LA Metro has halted construction for two weeks on the second phase of the Purple Line subway extension under Wilshire Boulevard citing numerous injuries and “ongoing safety concerns,” documents show.
In a letter to contractor Tutor Perini O&G (TPOG), part of a staff report sent to the Board of Directors on Oct. 21, Metro officials cited dozens of injuries since July 2021, including several workers who fell from ladders, one who slipped and broke his foot, others with lacerated and crushed fingers, one with a flash burn to the eyes and several struck by pipes and hoses not properly fastened.
LA Metro, the county transportation agency that runs buses, trains and bike-share, is in the midst of an an ambitious plan to extend subways and light-rail lines and add new lines, in a race to complete by the start of the Olympic Games in summer of 2028.
The 9-mile, $9.5 billion D Line extension project, under construction since 2014, is being built in three sections extending from Koreatown at Wilshire and Western to the Westwood/VA station, the western terminus. Phase one, from Wilshire and Western to Wilshire and La Cienega, is expected to be completed in 2024. The second phase extends about 2.6 miles to Century City/Constellation, with completion expected in 2025, and the third phase extends to the West Los Angeles VA campus, with expected completion in 2027.
“It’s too early to speculate on whether this would affect the ultimate delivery of the project, as Section 2 is scheduled to be complete in 2025 — two years prior to the third project segment to Westwood/VA opening in 2027,” said Dave Sotero, Metro spokesman, in an emailed response.
Sotero said halting work in the second section through Nov. 7 is “a short suspension period.”
Map shows the three sections of the Purple (D Line) extension under construction. (courtesy of LA Metro)
In the board report, Metro said it has sent 10 letters since October 2020 to the contractor outlining safety concerns. But, the report says, the situation has worsened. The letter to TPOG cites nine injuries plus other incidents in the last year, including five injuries in the last three months and two in the last 10 days.
“There is an ongoing pattern of safety issues that have not been adequately addressed by TPOG and that has continued to persist unchecked. A fundamental change in safety culture is required on the Project,” the letter concluded.
When asked to comment on the letter and the Metro report, Jorge Casado, a spokesperson for Tutor Perini Corp., which has its headquarters in Sylmar, sent a statement via email:
“We are firmly committed to providing a safe and healthy work environment for our employees and to working in a manner that ensures the safety of our subcontractors, customers and the general public, as well as the protection of facilities, equipment and the environment. We are investigating and working cooperatively with Metro to address the issues they have identified, determine their cause and ensure that we live up to the high safety standards we have set for ourselves, which we strive to achieve every day.”
Aside from worker injuries, the Metro letter cites safety issues that the transit agency says have plagued this section of the project, and notes that the company has not followed basic safety protocols.
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The problems include tunnels that are not passable and others that are “extremely dusty” and contain silica dust; and ventilation in some areas that is not in compliance with a Cal/OSHA-approved plan. The letter also says the tunnels often contain standing water and muck, causing workers to slip.
“Safety is and will always be our first priority,” wrote Metro in a statement on Tuesday. “The safety of those building our county’s transportation projects must always be protected. We expect the contractor to improve its safety policies and to demonstrate its full compliance with all of Metro’s contract safety requirements before we allow work to continue.”
In order for the work suspension to be lifted, the letter says Metro will require TPOG to conduct a thorough evaluation of the past injuries and report back to Metro. It also asks that TPOG prepare a revised safety plan including additional safety training and safety meetings, and adhere to standards for housekeeping measures and operation of construction equipment.
If Metro is not satisfied with TPOG’s response, it can remove certain TPOG personnel from the job. “Things need to change for the better and need to change for the better now,” the letter concluded.
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