The MTA has announced a series of initiatives to improve safety throughout its operations by strengthening reporting responsibilities and emphasizing on management oversight and installing.
The position of Chief Safety Officer will be created. It is a new senior management position to ensure that safety becomes a top priority throughout MTA operations. A new Safety Committee will also be created on its board to provide focused oversight of safety issues.
Each MTA agency will also ensure its top safety official reports directly to the agency’s president, to reinforce that safety is a main concern for every agency’s management. At Metro-North Railroad, the responsibilities will be separated and a new position of chief safety officer will be created.
“The safety of our customers and employees is unquestionably the top priority for the MTA, and these steps will make sure this emphasis on safety is built into the operations of every MTA agency,” Prendergast said. “The events of the last year have made clear to everyone in the MTA how important it is to create a culture where all employees act to eliminate risks, and changing our executive structure will ensure safety remains a dedicated agency value.”
Agency presidents discussed their safety programs in a meeting of MTA Board committees. Among the efforts is emphasizing and improving the safety culture within their agencies, so all operations have safety as their first priority.
Metro-North Railroad and the Long Island Railroad announced they have installed automatic speed controls at 10 critical curves and one moveable bridge since the December 1, 2013 Metro-North derailment. These controls work with existing signal systems installed in every train cab to enforce speed limits at those locations.
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