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4 TRANSPORTATION SAFETY AND SECURITYTRANSPORTATION SAFETYThis section reports the most recent safety-related statistics for all modes of transportation and for the transportation of dangerous goods. The reports of accidents and incidents made to the Transportation Safety Board (TSB) are one of the principal sources of safety-related occurrence statistics. Accidents are those occurrences that have resulted in the loss of or damage to life, health and property. Incidents are those occurrences that have the potential to result in an accident. It is important to note that the specific definitions of a reportable TSB accident and incident vary according to the transportation mode. (See the TSB Regulations at www.tsb.gc.ca/en/common/acts.asp for details on aviation, marine and rail.) Data on road collisions reported to the police are collected by the provinces and territories under the agreement of the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators and provided to Transport Canada to develop the national casualty collision statistics. Collecting and processing the high volumes of data for more than 600,000 crash case occurrences annually can take over a year to compile before the statistics are released at the jurisdictional and national levels. Transport Canada is the primary source for the transportation of dangerous goods-related occurrence statistics. (See the Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) Regulations on reporting requirements at: www.tc.gc.ca/tdg/clear/part8.htm.) Safety-related occurrence statistics are indicators of the transportation system's safety performance and help focus efforts on initiatives and activities that have high safety benefits. At the same time, efforts continue to better align and link safety-related data with Transport Canada's key safety initiatives. In this year's report, these data alignment efforts are reflected for aviation where the TSB source data aligns with the Canadian Aviation Regulations for the Flight 2005 strategic plan. (For more information, see Aviation Safety in this chapter.) In 2005, the number of aviation accidents rose 1.6 per cent over 2004. Marine accidents were down 8.2 per cent over 2004. Reported rail accidents increased, however, by 9.8 per cent. The latest available statistics for road casualty collisions (2004) show a decrease of 3.6 per cent over 2003. Reportable accidents involving the transportation of dangerous goods increased from 370 in 2004 to 412 in 2005. The safety performance of the transportation system can also be measured by the number of fatalities. In 2005, there were no fatalities caused by dangerous goods in a transport accident and there were fewer fatalities in the marine transportation mode. However, there was an increase in fatalities in both the aviation and rail modes. From 2003 to 2004 (the most recent statistics), there was a decrease of 1.3 per cent in road-related fatalities. Table 4-1 and the more detailed Table A4-1 in the Addendum summarize the modal safety record, including the transportation of dangerous goods. To ensure the year-over-year analysis and modal comparisons are complete, both the long-term trends and specifics of each mode, including level of activity and the changes in exposure to risk, should be taken into account. That said, overall, accident rates for air in 2005 increased slightly over 2004, while remaining below the previous five-year average. The accident rate for marine, (available only for commercial vessels of over 15 gross tons) has declined over both the 2004 rate and the previous five-year average. The rate for road accidents decreased in 2004 and was once again the lowest for the past 10 years.
Note: Preliminary data for 2005.
