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4 TRANSPORTATION SAFETY AND SECURITYTRANSPORTATION SAFETYThis section reports the most recent safety-related statistics for all federally regulated modes of transportation and for the transportation of dangerous goods. One of the principal sources of safety-related occurrence statistics are the reports of accidents and incidents made to the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB). Accidents are those occurrences that have resulted in the loss of or damage to life, health and property. Incidents, on the other hand, 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 are reported to the police and sent to the provinces and territories for data entry/validation. Through an agreement with the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators, the electronic data are provided to Transport Canada to develop the national collision database. It can take more than a year to compile the high
volumes of data for more than 600,000 annual crash case
occurrences and release them at the jurisdictional and
national levels. Transport Canada is the primary source
for the transportation of dangerous goods-related
occurrence statistics. (See the TDG Regulations on
reporting requirements at www.tc.gc.ca/tdg/clear/part8.htm.)
Statistics on safety-related occurrences reflect the In 2006, there were 2.5 per cent fewer aviation accidents than in 2005, 4.8 per cent fewer marine accidents and 8.5 per cent fewer reported rail accidents. The latest available statistics for road casualty collisions (2005) show no appreciable change from 2004 (+0.4 per cent). Accidents involving the transportation of dangerous goods decreased from 386 in 2005 to 370 in 2006. The safety performance of the transportation system can also be measured by the number of fatalities. In 2006, there were fewer fatalities in the marine, rail and aviation transportation modes than in 2005. However, in 2005 (the most recent statistics), there were 7.3 per cent more road-related fatalities than in 2004. There was also one fatality caused by dangerous goods in a transportation of dangerous goods accident in 2006. Table 4-1 and the more detailed Table A4-1 in the Addendum summarize the modal safety record, including the transportation of dangerous goods.
Note: Preliminary data for 2006.
Source: Transportation Safety Board, Transport Canada and Statistics Canada
The 2006 rate for rail accidents was down compared with the last two years and was constant with the five-year average. 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 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.
RAIL SAFETYThe number of rail accidents decreased from 1,247 in 2005 to 1,141 in 2006 and was 4.5 per cent above the five-year average of 1,091 accidents. The yearly accident rate fell from 13.0 to 11.91 per million train-miles (includes main track train-miles and yard switching-miles) and was relatively constant with the previous five-year average of 11.8. This decrease in rail accidents was attributed mainly to fewer derailments, both main-track and non-main track: main-track derailments fell from 194 in 2005 to 133 in 2006, while non-main-track derailments fell from 540 to 480. Non-main-track train accidents, either a derailment or a 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 2006, they accounted for 51.2 per cent of the total train accidents. In 2006, there were 94 fatalities, down from 103 in 2005 and on a par with the previous five-year average. There were 67 serious injuries, down from 77. In 2006, there were 248 crossing accidents, down eight per cent from 269 in 2005 and still below the five-year average of 260. Fatalities related to crossing accidents also decreased, from 37 to 28. There were 92 trespasser accidents, up 11 per cent from 83 in 2005 and also above the 2001 – 2005 five-year average of 80. Fatalities from trespasser accidents decreased from 64 to 59, up slightly from the previous five-year average of 57. Figure 4-3 shows the trends in crossing and trespasser accidents from 1997 to 2006. 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. The objective is to reduce railway grade crossing collisions and trespassing incidents by 50 per cent by 2006. This will be accomplished through eight key result areas: education, communications, enforcement, research, resources, outreach, legislation and performance measurement. 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. Direction 2006 in its current form will be ending in the spring of 2007. Transport Canada is considering follow-up outreach initiatives. For more information on Direction 2006, visit www.tc.gc.ca/Railway/Dir2006_e.htm. 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 Canada for a total of up to $7.5 million each year. Transport Canada has invested more than $100 million in this program over the past 15 years. While accidents at public passive crossings increased slightly in 2006, from 71 to 75, accidents at public automated crossings decreased from 160 to 114. This represents an overall decrease in accidents at public crossings in 2006. Accidents at private crossings, however, increased from 33 in 2005 to 43 in 2006.
