In a concerning pattern of safety mishaps, a Green Line train nearly collided with an MBTA worker earlier this week, as reported by NBC Boston. This incident occurred within a designated work zone near the Medford/Tufts station that was supposed to be off-limits for trains at the time. Fortunately, no injuries have been reported following the close call.
The Federal Transit Administration has been notified of the near miss, which took place on Monday, the MBTA told NBC Boston, despite the FTA's previous reports of similar close calls on the T's tracks occurring last year between August 10 and September 6, 2023, showing a persistent risk to workers. This issue seems to point to an ongoing problem with track safety routines and oversight within the public transit agency.
According to The Boston Globe, just on Monday evening, a train was stopped just in time from striking a worker who was busy turning off a signal heater on the tracks. The T has reported the event to both the Federal Transit Administration and the Department of Public Utilities, acknowledging the problem yet it appears little progress has been made despite previous incidents prompting training upgrades and procedural shifts.
The MBTA's persistent troubles with near misses come as the organization is hurrying to complete extensive repairs and eliminate slow zones throughout the subway system by the end of the year, The Boston Globe reported. After facing strong criticism from federal regulators, bewilderment from board members, and a committed effort to improve training and standard operating procedures, the MBTA still seems to be grappling with significant safety precaution challenges, which put employees in jeopardy and show a repeated pattern of occupational hazards.
