Code of Federal Regulations — the standing rules this notice rewrites.

• 49 CFR 671 Rail Transit Roadway Worker Protection