(a) On-track safety and supervision. The RTA must designate one roadway worker in charge for each roadway work group whose duties require fouling a track.

(1) The roadway worker in charge must be qualified under the RTA's training and qualification program as specified in § 671.41.

(2) The roadway worker in charge may be designated generally or may be designated specifically for a particular work situation.

(3) The roadway worker in charge is responsible for the on-track safety for all members of the roadway work group.

(4) The roadway worker in charge must serve only the function of maintaining on-track safety for all members of the roadway work group and perform no other unrelated job function while designated for duty.

(5) For multiple roadway work groups within common working limits, the RTA may designate a single roadway worker in charge for the entire working limit. If a single roadway worker in charge is designated over multiple roadway work groups within a working limit, each work group must be accompanied by an employee qualified to the level of a roadway worker in charge, as specified in § 671.41, who shall be responsible for direct communication with the roadway worker in charge.

(b) Communication. The RTA must ensure that the roadway worker in charge provides a job safety briefing to all roadway workers before any member of a roadway work group fouls a track, following the requirements specified in § 671.33.

(1) The roadway worker in charge must provide a job safety briefing to all members of the roadway work group before any on-track safety procedures change during the work period, whenever on-track safety conditions change, or immediately following an observed violation of on-track safety procedures, before work in the track zone may continue.

(2) In the event of an emergency, the roadway worker in charge must warn each roadway worker to immediately leave the roadway and not return until on-track safety is re-established, and a job safety briefing is completed.

(a) General. The RTA must ensure the roadway worker in charge provides any roadway worker who must foul a track with a job safety briefing prior to fouling the track, every time the roadway worker fouls the track.

(b) Elements. The job safety briefing must include, at a minimum, the following, as appropriate:

(1) A discussion of the nature of the work to be performed and the characteristics of the work, including work plans for multiple roadway worker groups within a single work area;

(2) Working limits;

(3) The hazards involved in performing the work. For RTAs with electrified systems, this discussion must include the status of power and hazards explicitly related to the electrified system;

(4) Information on how on-track safety is to be provided for each track identified to be fouled; identification and location of key personnel, such as a watchperson and the roadway worker in charge; and information on what should be done in the event of an emergency;

(5) Instructions for each on-track safety procedure to be followed, including appropriate flags and proper flag placement;

(6) Communication roles and responsibilities for all transit workers involved in the work;

(7) Safety information about any adjacent track, defined as track next to or adjoining the track zone where on-track safety has been established, and identification of roadway maintenance machines or on-track equipment that will foul such tracks;

(8) Information on the accessibility of the roadway worker in charge, including emergency contact information, and alternative procedures in the event the roadway worker in charge is no longer accessible to members of the roadway work group;

(9) Required personal protective equipment;

(10) Designated place(s) of safety of a sufficient size to accommodate all roadway workers within the work area; and

(11) The means for determining ample time.

(c) Confirmation and written acknowledgement. A job safety briefing is complete only after:

(1) The roadway worker in charge confirms that each roadway worker understands the on-track safety procedures and instructions;

(2) Each roadway worker acknowledges in writing the briefing and the requirement to use the required personal protective equipment; and

(3) The roadway worker in charge confirms in writing that they have received written acknowledgement of the briefing from each worker.

(d) Follow-up briefings. If after the initial job safety briefing there is any change in the scope of work or roadway work group, or on-track safety conditions change, or a violation of on-track safety is observed, a follow-up job safety briefing must be conducted.

(a) On-track safety and supervision. The RTA may authorize lone workers to perform limited duties that require fouling a track.

(1) The lone worker must be qualified as a roadway worker in charge and lone worker under the RTA's training and qualification program as specified in § 671.41.

(2) The lone worker may perform routine inspection or minor tasks and move from one location to another. The lone worker may not use power tools and may only access locations have defined in the track access guide as appropriate for lone workers, i.e., no loud noises, no restricted clearances, etc.

(3) The lone worker may not use individual rail transit vehicle detection, where the lone worker is solely responsible for seeing approaching trains and clearing the track before the trains arrive, as the only form of on-track safety.