Source: Transportation Safety Board, Transport Canada and Statistics Canada The 2005 rate for rail accidents was up over recent years, but remained below the rates of the 1990s. The rates also capture changes in the levels of activity measures; as the level of activity increases, so does the exposure to risk. Both have contributed to the the changes in the number of accidents. Figure 4-2 shows the 10-year trend for the four modes. The trend, despite observed fluctuations from one year to another, is generally downward in terms of both number of accidents and accident rates per activity level. It is important to note that, because the activity measure is particular to each mode, these rates are only a basis for interpreting the occurrence statistics within each mode and not for comparing across modes. In addition, the available activity measure (denominator), representing to a certain extent all or key operations of modal activities, may have its own set of data limitations. For more details, including information on limitations of data, see Table A4-1 in the Addendum. FIGURE 4-2: ACCIDENTS AND ACCIDENT RATES PER ACTIVITY MEASURE FOR RAIL, ROAD, MARINE AND AVIATION Rail Accidents and Rate
Road Casualty Collisions and Rate
Marine Accidents and Rate
Canadian Registered Aircraft Accidents and Itinerant Movement Rate Source: Transportation Safety Board, Transport Canada and Statistics Canada RAIL SAFETYThe number of rail accidents increased from 1,138 in 2004 to 1,249 in 2005, 18.4 per cent above the previous five-year average (1999-2003) of 1,055 accidents. An accident rate of 13.0 per million train-miles (includes main track train-miles and yard switching-miles) was observed for the year, up from 12.5 in 2004 and the previous five-year average of 11.6. The increase in 2005 was attributed mainly to a greater number of non-main track derailments (538 in 2005 versus 450 in 2004) and crossing collisions (270 in 2005 versus 237 in 2004). Non-main track accidents (which accounted for 64.7 per cent of the 2005 total), involving either a derailment or collision, are, for the most part, minor, as they usually involve rolling stock travelling at slow speeds and generally pose less risk to the travelling public. In 2005, there were 103 fatalities, on par with the 101 fatalities in 2004 and an 11.7 per cent increase over the previous five-year average of 92.2. There were 77 serious injuries in 2005, a decrease over the 91 serious injuries reported in 2004. For more details, including a provincial breakdown of accidents, fatalities and serious injuries, as reported to the Transportation Safety Board, and involving railways under federal jurisdiction, see tables A4-2 to A4-4 in the Addendum. Direction 2006 Initiative — In 1996, Transport Canada and its partners, the Railway Association of Canada, provincial and municipal governments, railway companies and their unions, law enforcement agencies, and other safety organizations, joined forces to create Direction 2006. The goal of the program is to promote and implement initiatives that will change human behaviour at grade crossings and with respect to trespassing on railway property. Through eight key result areas — education, communications, enforcement, research, resources, outreach, legislative, and performance measurement — the objective is to reduce railway grade crossing collisions and trespassing incidents by 50 per cent by 2006. High proportions of crossing and trespasser accidents are fatal or result in serious injury and they continue to account for approximately 90 per cent of total fatal and serious injury rail accidents. In 2005, crossing accidents increased 14 per cent to 270, from 237 in 2004, and were above the five-year average of 257.8. Fatalities related to crossing accidents also increased, from 25 in 2004 to 38 in 2005. There were 82 trespasser accidents in 2005, a 17 per cent decline over the 2004 total of 99, although on par with the 2000 – 2004 five-year average of 79.2. Fatalities from trespasser accidents decreased to 63 in 2005 from 68 in 2004, but were up from the 54.6 for the previous five-year average. Figure 4-3 shows the trends in crossing and trespasser accidents from 1996 to 2005. For more information on Direction 2006, visit www.tc.gc.ca/Railway/Dir2006_e.htm. FIGURE 4-3: CROSSING AND TRESPASSER ACCIDENTS, 1996 – 2005
