Transit Limits Work In Hazardous Spots;

Geared to Track Safety: Transit Limits Work In Hazardous Spots

By ARI PAUL

New York City Transit has informed its Maintenance of Way employees of new safety rules and procedures in the wake of two Track Worker deaths this past April.

MICHAEL LOMBARDI: Accent on safety. NYC Transit Senior Vice President of Subways Michael A. Lombardi explained in a memo earlier this month that non-emergency work in areas where emergency alarm boxes and telephones are inoperative is prohibited and that Track Supervisors must escort Flaggers in order to "ensure that the supervisor specifically controls the placement of all lamps, flags and trippers in accordance with NYC Transit Flagging Rules."

Alarm Didn't Function

The new rules aim to prevent the kinds of accidents that led to the deaths of Marvin Franklin and Daniel Boggs in April. In both instances, the workers stepped onto live track and were hit by trains while performing their duties. In Mr. Boggs's case, workers found after he was hit that the emergency alarm box didn't work.

"Unless the work area is separated from an adjacent track by a physical barrier (a wall or station platform), adjacent track flagging is required," Mr. Lombardi wrote. "A wide area is not considered a barrier."

He went on, "The purpose of this rule is to help prevent either the willful or inadvertent entry onto the live track by an employee working on the adjacent track."

Transport Workers Union Local 100 has been working with NYC Transit to address safety concerns since the accidents. Local 100 President Roger Toussaint has praised some of the new rules, but has also implored NYC Transit to do more.

Make Safety Paramount

"Today, Local 100 is pushing for procedures, mechanisms and safeguards that are in place even if any one of us is not 100 percent careful for a moment or two," Mr. Toussaint wrote to members last month. "We are pushing for strong rules and regulations, and training on how to enforce them. New tools and training on how to use them. And we are pushing for safety to move up in importance for all of transit, not just for transit workers."

Some Maintenance of Way union officials were skeptical that the rule changes would make a large difference in terms of safety. Local 100 Power Division Chairman Thomas Creegan, who ran on a slate opposed to Mr. Toussaint in last year's union elections, believed that the new rule about banning work when nearby alarm boxes were inoperative was too little, too late.

'A No-Brainer'

"Isn't that a no-brainer?" he asked. "Isn't that a given?"

In addition to the other changes, a joint management/union safety team must now inspect all major track construction sites and approve of the conditions before work can begin.

"This initiative will ensure that potential hazards have been identified and addressed prior to the commencement of work," Mr. Lombardi wrote. "Further, it will foster positive communication between the TWU and Transit Management."