Background
Following a series of track worker fatalities at heavy rail transit systems in the United States, FTA decided to respond by developing a variety of track worker safety training and educational initiatives. FTA asked BCG to spearhead efforts such as track inspection refresher training, safety culture brochures, and track inspection and wayside worker protection technical assistance guidelines. Additionally, FTA decided to increase the visibility and effectiveness of its assistance efforts by asking BCG to create an hour-long educational video for track inspectors, supervisors, and operations control center personnel.
Approach
BCG first conducted outreach to heavy rail representatives within the transit community to identify appropriate themes and proposed content for the training video. The video covers critical track worker safety concepts and highlights common mistakes and misconceptions. To elevate the video’s impact, BCG framed the video around the damage complacency and disregard of procedures causes not only track workers themselves, but also families, coworkers, and other communities.
The film begins with “a knock at your door,” placing the viewer at the vantage point of a family that is about to learn that their father, a transit track worker, is not coming home. BCG and partnered with a firm to help develop the video script, organize shooting, film reenactments of real-world track worker fatalities at Washington Metro and New York City Transit, and edit all footage.
Results
On April 23, 2009, BCG organized a premier of the “A Knock At Your Door” video at the NTSB Conference Center in Washington, DC. With opening remarks by the NTSB Chairman, FTA Executive Director, WMATA General Manager, NYCT President, and Union representatives, FTA premiered its video to federal representatives, transit employees, and family members of those lost in track worker tragedies.