Source: Transport Canada, based on Transportation Safety Board data Grade Crossing Improvement Program — Through the Grade Crossing Improvement Program, Transport Canada funds up to 80 per cent of safety enhancement costs at approximately 80 to 100 sites across the country. This represents an annual investment of up to $7.5 million. More than $100 million has been invested in this program over the past 15 years. In 2005, crossing accidents at public automated crossings increased from 117 in 2004 to 161 in 2005 and from 65 in 2004 to 73 in 2005 at public passive crossings. However, accidents at private crossings decreased from 51 in 2004 to 32 in 2005. Safety Management Systems (SMS) — In 2005, Transport Canada continued to work with the railway industry to adopt a comprehensive systematic approach to railway safety through the conduct of Railway Safety Management System (RSMS) regulatory audits. The RSMS Regulations, which came into force on March 31, 2001, require all federally regulated railway companies to document, implement and maintain a RSMS with mandatory components as outlined in the regulations. The department made significant progress in evaluating the implementation and effectiveness of the railway safety management systems of federally regulated railways. The initial audit cycle, comprising audits of all federally regulated railways, was 90 per cent completed by the end of 2005. The audits showed that railways have made significant steps toward adopting more formalized approaches to managing safety. However, improvements are necessary to integrate the SMS approach within all operating levels of the railways. The department will continue to move toward a more focussed, issue-driven audit methodology, with a view to further enhancing industry safety culture. ROAD SAFETYCanada's road safety record continues to improve decade after decade. In 2004 (most recent statistics), there was a 3.6 per cent decrease in casualty collisions from 2003. There were 2,730 road-related fatalities in 2004, down from 2,766 in 2003, a 1.3 per cent decrease. In 2004, there was a 4.5 per cent decrease in road-related injuries, or 10,108 fewer injuries in 2004 than in 2003. Addendum Table A4-5 shows annual and longer-term trends in road-related casualty collisions that have resulted in fatalities and injuries. The annual changes may be attributable in part to changes in vehicular traffic, such as the number of vehicle registrations, which were up 1.1 per cent in 2004 over 2003, and vehicle-kilometres travelled, which were down 2.3 per cent. The 2004 casualty collision rate of 48.5 per 100 million vehicle-kilometres travelled was a slight decrease over the 2003 rate of 50.2. The longer-term downward trend in fatalities and total injuries (621 fewer fatalities in 2004 than the 3,351 in 1995 and 29,588 fewer injuries in 2004 than in 1995) has helped reduce the estimated annual social cost to Canadians of up to $25 billion. These long-term trends are confirmed by a rate of 1.4 fatalities per 10,000 motor vehicle registrations in 2004 compared with 2.0 in 1995 (or with 2.4 for the 1985 – 1994 10-year average). Continuing the trend of decreased rates, the 2004 rates became the lowest for the past 10 years and since the 1950s. Data by provinces/territories are shown in Addendum Table A4-6. Road Safety Vision 2010 (RSV 2010) — Introduced by the federal, provincial and territorial governments and the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators, the strategic objectives of this initiative are to raise awareness of road safety issues, improve collaboration and cooperation among safety agencies, strengthen enforcement, and improve national road safety data collection and quality. Its national target is a 30 per cent decrease in the average number of road users killed or seriously injured during the 2008 – 2010 period over comparable 1996 – 2001 figures. In 2004, there were 8.0 per cent fewer fatalities and 3.9 per cent fewer serious injuries as compared with the 1996 – 2001 baseline of the RSV 2010. For more information on targets and sub-target areas, see Road Safety Vision 2010, 2002 Annual Report at www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/vision/menu.htm. Seat belts — Increasing seat belt wearing rates among Canadians to 95 per cent or higher is a crucial RSV 2010 sub-target. Thousands of lives are saved every year by seat belts. In 2004, 36.0 per cent of driver and 35.3 per cent of passenger fatalities were victims who were not wearing seat belts. (See Addendum Table A4-7.) And the percentage for serious injuries among seat belt wearers was much lower (14.6 for drivers and 21.2 per cent for passengers). This indicates that there is a relatively higher risk of fatality for those not wearing seat belts in serious road crashes. For more details, see http://www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/tp/tp3322/2004/menu.htm. In September 2005, Transport Canada conducted an observational survey of seat belt use in urban communities during the daytime across Canada. In September 2004, a similar survey was conducted in rural communities. These surveys showed that the seat belt wearing rate in rural areas (86.9 per cent) was lower than the rate in urban communities (91.1 per cent). The rate was much lower among occupants of light trucks (about 85 per cent) than occupants of passenger cars (about 92 per cent), and the rate was lower by approximately two to six per cent for male drivers than for female drivers, and similarly, by age group, among those drivers aged 25 and under. For more information on these surveys visit: http://www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/stats/menu.htm, as well as