Source: Transport Canada, based on Transportation Safety Board data Safety Management Systems (SMS) — In 2006, Transport Canada continued to work with the railway industry to adopt a comprehensive, systematic approach to railway safety through Railway Safety Management System (RSMS) regulatory audits. The RSMS Regulations came into force on March 31, 2001. They require all federally regulated railway companies to document, implement and maintain a RSMS with mandatory components as outlined in the regulations. 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. Transport Canada 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. The average number of fatalities for the most recent ten-year period was 24 per cent lower than the 1986 – 1995 average. In 2005 (most recent statistics), there was a slight (0.4 per cent) increase in casualty collisions from 2004. There were 2,925 road user fatalities in 2005, a 7.3 per cent increase over the 2004 total of 2,725. Over the 1998 – 2005 period, fatalities fluctuated from a low of 2,725 in 2004 to a high of 2,985 in 1999. In 2005, there were 1,613 fewer roadrelated injuries, a 0.8 per cent decrease. Addendum Table A4-5 shows annual and longer-term trends in roadrelated casualty collisions that have resulted in fatalities and injuries. The annual changes in these figures may be due in part to changes in vehicular traffic, such as the number of vehicle registrations (up 1.4 per cent in 2005) and vehiclekilometres travelled (up 1.1 per cent). The casualty collision rate in 2005 was 48.2 per 100 million vehiclekilometres travelled, down 0.4 points from the 2004 rate of 48.6. The longer-term downward trend in fatalities and total injuries –– 426 fewer fatalities and 31,325 fewer injuries in 2005 than in 1995 –– has helped reduce the estimated annual social cost to Canadians of up to $25 billion. While the rate of 1.5 fatalities per 10,000 motor vehicle registrations in 2005 was up 0.1 points over the 2004 rate (itself the lowest rate in the past 10 years and since the 1950s), it is still much lower than the 1.8 rate in 1996 and the 2.3 average for the 1986 – 1995 ten-year period. Fatalities and injuries per billion vehiclekilometres travelled by provinces/territories are shown in Addendum Table A4-6.
Seat belts — A crucial RSV 2010 sub-target is for at least 95 per cent of Canadians to wear seat belts consistently. Thousands of lives are saved every year by seat belts. In 2005, 34.9 per cent of driver and 35.4 per cent of passenger fatalities were not wearing seat belts. (See Addendum Table A4-7.) The percentages for serious injuries among persons not wearing seat belts were much lower: 14.3 per cent for drivers and 19.9 per cent for passengers. This indicates 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/tp3322/2005/menu.htm. Transport Canada conducted a cross-Canada observational survey of seat belt use in rural communities during the daytime in September 2006 following a similar survey in urban communities in September 2005. The surveys showed that the seat belt wearing rate was lower in rural areas (88.3 per cent) than in urban communities (90.5 per cent). The rate was much lower among occupants of light trucks (about 82 per cent) than occupants of passenger cars (about 90 per cent). The rate was lower for male drivers, by approximately five percentage points, than for female drivers. Only 87.7 per cent of drivers aged 24 and under wore a seat belt, compared with 89.1 per cent of drivers aged 25 to 49 and 90.9 per cent of drivers aged 50 and over. 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 from about 40 per cent in the early 1990s to about 30 per cent in recent years (28 per cent in 2004). (mg% is defined as the weight of alcohol in the bloodstream stated as milligrams in 100 millilitres of blood.) Police-reported charges for impaired driving offences (for adults over 18 years of age) have similarly decreased, from over 111,000 in the early 1990s to 59,666 in 2005 (most recent data). Addendum Table A4-8 shows this downward trend. 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. While the observation of the role of drugs, such as cannabis, as a cause of collision dates back many years, much less is known about the impact of this drug on collisions. Concerns have increased, in Canada and abroad, due to studies revealing that cannabinoids are the drugs most commonly found (after alcohol) in drivers who have been injured or killed in motor vehicle collisions. Risks related to motor vehicle collisions increase in cases where drivers have used both alcohol and cannabis. For more information, 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 of the 2,925 fatalities in 2005, motor vehicle drivers accounted for 52.2 per cent while passengers accounted for 23.3 per cent. Pedestrian fatalities, accounting for 11.8 per cent of total fatalities, decreased from 367 in 2004 to 345 in 2005 and by 12.2 per cent from the most recent ten-year (1995 – 2004) average of 393. Motorcyclist fatalities have increased approximately 50 per cent in the last five years.
