Global Fastener News

NTSB Blames Poor Inspections In Chicago Train Wreck

Jason Sandefur

For the second time in 2007, a federal investigation has concluded that poor inspection programs failed to detect fastener failures in public infrastructure incidents that killed or seriously injured someone.
Most recently the National Transportation Safety Board determined that a “seriously flawed inspection and maintenance program that failed to spot corroded, bent and broken track fasteners” played a major role in a 2006 Chicago subway train derailment that injured more than 150 people.
About 1,000 passengers were aboard the eight-car train when it derailed downtown during the early evening rush period on July 16, 2006, causing a smoky fire and seriously injuring six people and caused respiratory problems for more than 100 other passengers, according to the Associated Press. The accident caused more than $1 million in damage.
The weakness in the accident section of the rail was due to a series of corroded, worn, bent and broken lag screws and other fasteners that were no longer securely anchoring the track to the half-ties on the tunnel floor, the NTSB found.
“This accident would never have occurred if the oversight agencies involved were more diligent in exercising their responsibilities,” stated NTSB Chairman Mark Rosenker.
In its report, the NTSB sharply criticized agencies for their faulty inspection programs, which were missing hundres of inspection records. The federal report found that CTA inspectors failed to report obvious defective track conditions before the accident.
Earlier this summer, Powers Fasteners was indicted for manslaughter in the July 2006 death of a woman who was crushed by concrete ceiling panels while riding through Boston’s Big Dig tunnel.
In that incident, the NTSB concluded that the Big Dig tunnels had not been inspected in years, despite state laws mandating routine safety checks. �2007 FastenerNews.com