Road Safety's main menu for related vehicle restraints and safety studies and programs (e.g., air bags, booster seats for children, child seats on school buses). Impaired drivers — The percentage of fatally injured drivers who were tested and found with an alcohol concentration rate in their blood over the legal limit of 80 mg% has declined steadily from approximately 40 per cent in the late 1980s to approximately 30 per cent in recent years (32 per cent in 2003). A similar trend can be seen in police reported charges for impaired driving offences (for adults over 18 years of age). The number dropped from over 111,000 in the early 1990s to 62,977 in 2004 (most recent data). It is unclear what percentage of these reductions is a result of greater public awareness, tougher penalties or changes in traffic enforcement levels and/or procedures. Addendum Table A4-8 shows this downward trend. The observation of the role of drugs, such as cannabis, as a cause of collision dates back many years, however, much less is known about the impact of this drug on collisions. Studies revealing that cannabinoids are the drugs most commonly found (after alcohol) in drivers who have been injured or killed in motor vehicle collisions, have increased concern both nationally and internationally. Risks related to motor vehicle collisions increase in cases where both alcohol and cannabis are being used by drivers. For more information, please see "Impacts of cannabis on driving: An analysis of current evidence with an emphasis on Canadian data" at www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/ tp/tp14179/menu.htm. Addendum Table A4-10 shows that motor vehicle drivers accounted for about half of the 2004 fatalities (2,725), while passengers accounted for about a quarter (24.2 per cent). Pedestrian fatalities, accounting for 13.4 per cent, decreased from 379 fatalities in 2003 to 366 in 2004. A recent study indicates that pedestrian fatalities have decreased by 24.1 per cent over the 1992 – 2001 10-year period. The 10-year average for this period was 416. For details, visit www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/ tp2436/rs200401/menu.htm. As Addendum Table A4-11 shows, of the vehicles involved in fatal collisions between 2000 and 2004, after automobiles, pickup trucks and larger trucks, were motorcycles (at a distant fourth place, accounting for about five per cent), bicycles (in fifth place), and all buses (at sixth place with about one per cent of the total). For more statistics on road safety system performance, visit www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/stats/menu.htm. Commercial vehicles — Another key RSV 2010 sub-target is to reduce the number of road users killed or seriously injured in crashes involving commercial vehicles (i.e., heavy trucks and buses). Commercial vehicle drivers accounted for approximately 3.5 per cent of total licensed drivers between 1999 and 2004 (for details, visit http://www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/ tp/tp3322/2004/page12.htm). However, when compared with passenger vehicles, they generally account for a much higher proportion of vehicle-kilometres travelled. From 1999 to 2004, collisions involving commercial vehicles accounted for approximately eight per cent of all road collisions and roughly 20 per cent of all road fatalities. In 2004, there were 581 fatalities resulting from collisions involving commercial vehicles compared to 578 in 2003. This figure is identical to the 581 fatalities in 2002. (For details, see Addendum tables A4-9A and A4-9B). Fatigue is recognized as a factor in transportation accidents. Consequently, a key initiative in recent years has been to revise and modernize the hours of service regulations (under the consensus-based National Safety Code Standard #9), allowing trucking companies to better manage the fatigue factor in their operations. In December 2004, government regulators and key players in the Canadian trucking and bus industries reached a consensus on safety rules for extra-provincial commercial vehicle operations. The Commercial Vehicle Drivers Hours of Service Regulations, which were published in the Canada Gazette Part II on November 16, 2005, will come into effect on January 1, 2007. The regulations are available at: http://canadagazette.gc.ca/partII/index-e.html. Transport Canada has an ongoing research program on human performance and fatigue management. In 2004, a prototype fatigue management program for commercial drivers was developed to train drivers, dispatchers and company managers about ways to avoid fatigue and to get the best possible rest at home or on the road. The program will undergo field trials in 2006 under a 2003 joint research agreement between Transport Canada and Canadian provincial and U.S. authorities. For information on human performance research, see http://tcinfo/tdc/projects/hfactors/menu.htm. Transport Canada also implemented legislative and regulatory changes on January 1, 2006, that establish a common