NYC Transit had failure to fix hazards on subway platforms

[Trainspotter]

NYC Transit failed to fix hazards on subway platforms citywide - despite warnings and instances of riders falling to the tracks, a report released Tuesday reveals.

 

The MTA inspector general's office found significant trip-and-fall hazards along platform edges in need of immediate repair at 23 of 27 stations surveyed last year, the report said.

 

The survey of so-called rubbing boards was launched after a Brooklyn teen fell to the tracks after a board broke under him in January 2008, and NYC Transit promised to improve inspection and maintenance efforts.

 

The 14-year-old boy scrambled to safety seconds before a train roared into the station.

 

"Rubbing boards with safety defects resulting from damage and deterioration pose a serious, predictable and widespread safety hazard," the report by Inspector General Barry Kluger's office concluded.

 

"Yet, despite increased awareness, new procedures and good intentions ... a highly significant number of platform-edge conditions sampled were not correctly identified and reported by NYCT as safety defects."

 

NYC Transit's haphazard and unsound inspections "created a false impression of system safety" and significantly delayed repairs, the report says.

 

"It's an absolute disgrace," fumed Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D-Brooklyn).

 

The Daily News has repeatedly reported on loose, crumbling or missing rubbing boards on platforms.

 

Between 2005 and January 2008, three riders fell to the tracks when they stepped on rubbing boards that broke under their weight.

 

All three managed to scramble back to the platform and avoid being struck by a train.

 

After Avi Katz fell in January 2008 at the Kings Highway subway Q station, Hikind publicly blasted NYC Transit.

 

Avi, now 15, told The News Tuesday that he avoids subways whenever possible.

 

"Every time a train passes me, I freeze up," Avi said.

 

The boy's mom, Rena, said her son has still not fully recovered emotionally.

 

The inspector general's report found about two dozen instances where NYC Transit inspectors gave ratings indicating defects didn't pose significant safety risks - even though they wrote comments on reports clearly indicating dangerous conditions.

 

NYC Transit said Tuesday it has done extensive repairs and right now 911 platform edges are characterized as in "good" condition, and 211 as "fair." None is in "poor" condition.

 

By Pete Donohue

DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Tuesday, May 26th

[4 Train]

Its about time they do something about these running boards.

[metsfan]

So, so many platforms need repairs and edges fixed. I constantly worry about these boards breaking loose especially on stations with a curve or outdoors. Also stress ridges from settling and other stuff are a hazard & need to be fixed. What is this, penn central in 1970? :mad:

 

- A

[Princelex]

That sad and scary. People need to be careful when they are on the platform but its ultimately the MTA's responsibility to make sure that platforms we are standing on are not defective so that people don't have to worry about falling onto the tracks or whatever else while we are standing or walking there. I hope it doesn't take someone falling from a defective platform and them not getting out of the trains way before they take a swifter approach on changing the situation.