A Washington, DC Regulator Reports That the Metro Is Failing to Provide Quality Safety Practices

In January 2024, The Washington Post reported that the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission released an audit analyzing the Metro’s Automatic Train Control (ATC) and Signals Program. According to the report, Metro workers responsible for maintaining safety systems designed to prevent collisions were found to be non-compliant with internal procedures. The audit highlighted instances where overseeing engineers failed to notice these lapses due to inadequate data monitoring.

The Metro, WMSC, and the ATC

The Washington Metro, also known as Metrorail, is a rapid transit system that services the Washington DC metropolitan region and several counties in Maryland and Virginia. The Metro is managed by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority and accommodates approximately 368,270 daily riders as of 2024.

The Washington Metrorail Safety Commission (WMSC) serves as an independent agency established in 2017 by Congress, Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. Tasked with overseeing safety practices within the DC region’s Metrorail system, the WMSC conducts safety event investigations, reviews Metrorail’s safety plans, adopts investigation reports, monitors progress on Corrective Action Plans, and sets Program Standards governing commission staff conduct.

The recent audit focused on the Automatic Train Control (ATC) system, which is crucial for maintaining safe train distances, preventing derailments, detecting if rails are broken, and other safety tasks. The ATC also provides hazard responses and protections for the workers. The ATC encompasses physical signals, switches, control rooms, cables, and essential software. The WMSC conducted in-depth interviews and site visits and reviewed documents spanning March and June 2023.

Learn more: DC Metro Suspended Following Serious Train Accident

The WMSC findings and Recommendations for Washington Metro’s ATC

The Washington Metrorail Safety Commission (WMSC) conducted a detailed audit of the Washington Metro’s Automatic Train Control (ATC) and Signals Program, revealing critical deficiencies in safety practices essential for commuter safety.

Findings:

• Finding 1: “Metrorail ATC Maintenance personnel do not have a uniform understanding of Metrorail procedures.” This results in safety tasks (necessary to ensure that track circuits and other ATC components work properly) not being completed. The audit identified several shortcomings within the ATC maintenance operations:
  • Electrostatic discharge protection isn’t being followed
  • ATC maintenance personnel lack a uniform understanding of Metrorail procedures, leading to incomplete safety tasks.
  • Confusion persists regarding procedures and document handling, hindering data review and system health assessment.
  • Flaws were noted in grade crossings and AF-800W reviews

The WMSC recommends that Metro take the following minimum corrective actions. Metrorail must:

• • Train ATC maintenance personnel
  • Provide quality checks to ensure that ATC maintenance personnel “have a uniform understanding that ensures the proper completion of safety tasks.”
  • “Ensure that vital systems are assessed against required values and tolerances.” The WMSC has specific recommendations for achieving this task.
  • Clearly communicate the latest approved procedures and ensure comprehensive recording on ATC Maintenance PMI forms.
  • Document and resolve identified deficiencies systematically.

• Finding 2: Metro’s failure to analyze and respond to available safety data undermines its agency safety plan: ATC engineers are unable to reliably assess system functionality, compromising passenger and worker safety. Also, WMSC mandates the development of procedures for comprehensive data analysis and response including engineering spot checks and preventative maintenance reviews.
• Finding 3: Metrorail is endangering the health of its personnel by exposing them to health hazards “such as damaged and repositioned materials marked as containing asbestos that are not being identified and managed as required by its Agency Safety Plan.”

The WMSC requires that Metrorail “complete development of and implement its Asbestos Program and assess other health hazards and take measures to train, mitigate, and provide protective equipment for these health hazards.”

• Finding 4: Metro lacks systematic hazard identification and mitigation: The absence of a robust safety management system for communications and signaling personnel violates safety plan requirements. WMSC directs Metro to fully implement a comprehensive safety management system.
• Finding 5: “Metrorail is not maintaining its books of plans in accordance with its requirements.” The WMSC requires that Metrorail “review each ATC book of plans and ensure that each is in good condition with current content in accordance with Metrorail procedures. Metrorail must ensure that this review is conducted on a recurring basis as specified by Metrorail procedure.”

A spokesperson for Metro said that they will review the recommendations and appreciate the WMSC review.

The WMSC states that Metro has made some improvements since a 2021 audit of the ATC. There have been improvements in safety certification work and inspections. Safety training has improved – a little.

The WMSC audit was conducted to transition Metro back to an automated service after a deadly crash occurred in 2009 causing Metro to shift to human operators.

According to the Washington Post article, “Among other issues with the automatic control system, commission auditors pointed to record-keeping lapses. The audit said Metro provided incomplete or contradictory information about how it handled some hazards identified in the past.”

According to Max Smith, a WMSC spokesperson, “They [Metro]weren’t doing all the steps. They weren’t following those steps in order. They were using an outdated procedure. There are initial steps along the way that improve that safety starting now and then continuing into the future.” For example:

• Some wheel measurements were only being done by one person even though two people were required to conduct the measurements.
• Metro, according to the audit, isn’t tracking the shelf life of parts. Old parts can decay over time.
• Some maintenance tools that Metro uses aren’t properly calibrated.

Please contact Paulson & Nace, PLLC through this contact form or by calling our office.