approach to monitoring and measuring truck and bus safety performance across Canada. The new safety rating system, which is enforced by the provinces and territories, addresses driver, vehicle and motor carrier performance, including maintenance practices and the collision record. More information can be found on the Transport Canada Web site at: www.tc.gc.ca. Transport Canada also instituted a "Share the Road" Web site in December 2005 to assist the public in sharing the road with commercial vehicles, see http://www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/ShareTheRoad/menu.htm. The Web site provides important safety tips for both commercial and non-commercial vehicle drivers. MARINE SAFETYIn 2005, there were 405 marine accidents involving Canadian-registered vessels. This was a record low and represented an eight per cent decrease from the 2004 total of 441 and was nine per cent lower than the previous five-year average. Marine accident statistics contain two components, shipping accidents and accidents aboard ships. Historically, the majority of marine accidents are shipping accidents and 2005 was no exception, with 365 shipping accidents or 90 per cent of the total. However, this was a decrease of eight per cent over 2004 and nine per cent over the previous five-year average. In 2005, there were 12 fatalities from shipping accidents, down from 21 in 2004 and below the five-year average of 15.4. There were also 21 injuries resulting from these accidents. This total was well below both the 2004 figure when there were 37 injuries and the five-year average of 30.8. There were 22 vessels confirmed lost due to a shipping accident in 2005, down 36 per cent from the previous five-year average of 34.4. Of the 403 Canadian vessels involved in a shipping accident, which includes those where more than one vessel was involved (e.g., collision between vessels), fishing vessels represented the largest proportion with 55 per cent, while commercial vessels followed with 34 per cent. Accidents aboard ship made up the remainder of the Canadian vessel accidents, falling to 40 in 2005 from 46 in 2004 and from the five-year average of 47.2. There were six fatalities that resulted from these accidents, equivalent to the 2004 total but down from the five-year average of 9.6. The 37 injuries resulting from the accidents were also below the five-year average of 42.6. For more details on marine accidents, including a provincial breakdown of occurrences, which take into account foreign vessels inside Canadian waters (not included in the above figures but reported to the Transportation Safety Board), see Addendum tables A4-12 and A4-13. There are approximately 27,593 registered and 9,824 licensed vessels in Canada (excluding recreational) for a total of 37,417. The majority of these vessels, 61 per cent, are fishing vessels. Of the 14,438 commercial vessels, 71 per cent measure less than 15 gross tons. For details on registered vessels, see: http://www.tc.gc.ca/ ShipRegistry/menu.asp?lang=e. One of the key commitments in Marine Safety's Strategic Plan 2003 – 2010 is to achieve certain safety targets by 2010, based on the 1998 – 2002 five-year averages for Canadian and foreign vessels. These safety targets are focussed on the number of fatalities (a 20 per cent reduction to 33.8), injuries (a 30 per cent reduction to 80.2), and the Canadian- and foreign-flag commercial accident rates (a 20 per cent reduction to 3.8 and 2.0, respectively). Early progress against the safety goals shows that the fatality reduction target was met 100 per cent in 2005, while the injury target reached 96 per cent of the goal. For more information on the plan and safety targets, visit www.tc.gc.ca/MarineSafety/tp/tp13111/menu.htm. Small commercial vessels — In 2005, there were 47 small vessels involved in shipping accidents (excluding fishing), making up 12 per cent of the national total for all vessels. Of these, 20 were engaged in passenger/charter activities. For more details, see Addendum Table A4-14. Canadian small vessels engaged in commercial fishing activities accounted for 54 per cent of total vessels involved in shipping accidents in 2005. Over the years, these vessels have consistently accounted for the highest proportion of the total vessels involved in shipping accidents. However, as shown in Addendum Table A4-15, accidents involving these vessels have declined considerably in the last decade. In 2005, the small vessel regulations were amended to incorporate construction standards and stability requirements for all new vessels in this class. In addition, a decal program was rolled out across the country to graphically indicate the small passenger vessels participating in the inspection program. In addition, the Canadian Marine Advisory Council (CMAC) Standing Committee on Fishing Vessel Safety, with government and industry representation, continued to address regulatory issues and operator certification and training. International — As a member of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Canada