(b) Communication. Each lone worker must communicate prior to fouling the track with a supervisor or another designated employee to receive an on-track safety job briefing consisting of the elements in § 671.33(b), including a discussion of their planned work activities and the procedures that they intend to use to establish on-track safety. The lone worker must acknowledge and document the job safety briefing in writing consistent with § 671.33(c).

(a) Written procedure. Each RTA must document its procedures that provide to every roadway worker the right to challenge and refuse in good faith any assignment they believe is unsafe or would violate the RTA's RWP program.

(b) Prompt and equitable resolution. The written procedure must include methods or processes to achieve prompt and equitable resolution of any challenges and refusals made.

(c) Requirements. The written procedure must include a requirement that the roadway worker provide a description of the safety concern regarding on-track safety and that the roadway work group must remain clear of the roadway or track zone until the challenge and refusal is resolved.

(a) General requirements. (1) Each RTA must identify and provide redundant protections for each category of work roadway workers perform on the roadway or track.

(2) Each RTA must establish redundant protections to ensure on-track safety for multiple roadway work groups within a common work area.

(b) Safety risk assessment to determine redundant protections. Each RTA must assess the risk associated with transit workers accessing the roadway using the methods and processes established under § 673.25(c) of this chapter. The RTA must use the methods and processes established under § 673.25(d) of this chapter to establish redundant protections for each category of work performed by roadway workers on the rail transit system and must include lone workers.

(1) The safety risk assessment must be consistent with the RTA's Agency Safety Plan (ASP) and the SSOA's program standard.

(2) The safety risk assessment may be supplemented by engineering assessments, inputs from the safety assurance process established under § 673.27 of this chapter, the results of safety event investigations, and other SRM strategies or approaches.

(3) The RTA must review and update the safety risk assessment at least every two years to include current conditions and lessons learned from safety events, actions taken to address reports of unsafe acts and conditions, and near-misses, and results from compliance monitoring regarding the effectiveness of the redundant protections.

(4) The SSOA may also identify and require the RTA to implement alternate redundant protections based on the RTA's unique operating characteristics and capabilities.

(c) Categories of work requiring redundant protections. Redundant protections must be identified for roadway workers performing different categories of work on the roadway and within track zones, which may include but are not limited to categories such as:

(1) Roadway workers moving from one track zone location to another;

(2) Roadway workers performing minor tasks;

(3) Roadway workers conducting visual inspections;

(4) Roadway workers using hand tools, machines, or equipment in conducting testing of track system components or non-visual inspections;

(5) Roadway workers using hand tools, machines, or equipment in performing maintenance, construction, or repairs; and/or

(6) Lone workers accessing the roadway or track zone or performing visual inspections or minor tasks.

(d) Types of redundant protections. (1) Redundant protections may be procedural or physical.

(i) Procedural protections alert rail transit vehicle operators to the presence of roadway workers and use radio communications, personnel, signage, or other means to direct rail transit vehicle movement.

(ii) Physical protections physically control the movement of rail transit vehicles into or through a work zone.

(2) Redundant protections may include but are not limited to:

(i) Approaches consistent with the FRA rules governing redundant protections;

(ii) Rail transit vehicle approach warning;

(iii) Foul time;

(iv) Exclusive track occupancy, defined as a method of establishing working limits, as part of on-track safety, in which movement authority of rail transit vehicles and other equipment is withheld by the control center or restricted by flag persons and provided by a roadway worker in charge;

(v) Warning signs, flags, or lights;

(vi) Flag persons;

(vii) Lock outs from the rail transit vehicle control systems or lining and locking track switches or otherwise physically preventing entry and movement of rail transit vehicles;

(viii) Secondary warning devices and alert systems;

(ix) Shunt devices and portable trip stops to reduce the likelihood of rail transit vehicles from entering work zone with workers;

(x) Restricting work to times when propulsion power is down with verification that track is out of service, and when barriers are placed that physically prevent rail transit vehicles, including on-track equipment, from entering the work zone;

(xi) Use of walkways in tunnels and on elevated structures to reduce roadway worker time in the track zone; and

(xii) Speed restrictions.

(3) Redundant protections for lone workers must include, at a minimum, foul time or an equivalent protection approved by the SSOA.

