Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Board Action/Information Summary

Action InformationMEAD Number:

201434 Resolution:

Yes No

TITLE

Safety Actions Update - L’Enfant Incident

PRESENTATION SUMMARY

Provide an overview on the progress of Metro’s safety actions and external safety reviews following the January 12, 2015 L’Enfant Smoke Incident.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this presentation is to provide the Committee a briefing on the progress of Metro’s early safety actions, recommendations by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), improvements on customer emergency and system communications, and external safety reviews following the January 12, 2015 L’Enfant Smoke Incident.

DESCRIPTION Key Highlights: Metro identified, ordered, and progressed ten early-action safety items to improve

emergency response and the system’s state of good repair. NTSB provided three recommendations on February 11, 2015 to address the safety

issues, and a closeout plan has been established by Metro for all findings and recommendations.

Metro is fully committed to continue collaborating with the agencies involved on the current external safety reviews.

Background and History: Early Safety Action Items After the January 12, 2015 Washington Metro Smoke Incident near L’Enfant Plaza Station, A. Robert Troup, Deputy General Manager - Operations (DGMO) identified and ordered a range of ten early-action safety items. These actions were identified and shared with the NTSB investigation team. Based on our own evaluation; the actions were designed to improve emergency response and the system’s state of good repair. The actions ordered were: 1. Write Standard Operations Procedure (SOP) for train operators to cut train’s

environmental system (EV) immediately upon stopping for smoke incidents.

Note: The instant a train stops for a smoke incident, the train operator will turn off air intake systems. Under the former SOP, the instruction for turning off air intake would come from the Rail Operations Control Center. This is not related to tunnel fans.

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2. Write SOP for incident management of Rail Operations Control Center (ROCC) to provide specifics for site discipline in the ROCC to avoid cross-talk and unnecessary interactions.

Note: To ensure that key personnel who are responsible for managing an incident are not distracted, this SOP will ensure that ROCC employees stay at their own desks and not engage with those managing the incident.

3. Set schedule for next three years for emergency quarterly drills to be conducted

wayside. Sequence station, then a tunnel section, then an elevated section (note: tunnel and elevated sections shall be between stations). Please sequence each quarter in a separate jurisdiction. Coordinate type of drill and logistics with Metro Transit Police Department (MTPD).

4. Design and implement exterior signage for exterior doors to clearly delineate access in

the event of an emergency.

Note: Metro has an extensive training program for emergency responders. However, in the event that one of the trained responders is not first on the scene, there will be new signage on the outside of the train to identify emergency doors and access points.

5. Provide an engineering and operations report on all third rail jumper cables in tunnel

sections for condition and installation.

Note: Metro personnel will conduct inspections, looking for wear and tear on cables and assess the condition of cable installations.

6. Recommendation on installation of low smoke/low halogen on high voltage third

rail jumper cables.

Note: Already an ongoing effort under the rebuilding program, Metro is installing low-smoke cables.

7. Install mechanical protection on third rail jumper cables that may be exposed to wear

from vibration against other materials.

Note: If a cable that has begun to lean over the years (as a result of vibration), then the protection will be installed to prevent the cable from coming in contact with other materials.

8. Review of settings on third-rail circuit breakers (rate of rise/instantaneous settings). 9. Operational analysis of running trains at 45 MPH in the core with limited acceleration.

Note: This will be an operational analysis to see if Metro can limit current flowing through electrical infrastructure.

10. Provide a report on installing zoned smoke detectors using ETS boxes for location

and transmitting of information, also investigate use of wireless smoke detectors.

Note: The report will determine feasibility.

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NTSB Recommendations

On February 11, 2015, the NTSB issued three recommendations to Metro to address the safety issues that have come to light in the ongoing investigation into the January 12, 2015 smoke accident. These recommendations are:

1. R-15-8: Assess your subway tunnel ventilation system to verify the state of good repair and compliance with industry best practices and standards.

2. R-15-9: Develop and implement detailed written tunnel ventilation procedures for operations control center staff.

3. R-15-10: Incorporate the use of the (new) procedures into your ongoing training and exercise programs and ensure ample opportunities to learn and practice activating ventilation fans.

External Safety Reviews

Metro has been fully committed to address the safety issues and collaborate with the agencies involved on the following current external safety reviews:

NTSB Investigation; Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Safety Management Inspection; American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Peer Review of Rail Operations

Control Center; Government Accountability Office (GAO) Audit of compliance with NTSB

Recommendations; and Metropolitan Washington Council of Government (COG) Study on Radio

Communications.

Discussion:

Metro has been undertaking major steps on the several safety actions following the January 12, 2015 L’Enfant Smoke Incident. Staff will brief the Committee on the progress status of the following safety actions: Early safety action items; NTSB Recommendations; Communication Systems; Customer Emergency Communication; and External Safety Reviews.

ALTERNATIVES

None

FUNDING IMPACT

No funding impact, information item only.

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TIMELINE (bullet format)

Previous actions February 26, 2015: Presentation to the Safety and Security Committee on "Safety Updates"

RECOMMENDATION

No recommendation, information item only.

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Safety Actions Update - L’Enfant Incident

Safety and Security Committee March 26, 2015

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority

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Early Safety Actions Update

Develop enhanced training schedule

Train operator protocol for air intake system

Rail Control Center incident personnel

Exterior signage for emergency responders

INSTALLATION STARTED Completion scheduled June 2015

Analysis of lower speeds to reduce electric current

ACTION ORDERED To limit max speed to 45 mph

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Early Safety Actions Update

Report on third-rail cables condition

Evaluate early action on low-smoke cable

Review ground fault detectors (settings on third rail circuit breakers)

New protections for third-rail cables

Investigate use of zoned and/or wireless smoke detectors

• Work started on identified critical locations and will be completed by March 31, 2015

• Schedule on completion for remaining locations

Further refining project cost and integration of work with other projects Page 11 of 30

NTSB Recommendations

R-15-8 Assess your subway tunnel ventilation system to verify the state of good repair and compliance with industry best practices and standards

R-15-9 Develop and implement detailed written tunnel ventilation procedures for operations control center staff

Anomalies identified – 13 locations Closed – 8 locations Remain – Submission on scheduled for May 30th, 2015

Early actions completed Scope of work from third-party consultant is being

progressed Page 12 of 30

NTSB Recommendations

R-15-10 Incorporate the use of the (new) procedures into your ongoing training and exercise programs and ensure ample opportunities to learn and practice activating ventilation fans

Early actions executed Scope of work from third-party consultant is being

progressed

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Communications Update

• Testing: WMATA forces – Every Line three times a week

• Reporting: Radio Outage Display (ROD)

Testing

Jurisdictions

WMATA

MONITORING

Report

Repair

Public Safety Radio Systems (PSRS)

Radio Outage Display

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Communications Update

• Refresh Safety website Stand by for Web graphic

• Develop Customer Emergency Communications Plan

(What customers should do in an emergency)

Stand by for Video

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Current External Safety Reviews

• National Transportation Safety Board

• Federal Transit Administration Safety Management Inspection

• American Public Transportation Association

• Government Accountability Office

• Metropolitan Washington Council of Government

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