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 2001 and 2005 (for details, visit http://www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/tp/tp3322/2004/page12.htm). Compared with passenger vehicles, however, they generally account for a much higher proportion of vehicle-kilometres travelled. From 2001 to 2005, the vehicles (commercial and other) in all collisions (fatal, injury and property damage) involving commercial vehicles accounted for 9.1 per cent of all vehicles involved in road collisions on average and approximately 20 per cent of all road fatalities. In 2005, there were 581 fatalities resulting from collisions involving commercial vehicles, compared with 579 in 2004. For details, see Addendum tables A4-9A and A4-9B. Because fatigue is a recognized factor in transportation accidents, 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) to allow trucking and busing 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 extraprovincial commercial vehicle operations. The Commercial Vehicle Drivers Hours of Service Regulations, published in the Canada Gazette, Part II, on November 16, 2005, came into effect on January 1, 2007. The regulations are available at http://canadagazette.gc.ca/partII/2005/20051116/html/sor313-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 underwent 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://www.tc.gc.ca/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. For more information, visit the Transport Canada Web site at www.tc.gc.ca/acts-regulations/general/M/mvta/regulations/mvta004/mvta4.html/. Transport Canada also instituted a “Share the Road” Web site in December 2005 to help Canadians in sharing the road with commercial vehicles. The Web site provides important safety tips for both commercial and noncommercial vehicle drivers. For more information, visit http://www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/ShareTheRoad/menu.htm.
MARINE SAFETYThere were five per cent fewer marine accidents involving Canadian-registered vessels in 2006 (396) than in 2005 (416). This was another record low and was 10 per cent lower than the previous five-year average. Marine accident statistics include shipping accidents and accidents aboard ships. Historically, shipping accidents account for the majority of marine accidents, and 2006 was no exception, with 358 shipping accidents or 90 per cent of the total. Still, this was five per cent fewer than in 2005 and 10 per cent fewer than the previous fiveyear average. There were 12 fatalities from shipping accidents, down from 13 in 2005 and below the five-year average of 15.4, and 26 injuries resulting from these accidents, compared with 25 in 2005 and 31.4 for the fiveyear average. There were 30 vessels confirmed lost due to a shipping accident in 2006, down seven per cent from the previous five-year average of 32.4. Of the 385 Canadian vessels involved in a shipping accident, which includes those where more than one vessel was involved (e.g. collision between vessels), fishing vessels accounted for 51 per cent and commercial vessels for 37 per cent. The rest of the Canadian vessel accidents were those aboard ship. In 2006, there were 38 such accidents, down from 40 in 2005 and below the five-year average of 42.6. Four fatalities resulted, down from six and below the fiveyear average of eight. The 39 injuries resulting from the accidents were close to the five-year average of 38.4. 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 27,284 registered and 10,304 licensed vessels in Canada (excluding recreational) for a total of 37,588. The majority of these vessels, 62 per cent, are fishing vessels. Of the 14,369 commercial vessels, 71 per cent are 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 reach specific 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 from 34.00 to 27.20), injuries (a 30 per cent reduction from 81.20 to 56.84) and the Canadian- and foreign-flag commercial accident rates (a 20 per cent reduction from 3.14 to 2.51 and from 2.10 to 1.68, respectively). The greatest progress against the safety goals in 2006 was shown in the fatality reduction target that exceeded 100 per cent. For more information on the plan and safety targets, visit www.tc.gc.ca/MarineSafety/ tp/tp13111/menu.htm. Small commercial vessels (≤150 gross tons) — In 2006, there were 51 small vessels engaged in commercial activity that were involved in shipping accidents (excluding fishing). This accounted for 13.2 per cent of the national total for Canadian vessels. Of these, 23 were engaged in passenger/charter activities. For more details, see Addendum Table A4-14. Over the years, Canadian small vessels engaged in commercial fishing activities have consistently accounted for the highest proportion of the total Canadian vessels involved in shipping accidents. In 2006, they accounted for 48 per cent of the total. As Addendum Table A4-15 shows, however, accidents involving these vessels have declined considerably in the last decade. The Small Passenger Vessel Decal Program that was previously introduced to graphically indicate the vessels participating in the Small Vessel Monitoring and Inspection Program has continued to grow, receiving great acceptance from industry and the travelling public. 