MTA: Subway conductor sprayed with chemicals, attacks against workers up in 2012

Police are hunting for a man wanted for spraying chemicals at an MTA conductor.

According to the NYPD, the incident happened Oct. 21 at 3:50 p.m.

Police said Enrique Tirado exited the 4 train at Brooklyn’s Sterling Street subway station just before he sprayed a female MTA conductor with some kind of chemical agent.

According to the MTA, attacks against workers are up in 2012, at 117 so far this year, compared to 108 in 2011.

“This incident is another stark reminder that transit work is one of the most dangerous jobs in the city,” Jim Gannon, director of communications for Transit Workers Union 100, said.

The TWU has long called for increased security in transit areas and harsher penalties for those who assault MTA workers. In May, Governor Andrew Cuomo launched Transit Watch, a program that rewarded up to $2,000 to riders who help police track down people who assault transit workers.     

“We have aggressively advocated for harsher penalties for people who assault transit workers while on duty,” Gannon said. “But this year’s increase in assaults makes it obvious more needs to be done to protect our members.”