is required to report casualties for large commercial vessels. In 2005, there were no "very serious" casualties involving a Canadian vessel. There was one "serious" grounding casualty, and two "less serious" casualties (a collision and a grounding) for Canadian vessels. Foreign-flag vessel involvement in marine accidents in Canadian waters rose to 80 in 2005 from 58 in 2004, but remained comparable to the five-year average (77.6). In 2005, casualties resulting from accidents on foreign-flag vessels included one fatality and four injuries. Canada is a signatory to two Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) on Port State Control. In 2005, Canada continued to meet its obligations under the MOUs, inspecting 1,277 foreign-flag vessels. Improved targeting and special inspection programs for bulk carriers and tankers have helped improve the safety of foreign ships entering Canadian ports, and trends show that detentions have decreased from five years ago. Marine Safety publishes an annual report on the Port State Control Program that provides comprehensive data on inspections. Further details on the annual reports can be found at http://www.tc.gc.ca/MarineSafety/ Ships-and-operations-standards/Inspection/ Port-State-Control/Annual-Reports/Menu.htm. Marine Transportation Safety Management Systems — These systems have been in place since 1998 when they were implemented on a worldwide basis for tankers, bulk carriers and passenger ships in international trade. In 2002, these requirements were extended to almost all vessels trading internationally and are implemented through the Safety Management Regulations. To date, close to 60 Canadian vessels have obtained the required statutory certification issued by classification societies on behalf of Transport Canada. Through a well established monitoring program, Transport Canada directly monitored eight of the audits carried out by these authorized organizations and reviewed 20 additional audit reports in 2005. Transport Canada continues to support the voluntary adoption of Safety Management Systems by vessels operating in Canadian waters and is reviewing the feasibility of implementing a Safety Management System for operators of Canadian domestic vessels (including small passenger vessels). Recreational boating safety — Preliminary figures for 2005, indicate there were approximately 145 recreational vessel fatalities. This is below the five-year average of 170. Discussions were initiated with Service Canada to modernize the recreational vessel licence system. Starting in 2006, recreational vessel licences will be issued from over 300 Service Canada centres across the country and the data recorded in an electronic database that will be accessible to rescue organizations. It should be noted that there are approximately eight million recreational boaters in any given year. The Red Cross and the Coast Guard Search and Rescue Group maintain comprehensive information on accidents and fatalities relating to pleasure craft at www.redcross.ca and www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca/sar/main. Further details on the above initiatives and other safety regimes under the Marine Safety Program can be found at http://www.tc.gc.ca/marinesafety/menu.htm. AVIATION SAFETYPreliminary figures for 2005 show that Canadian-registered aircraft were involved in 245 accidents, slightly more than the 241 accidents in 2004. However, this number is still well below the previous five-year average of 277.4. The decline is largely attributable to a reduction of flight training accidents. The number of aircraft operating commercially involved in accidents (107 in 2005) accounted for 43.7 per cent of the total Canadian-registered aircraft accidents, while private/recreational aviation accounted for 138 aircraft involved in accidents. Historically, airlines and commuter aircraft account for a small portion of these accidents. In 2005, one Canadian-registered airliner was involved in an accident and it did not result in fatalities. There were five commuter operations accidents, which was below the 2000 – 2004 five-year average of 6.8. One fatal accident involving commuter operations occurred in 2005 and resulted in two fatalities. Approximately half (51.4 per cent) of the commercial aviation operations accidents in 2005 involved air taxis. This was consistent with the previous five years. At 55 accidents, the 2005 figure was on par with the 56 accidents in 2004 and the previous five-year average of 53.8. In 2005, of the 55 accidents involving aircraft of this category, seven (12.7 per cent) were fatal accidents, causing 10 fatalities. There was a major increase in aerial work accidents from 17 accidents in 2004 to 31 in 2005, which accounted for 28.9 per cent of all 2005 commercial aviation operations accidents. However, the 2005 figure was on par with the previous five-year average of 35.8. Six of the aerial work accidents were fatal accidents and caused 11 fatalities. Recreational aviation is