Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Personal protective equipment (PPE) is clothing and equipment designed to protect people from jobsite hazards such as moving vehicles, electrocution, or poor visibility. Compliance with an up-to-date PPE policy is important for ensuring safety on the right of way.
The MBTA Right of Way (ROW) consists of all tracks where our trains and authorized rail equipment operate, including ten feet from the center of track in any direction. The ROW also includes sidings and yards, where trains and construction equipment are stored.
FTA Safety Management Inspection Response
PPE at the MBTA
Our new PPE policy went into effect February 1, 2023, and we've distributed PPE that is compliant with the new policy to all impacted employees.
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PPE Policy
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When working on the ROW, all MBTA personnel must wear minimum approved PPE, such as:
- Hard hats
- Safety eyeglasses
- Reflective garments
- Work boots
- Flashlight
- Whistle
More extensive protective gear may be required depending on the type of work being done.
Read the MBTA’s PPE Operations Special Orders and Safety Flash
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PPE Distribution
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In addition to distributing vests, flashlights, whistles, and hard hats, the MBTA supplied new, compliant boots to all employees certified to be on the ROW. A mobile shoe store visited our facilities to fit employees with new boots, which they could take from the truck or order online.
As of late February 2023, the MBTA had distributed ~3,300 pairs of boots and held 11 PPE fairs.
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PPE Compliance Audit
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In addition to audits conducted by Safety, Operations, and Capital staff, the Quality, Compliance & Oversight (QCO) office conducts training, observation, and verification activities to monitor PPE policy effectiveness and underlying process improvements.
FTA Special Directive 22-04
During their Safety Management Inspection (SMI), the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) issued Special Directive (SD) 22-04 and found that:
- The MBTA had not established consistent PPE requirements for ROW access.
- Maintenance of Way (MOW) personnel, who maintain passenger tracks and rail yards, and contractors did not consistently follow established PPE requirements or ROW safety procedures.
Corrective Action Plans (CAPs)
In response to the FTA’s required action to provide a consistent standard, the MBTA promptly established a Safety Management Working Group (SMWG). The SMWG includes stakeholders from departments across the MBTA who collaborated to develop the PPE policy and compliance program.
The MBTA developed CAPs related to PPE policies and compliance.
| CAP | Status | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| CAP | SD 22-04 CAP 1 issued a new, consistent PPE policy and began distributing new equipment to employees. | Status | Complete Read the FTA's closure letter (September 8, 2023) |
| CAP | SD 22-04 CAP 2 develops new PPE compliance inspection forms. | Status | In progress |
