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MBTA Plan Addressing Worker Safety Concerns Rejected by FTA

Earlier this month, the MBTA submitted a Right of Way Rules Compliance and Safety Work Plan to the Federal Transit Administration

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Safety is once again in the spotlight for the MBTA, after the Federal Transit Administration rejected the transit agency's safety plan to address concerns surrounding its workers.

The rejection follows several close calls with workers in the past year alone — and now, the clock is ticking to come up with a new plan.

The rejection follows several close calls with workers in the past year alone — and now, the clock is ticking to come up with a new plan.

One of those incidents was captured on surveillance video back in March, showing a worker on the tracks climbing out of the right-of-way, as the lights from a train can be seen approaching in the tunnel.

This was just one of at least four incidents in the span of less than a month where trains came too close to workers due to miscommunications between construction crews and dispatch.

They were described by the T as "near-miss events."

Nearly a year ago, a man was killed after his arm got caught in the door of a Red Line train. NBC10 Investigator Cory Smith looked into how often trouble on the T involves train doors.

Earlier this month, the T submitted a Right of Way Rules Compliance and Safety Work Plan to the Federal Transit Administration to address these concerns.

But the FTA has deemed the MBTA’s Work Plan insufficient.

The T has to revise and resubmit it by next Monday, with improved safety procedures to be implemented within the next 60 days – not dragging out to next year, as the T’s original plan set forth. The FTA said it will schedule a follow up meeting with the MBTA.

Escalators are essential to make public transportation accessible for all riders, but the escalators at some MBTA stations have been out of service for extended periods of time.

"During this meeting, FTA will work with the MBTA team to identify and distinguish between the immediate actions that will be reviewed, approved, and tracked from the longer-term actions that the MBTA may take," the FTA's letter said.

If the T fails to address these concerns, the FTA will ban workers from doing work on the tracks.

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