No. H056/11
For release - July 7, 2011
The department makes progress on implementing key safety recommendations
OTTAWA — The Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, today received the Transportation Safety Board (TSB) of Canada’s updated Watchlist that outlines its safety recommendations for air, marine and rail transportation.
As part of the TSB’s annual report to Parliament, the Watchlist serves as a blueprint for improving transportation safety. This year’s update acknowledges Transport Canada’s progress and notes its fully satisfactory response to several of the board’s recommendations.
“We welcome the TSB’s review of safety issues in Canada’s transportation system,” said Minister Lebel. “We take these safety recommendations very seriously, and I have instructed my department to accelerate the necessary work with stakeholders, so that we continue our success in addressing the recommendations.”
Transport Canada has made robust progress to date on a number of fronts and continues to make the TSB’s recommendations a priority. For example, the department is working on:
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preventing aircraft collisions through the use of new technology, updated regulations, advisories, online information and guidelines produced together with international partners;
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improving marine safety by ensuring that vessel passengers and crew know what to do in cases of emergency, and requiring certain passenger and cargo vessels to install a Voyage Data Recorder on board;
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preventing train-vehicle accidents at high-risk intersections by working with industry and communities on further safety assessments and improvements; and
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creating a safety culture nationally by emphasizing the importance of Safety Management Systems for air, marine and rail.
“Transport Canada and the TSB have a shared goal of making Canada’s transportation network safer,” added Minister Lebel. “My department is working actively and successfully toward this goal, and will continue to work with the TSB on its Safety Watchlist findings.”
To learn more about steps Transport Canada is taking to address the TSB recommendations made public today, please refer to the attached factsheets.
Contacts:
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TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD SAFETY WATCHLIST RECOMMENDATIONS:
AVIATION SAFETY
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has made recommendations on aviation safety. To increase the overall safety of aviation and more specifically to address the areas identified by the board, the department has taken a number of actions. Most importantly, the department is developing an accelerated process to take the action required as a result of the TSB recommendations and will continue to collaborate with the board to maintain and enhance the safety of Canadian aviation.
To reduce the risk of collisions with land and water, Transport Canada is:
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implementing an updated floatplane safety campaign for the summer of 2011;
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issuing guidance material to encourage the use of best practices to increase survivability in the event of a floatplane accident;
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conducting a focused evaluation with selected members of industry to determine the most effective ways to address the TSB’s recommendations; and
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engaging international partners to develop a coordinated international approach to requirements.
To increase safety on runways, the department:
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has published guidance material addressing airside access and vehicle control until the applicable amendments to the regulations are in place;
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is promoting the use of runway guard lights, located at taxiway and runway intersections, to caution pilots or vehicle drivers that they are about to enter an active runway;
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is participating in an industry-led panel on ways to prevent runway incursions; and
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partnered with the International Civil Aviation Organization to prepare the Manual on the Prevention of Runway Incursions. The manual provides global guidance on how to reduce runway incursions.
To reduce the risk of landing accidents and runway overruns, the department has reviewed regulations to provide additional visual aids to help pilots assess landing distances. The department has also harmonized Canadian requirements with international standards on runway end safety areas (RESAs) and recognized the engineered material arresting system (EMAS)1 as an alternative measure to increase safety.
Transport Canada is committed to conforming to ICAO’s 150-metre runway safety area standard. At the same time, the department has also begun a risk assessment to determine the safety effectiveness of increasing the RESA to 300 metres. This process will continue through the summer of 2011. Pending the results of the risk assessment, a revised Notice of Proposed Amendment will be tabled for consideration at the September 2011 meeting of the Canadian Aviation Regulation Advisory Council.
The department has also published an Advisory Circular and an article in Aviation Safety Letter targeting airline operators. In addition, Transport Canada has issued guidelines to help pilots with decision making when flying in poor weather. Transport Canada also participates in the International Civil Aviation Organization’s Air Navigation Commission, as well as its Aerodrome Panel and Aerodrome Design Working Group. These bodies develop and harmonize international standards that will reduce runway overrun and undershoot incidents.
Note 1: The engineered material arresting system (EMAS) is a system that reduces the speed of an aircraft once it has landed. EMAS is located beyond the end of the runway and is designed to stop an overrunning aircraft by affecting its landing gear. EMAS is a soft ground arrestor that deforms under the weight of the aircraft tires as the airplane runs over it. As the tires crush the material, the aircraft slows down and is brought to a safe stop.
July 2011
TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD WATCHLIST RECOMMENDATIONS:
MARINE SAFETY
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has made recommendations concerning marine safety. Transport Canada is already taking the following actions:
Loss of life on fishing vessels
- Transport Canada is proposing new Fishing Vessel Safety Regulations that will focus on achieving a balance of practical and justifiable measures that enhance safety in a high-risk industry.
- Pre-publication in the Canada Gazette, Part I, is expected in 2012.