by far the largest contributor to the number of Canadian-registered aircraft accidents, accounting for 56.3 per cent of the 2005 total and 52.6 per cent for the 2000 – 2004 five-year average. In 2005, 138 recreational aircraft (excluding 31 basic and advanced ultra-lights) were involved in accidents, in line with the 2004 figure of 140. Of the 2005 total, 122 (88.4 per cent) involved aeroplanes and 11 of these (nine per cent) were fatal, a slight decrease over the 2000 – 2004 five-year average (13 fatalities, 128.6 aeroplanes involved). The number of reportable incidents reported to the Transportation Safety Board involving either a Canadian- or foreign-registered aircraft decreased in 2005 to 822 from 906 in 2004, and remained slightly below the 2000 – 2004 average of 836.6. At 27.3 per cent, Declared Emergencies accounted for the highest percentage among the categories of incidents. The 2005 figure (224) was considerably lower than 2004 (276) and the previous five-year average (258.7). For more details on aviation incidents, please see Addendum Table A4-17. The source of the data is Transport Canada's Flight 2005 database, data that is extracted from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) database and then aligned with the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs) and toward the Flight 2005 safety targets. Addendum Table A4-16 provides more details on these occurrences and A4-17 further summarizes occurrences as they were reported to the TSB. Addendum Table A4-18 provides more detail on accident rates, and Addendum Table A4-19 provides a breakdown by province of aviation accidents, fatal accidents and fatalities. Civil Aviation continues a strong partnership approach with the aviation community and the Canadian public that contributes to the achievement of the safety targets identified in Flight 2005 — A Civil Aviation Safety Framework for Canada. Preliminary information shows the 2005 accident rate as 6.4 per cent compared with 6.3 per cent in 2004, below the five-year average of 7.2 per cent. On the public confidence side, the March 2005 edition of the Perception of Air Travel & Security survey yielded an overall confidence rating of 98 per cent, which is consistent with the 2002 and 2004 findings. Over two thirds of Canadians — or 70 per cent — feel highly confident in flight safety in Canada, up three percentage points over 2004 and 10 percentage points from 2002. Flight 2005 represents a new way to manage safety risks in civil aviation and introduced the concept of safety management systems (SMS). At the most fundamental level, the aim is to improve safety through proactive management rather than reactive compliance with regulatory requirements. The requirement for an SMS is overarching and is in addition to the current regulatory framework. It will permit industry to meet the safety performance requirements in the most efficient and effective manner. Holders of Transport Canada operation certificates will be required to implement an SMS. The implementation date for various parts of the Canadian Aviation Regulations will vary based on the progress of the Notice of Proposed Amendments through the regulatory system. The expected result of this initiative is the improvement of safety practices and fostering stronger safety cultures within the civil aviation industry. For more information on Flight 2005, visit http://www.tc.gc.ca/civilaviation/menu.htm Canada's aviation industry has made tremendous progress in reducing accidents and gaining public trust. To continue this improvement, the industry and its stakeholders are working together on new and innovative approaches. Smart regulations, imbedded safety cultures and effective safety management systems are the way of the future — a future where industry operates at the maximum level of delegation possible with the flexibility to meet safety requirements in the most cost-efficient manner. This means that the regulatory framework must be increasingly performance-based to permit the implementation of systematic approaches to provide continuous improvement in safety performance. Flight 2010 articulates civil aviation's direction for 2006 to 2010 and outlines goals and objectives in the context of future challenges. The plan describes how the program will achieve the department's two key results, which are unchanged from Flight 2005. TRANSPORTATION OF DANGEROUS GOODSThere were 412 reportable accidents involving the transportation of dangerous goods in 2005 up from 370 in 2004. However, few accidents involving dangerous goods are actually caused by the goods themselves. Figure 4-4 shows that in recent years most reportable accidents involving dangerous goods did not occur during transport, but rather during the loading or unloading phase at transportation facilities. The majority of deaths and injuries involving the transportation of dangerous goods were caused by the accident (a collision) itself, not the dangerous goods. In 2005, seven fatalities and 41 injuries resulted from accidents involving dangerous goods. Of these, six injuries and no fatalities resulted from the dangerous goods themselves. FIGURE 4-4: TDG REPORTABLE ACCIDENTS BY MODE AND AT TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES, 2000 – 2005