(a) General. Each RTA must adopt an RWP training program.

(1) The RWP training program must address all transit workers responsible for on-track safety, by position, including roadway workers, operations control center personnel, rail transit vehicle operators, operators of on-track equipment and roadway maintenance machines, and any others with a role in providing on-track safety or fouling a track for the performance of work.

(2) The RWP training program must be completed for the relevant position before an RTA may assign a transit worker to perform the duties of a roadway worker, to oversee or supervise access to the track zone from the operations control center, or to operate vehicles, on-track equipment, and roadway maintenance machines on the rail transit system.

(3) The RWP training program must address RWP hazard recognition and mitigation, and lessons learned through the results of compliance testing, near-miss reports, reports of unsafe acts or conditions, and feedback received on the training program.

(4) The RWP training program must include initial and refresher training, by position. Refresher training must occur every two years at a minimum.

(5) The RTA must review and update its RWP training program not less than every two years, to reflect lessons learned in implementing the RWP program and information provided by the SSOA and FTA. The RTA must provide an opportunity for roadway worker involvement in the RWP training program review and update process.

(b) Required elements. The RWP training program must include interactive training with the opportunity to ask the RWP trainer questions and raise and discuss RWP issues.

(1) Initial training must include experience in a representative field setting.

(2) Initial and refresher training must include demonstrations and assessments to ensure the ability to comply with RWP instructions given by transit workers performing, or responsible for, on-track safety and RWP functions.

(c) Minimum contents for RWP training. The RWP training program must address, as applicable, the following minimum contents:

(1) How to interpret and use the RTA's RWP manual;

(2) How to challenge and refuse assignments in good faith;

(3) How to report unsafe acts, unsafe conditions, and near-misses after they occur, and the mandatory duty to make such reports;

(4) Recognition of the track zone and understanding of the space around tracks within which on-track safety is required, including use of the track access guide;

(5) The functions and responsibilities of all transit workers involved in on-track safety, by position;

(6) Proper compliance with on-track safety instructions given by transit workers performing or responsible for on-track safety functions;

(7) Signals and directions given by watchpersons, and the proper procedures upon receiving a rail transit vehicle approach warning from a watchperson;

(8) The hazards associated with working on or near rail transit tracks to include traction power, if applicable;

(9) Rules and procedures for redundant protections identified under § 671.37 and how they are applied to RWP; and

(10) Requirements for safely crossing rail transit tracks in yards and on the mainline.

(d) Specialized training and qualification for transit workers with additional responsibilities for on-track safety. The RWP training program must include additional training for watchpersons, flag persons, lone workers, roadway workers in charge, and other transit workers with responsibilities for establishing, supervising, and monitoring on-track safety.

(1) This training must cover the content and application of the additional RWP program requirements carried out by these positions and must address the relevant physical characteristics of the RTA's system where on-track safety may be established.

(2) This training must include demonstrations and assessments to confirm the transit worker's ability to perform these additional responsibilities.

(3) Refresher training on additional responsibilities for on-track safety, by position, must occur every two years at a minimum.

(e) Competency and qualification of training personnel. Each RTA must ensure that transit workers providing RWP training are qualified and have active RWP certification at the RTA to provide effective RWP training, and at a minimum must consider the following:

(1) A trainer's experience and knowledge of effective training techniques in the chosen learning environment;

(2) A trainer's experience with the RTA RWP program;

(3) A trainer's knowledge of the RTA RWP rules, operations, and operating environment, including applicable operating rules; and

(4) A trainer's knowledge of the training requirements specified in this part.

(a) General. Each RTA must adopt a program for monitoring its compliance with the requirements specified in its RWP program.

(b) Required elements. The RWP compliance monitoring program must include inspections, observations, and audits, consistent with safety performance monitoring and measurement requirements in the RTA's ASP described in § 673.27(b) of this chapter and the SSOA's program standard.

(1) The RTA must provide quarterly reports to the SSOA documenting the RTA's compliance with and sufficiency of the RWP program.

(2) The RTA must provide an annual briefing to the Accountable Executive and the Board of Directors, or equivalent entity, regarding the performance of the RWP program and any identified deficiencies requiring corrective action.