Transport Canada and the fishing industry recognize that safety is a shared responsibility and regulations alone cannot address all of the inherent risks in the fishing industry.
Emergency preparedness on ferries
Transport Canada has finalized the Fire and Boat Drill Regulations that enhance safety by requiring vessel operators to:
- keep better account of passengers;
- improve emergency preparedness on vessels; and
- requiring crews to carry out realistic and efficient emergency drills.
Transport Canada continues to issue ship safety bulletins to raise awareness of emergency preparation aboard ferries. The department has so far issued one ship safety bulletin in 2011 and issued eight in 2010.
July 2011
TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD WATCHLIST RECOMMENDATIONS:
RAIL SAFETY
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has made recommendations concerning rail safety. Transport Canada is already taking the following actions:
Passenger trains colliding with vehicles
High-Speed Corridors
- Eighty per cent of the public crossings located on the high-speed Quebec-Windsor corridor are now equipped with gated warning systems.
- Warning systems with gates will be installed by railways at all public grade crossings where train speeds exceed 128 km/h on the Quebec-Windsor corridor within the next two years.
- Safety assessments are continuing along the busy Quebec-Windsor passenger train corridor through partnerships between Transport Canada, the railway industry and municipalities.
Grade Crossing Regulations
- Transport Canada is developing new grade crossing regulations to provide for better standards on high-speed corridors and prevent new crossings from being built where train speeds exceed 128 km/h.
Related Safety Actions
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New low-clearance advance warning signs at railway crossings are being developed by Transport Canada in partnership with the Transportation Association of Canada.
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Transport Canada funds up to 80 per cent of safety enhancement costs at crossing sites across Canada every year under the Grade Crossing Improvement Program.
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Operation Lifesaver, a nationwide, public information and education program aims to reduce railway grade-level crossing collisions and trespassing incidents. The Railway Association of Canada and Transport Canada co-sponsor the program.
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In 2010-2011, Transport Canada spent $7.4 million to improve safety at 143 grade crossings across the country, including crossings on the high-speed Quebec-Windsor corridor.
Operation of Longer, Heavier Trains
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To reduce the risk of derailments, in February 2011 Transport Canada began a Canada-wide study of long-train operations to develop policies for train marshalling and handling. This study will be completed in two years and will develop science-based data. Phase I preliminary results and recommendations will be available in fall 2011. In addition, Transport Canada has initiated a multi-stakeholder research project, to be finalized this summer, that will examine in-train forces.
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The industry is moving forward on improved software, train marshalling and locomotive power distribution to better control the in-train forces that affect longer, heavier trains over various terrains.
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Transport Canada recognizes that technology by itself is not sufficient to reduce the risks associated with operating longer, heavier trains. The department will continue to work with railways to conduct detailed risk assessments whenever operating practices change.
July 2011
TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD WATCHLIST RECOMMENDATIONS:
DATA RECORDERS AND SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
(AIR, MARINE AND RAIL)
Transport Canada has addressed the Transportation Safety Board of Canada’s multimodal (aviation, marine and rail) recommendations for Safety Management Systems and data recorders, and is already taking the following actions:
Safety Management Systems (SMS)
- Transport Canada is implementing and strengthening SMS for aviation, marine and rail by:
- refining oversight of aviation SMS;
- extending its Safety Management Regulations so that they apply to a larger segment of the Canadian domestic marine fleet;
- strengthening the Railway Safety Act; and
- creating a rail audit/enforcement/risk branch to enhance industry monitoring.
Aviation
- Transport Canada has adjusted the SMS implementation schedule for smaller air operators based on the lessons learned from the transition process for larger air operators.
- Transport Canada has developed and introduced the Surveillance Procedures Training course. Between September 2010 and June 2011, Transport Canada held 24 courses across the country. In the next three years, 36 more courses will be scheduled and delivered.
Rail
- SMS implementation in the rail industry is well underway. Transport Canada continues to perform national, regional and inter-regional SMS audits of all federally regulated railways.
- Transport Canada has developed guidelines and tools to assist railway companies in implementing and improving their SMS.
Marine
- Embraced for more than a decade, SMS is a standard business practice for the international shipping industry (through the International Safety Management Code 2002) to promote safe and environmentally sound operating practices.
- Transport Canada is developing a safety management manual, along with other tools, to help Canadian operators not currently required to have SMS become familiar with the system.
- The department is consulting with industry to develop an SMS regulatory framework that will apply to a larger segment of the Canadian domestic fleet.
Data recorders
- Transport Canada is in the process of implementing the following changes to data recorder regulations for aviation, marine and rail:
- increasing the recording capacity and power supply of cockpit voice recorders;
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- developing regulations for Voyage Data Recorders in the marine industry; and
- For rail, the department has already implemented rules for locomotive event recorders. For example, all new locomotives built after January 2007 must be equipped with a certified, crashworthy event recorder.
July 2011
