WASHINGTON — An audit report released by the Washington Metro Safety Commission (WMSC) Tuesday details allegations of racial, sexual comments and harassment at Metro's Rail Operation Control Center.
WMSC conducted interviews with 21 out of 26 rail traffic controllers and has released a list of findings following their investigation.
The report alleges that the work environment at the ROCC contributed to a "chaotic environment" that included profanities, threats, racial, sexual or other forms of harassment, WMSC said.
WMSC said the control center’s environment also included "distractions, fear, threats and conflicting instructions." These serious safety concerns created a variety of safety risks for everyone who depends on Metrorail, WMSC believes.
This led to significant turnover in the workplace and made it hard for controllers to perform their jobs, WMSC alleges.
The report said the ROCC is integral to the safety of riders, workers and first responders. The operations control center is responsible for overseeing train movement on mainline tracks, track access, power restoration, communications and emergency response.
WMATA has since removed the then-ROCC Director from his position after WMSC findings in May.
Here is a list of WMSC findings from their audit:
- ROCC management contributes to a chaotic environment. Use of profanities, threats and racial, sexual or other forms of harassment are regular features of the control center’s environment, which makes it difficult for controllers to do their jobs and drives low morale and significant turnover.
- ROCC management attempts to manipulate safety event investigations and baselessly threatens controllers with arrest or termination.
- Metrorail does not record all critical ROCC communications, limiting the lessons that can be learned from safety events.
- There is no consistent, clear, concise, immediate and reliable Metrorail communication process for safety-critical information between Metrorail personnel and the fire liaison.
- Some Metrorail procedures lack the required urgency to address life-safety issues.
- Repeated failures to address safety issues have contributed to a culture where frontline workers no longer see any value in reporting and recording problems.
- WMATA does not always follow or clearly define its fatigue risk management procedures for the Rail Operations Control Center, including those limiting the length of controller shifts.
- Metrorail’s ROCC recruitment and retention approach is failing. Some controller trainees have left the ROCC immediately after or shortly after the training course, which is scheduled to last nine months.
- A high rate of staff turnover in the Rail Operations Control Center contributes to staffing challenges and a lack of positive institutional knowledge that can contribute to safety challenges.
- Controllers still have too many responsibilities and are frequently rushed to complete tasks by management.
- WMATA has failed to regularly update the Rail Operations Control Center Procedures Manual.
- WMATA has not reviewed SOPs or OAPs on a regular basis.
- Ride alongs are not effectively utilized to increase controller knowledge, contributing to a lack of controller understanding of what is actually happening on the roadway.
- Controllers are not provided with the full extent of training necessary to do their jobs, including sufficient familiarization with roadway operations and procedures.
- Aspects of ROCC training are inconsistent and must be structured. Multiple controllers reported that significant time is wasted during initial training.
- Required on the job training (OJT) is not carried out in a structured or standardized fashion.
- Not all controllers experience emergency drills. If each ROCC controller does not get this experience, it diminishes the value of the drills.
- The certification process for ROCC instructors, assistant superintendents, superintendents and controllers is inconsistent, not properly documented, and lacks proper controls to ensure the integrity and meaning of certification.
- Certification and recertification scenarios required of ROCC employees are repeated year after year, diminishing the value of the testing and training process.
- WMATA does not have a standardized training program for personnel working at desks such as the MOC or ROIC. Metrorail could not provide any documentation of MOC training materials, a curriculum or a training description. Metrorail provided only a study guide for the ROIC.
- WMATA does not have minimum training requirements for Metrorail employees or contractors who serve in the fire liaison position.
See the full report below: