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6.0  IMPACT OF REGULATIONS ON SAFETY OUTCOMES

• The current regulatory environment governing tug design and construction in Canada was spawned in 1970 as a result of a rash of fatalities in the industry between 1966 and 1969
  
  
• It can be stated that what occurred was a statistical aberration, with a large number of sinkings and fatalities in a relatively short period. When averaged over the total 21 year period (1954 to 1975), the average deaths per year is less than two, a number that is only slightly higher than the current average in the industry
  
  
• The most severe single incidents were all in larger vessels
  
  
• The common factor in all of the non-harbour or river fatal accidents was severe weather
  
  
• Only within the last six or seven years has there been any indication that the USCG might impose new regulations on tugs. This thrust has arisen out of several severe accidents which occurred on the inland waterways of the USA, and were certainly not related to any coastal towing incidents
  
  
• An analysis of accident data for Canadian tugs built before and after the imposition of regulations in 1970 indicates how the accident activity in newer vessels gradually builds over time, as would be expected as the newer vessels gradually make up an increasing percentage of the total fleet. The ate of accidents for newer vessels is actually slightly higher than for the older vessels. However, it is considered that within the accuracy of the data all that can be said is that the rate of accidents is approximately equal
  
  
• The information indicates that the implementation of quite stringent regulations in 1970 has had no measurable effect on the safety of towing vessels on this coast!

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