Source: Transport Canada, Dangerous Goods Accident Information System Every year in Canada, there are approximately 30 million shipments of dangerous goods that are subject to the TDG Regulations. Almost all (99.99 per cent) arrive safely at their destinations. As Figure 4-4 shows, among the four modes of transport, most reportable accidents (91 per cent) occur on road. It is important to note, however, that 93 per cent of dangerous goods are shipped using road transportation. When tonnage is used as the unit of measurement of dangerous goods transported in Canada, more than 46 per cent of the volume is transported by road while 39 per cent is transported by rail. The TDG program does not cover dangerous goods transported in bulk on ships or by pipeline. For more information on TDG exposure data contact provencherm@tc.gc.ca. For details on the number of reportable accidents by mode of transport and those accidents resulting in fatalities and injuries, see Addendum tables A4-20A to A4-20C. Review of the TDG Act — In 2005, an analysis of the issues, alternatives and solutions was concluded. Amendments to the Act are expected to be proposed in the fall of 2006. Tank car thermal protection integrity — As the final chapter in the Tank Car Thermal Protection Integrity project, Transport Canada, along with the U.S. Department of Transportation (Federal Railroad Administration) and railway and tank car industries, agreed to undertake full-size tank car fire tests. The performance of rail tank cars filled with propane in a fully engulfing fire will result in a realistic set of defect assessment criteria for use by Transport Canada inspectors. Highway tank trailer vent and burn — Transport Canada undertook a vent and burn procedure on a highway tank containing propane. For further information on the vent and burn project refer to the article in the Transport Dangerous Goods Newsletter, Winter 2005-2006 edition, at: www.tc.gc.ca/tdg/newsletter/menu.htm. The National TDG Program — The program includes the development of standards and regulations, inspection and enforcement policies, tools for emergency response support and the manufacture, use and testing of standardized means of containment to promote public safety in the transportation of dangerous goods in Canada. In 2005, Transport Canada offered training sessions throughout the country on the TDG Regulations to federal, provincial and territorial inspectors. Transport Canada also approved facilities that manufacture or maintain means of containment as required in the standards. New means of containment standards for transportable gas cylinders and tank trucks and portable tanks were adopted in the TDG Regulations. When compliance with the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act may be difficult (e.g., the introduction of new technologies) the Act provides the option to apply for a "Permit for Equivalent Level of Safety." Applicants must demonstrate that their proposed activity, although not in compliance with the prescribed requirements, will be conducted in a manner that will provide a level of safety at least equivalent to the prescribed requirements. In 2005, Transport Canada received 1,892 applications and rendered 1,749 decisions. International harmonization — Transport Canada's goal to harmonize the regulatory requirements across jurisdictions remains an important objective. In 2005, TDG led the United Nations Sub-committee of Experts on the Transportation of Dangerous Goods (UNSCETDG) in reviewing testing requirements for intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) which resulted in the adoption of some revisions to the Model Regulations that will enhance safety by tightening or, where necessary, clarifying the requirements for testing IBCs. These revisions will be adopted by IMO and possibly by ICAO and other international regulatory bodies and by national authorities thus enhancing international and domestic harmonization of requirements. This initiative is also a Smart Regulations initiative. Amendment 4 to the TDG Regulations adopted requirements that harmonized the regulations with international recommendations, modal requirements and U.S. requirements. Amendment 6, which proposes to further harmonize the TDG Regulations, was distributed for informal comment. Emergency Response Guidebook — The Canadian Transport Emergency Centre (CANUTEC) assists personnel in handling dangerous goods emergencies 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Emergency Response Guidebook 2004 that was distributed to fire departments, police departments and ambulance services is available as a free downloadable database in three languages. For more information visit www.CANUTEC.gc.ca. |
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