Proposal For A Formal Safety Certification Process

The proposal for a formal Safety Certification process involves the following three steps:

1. Safety Certification Program Plan (SCPP).

All rail transit agencies and public transit guideways must submit an SCPP for approval by Commission Resolution, whether or not any major capital projects are planned. The SCPP shall conform to applicable FTA guidelines, existing industry standards, and the rules and regulations of GO 164-C. This is an agency-wide document, developed by the public transit agency, which ensures that elements critical to safety are planned, designed, constructed, analyzed, tested, inspected, implemented, training provided and rules and procedures followed, in compliance with public transit guideway safety requirements.

2. Safety Certification Plan (SC Plan).

A project-specific SC Plan for each major capital project must be approved by Commission Resolution prior to construction. SC Plans shall be submitted by the rail transit agency or public transit guideway to Commission staff for review during the preliminary design and engineering phase. The SC Plan shall conform to the applicable FTA guidelines, the agency's SCPP, and the rules and regulations of GO 164-C. The project-specific SC Plan shall ensure that elements critical to safety are planned, designed, constructed, analyzed, tested, inspected, implemented, training provided and rules and procedures followed, in compliance with public transit guideway safety requirements.

3. Safety Certification Verification Report (SCVR).

The SCVR is used to verify that the elements and conditions described in the SC Plan for each major capital project are carried-out and implemented. The SCVR shall be approved by the Commission, or by a Commissioner designated by the Commission President, prior to revenue service. The SCVR will be the final certificate of compliance verifying that the completed project complies with all safety requirements identified by the agency's project-specific SC Plan. The SCVR shall include a project safety certification, final verification report, hazard analysis report, and a certifiable elements list.