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 2006, there were no serious casualties involving a Canadian vessel that were identified at the time of report. There were, however, 61 shipping accidents and 10 accidents aboard ship involving foreign-flag vessels in Canadian waters. There were two fatalities and 16 injuries resulting from these accidents. Canada is a signatory to two Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) on Port State Control. In 2006, Canada continued to meet its obligations under the MOUs, inspecting 1,243 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. This was evident once again in 2006, when the established trend in decreased detentions was sustained. 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/oep/inspection/ psc/reports.htm. In addition, to ensure that established safety practices and Canadian and international requirements are met, certain cargoes for export undergo mandatory inspections under provisions of the Canada Shipping Act. In 2006, 1,078 vessels were inspected for export of grain, timber on deck or concentrates, and 447 containers loaded with dangerous goods underwent inspection. Reports are available at http://www.tc.gc.ca/MarineSafety/oep/inspection/cargoes/menu.htm. Marine Transportation Safety Management Systems — These systems were implemented in 1998 on a worldwide basis for tankers, bulk carriers and passenger ships in international trade and were extended in 2002 to almost all vessels trading internationally. They are implemented through the Safety Management Regulations. To date, close to 82 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 also reviewed 12 related audit reports in 2006. 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 — There were 97 recreational boating drowning fatalities in 2003, a number 11.8 per cent below the previous five-year average of 110.4. In addition, between 1996 and 2000, the most recent years available, there was an average of 16.2, non-drowning recreational boating fatalities. In 2006, over 100,000 (preliminary figure) recreational vessel licences were issued from over 300 Service Canada centres across the country (http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/en/sc/boats/pcl.shtml). These data are recorded in an electronic database that is 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 http://www.redcross.ca and http://www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca/sar/main_e.htm. In November 2006, Marine Safety, in conjunction with Road Safety, initiated a pilot study with the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators (CCMTA) and the Traffic Injury Research Foundation (TIRF) to identify, collect and assess available 2005 data on commercial and recreational marine vessel fatalities contained in the files of coroners’/medical examiners’ offices across Canada. The information will be used for analysis purposes to help establish baselines and trends on boating–related accidents. This fatality information has the potential to aid in the design of evidence-based boating safety awareness and education programs. Transport Canada is also working with the Maritime Activity Risk Information Network (MARIN) group at Dalhousie University to create a spatial model of recreational boating in Canada (http://www.marin-research.ca/english/research/activity_types). Incident rates based on Search and Rescue incidents and other data sources will then be generated based on location and type of activity. This information will provide valuable input on targeting Transport Canada / Marine Safety outreach efforts. In 2006, Transport Canada continued to enhance marine public safety through regulatory development, inspection and enforcement, and improved training as a result of the Marine Simulator Contribution Program.
LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY ENHANCEMENTSThe Canada Shipping Act, 2001(CSA 2001) is expected to enter into force on July 1, 2007. Phase I of the Regulatory Review involved the reform of more than 50 existing regulations into an estimated 24 regulations, and included those regulations that were inconsistent with the provisions of the CSA 2001, as well as those that were deemed to have a substantial impact on safety and the environment. Phase 2 will begin once the CSA 2001 enters into force, and will involve modernizing the remaining regulations so as to ensure they are consistent with the requirements of the new Act. By December 31, 2006 the following regulations were published in Canada Gazette Part I: Regulations for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships and for Dangerous Chemicals; Regulations Amending the Safety Management Regulations; Vessel Certificates Regulations; Marine Personnel Regulations; Load Line Regulations; and the Cargo, Fumigation and Tackle Regulations. By December 31, 2006, the following regulations were published in Canada Gazette Part II: Regulations Repealing the Aids to Navigation Protection Regulations; Rule Repealing the Shipping Inquiries and Investigations Rules; Regulations Repealing the Publication of Standards Regulations; Ballast Water Control and Management Regulations; Regulations Amending the Pleasure Craft Sewage Pollution Prevention Regulations; Regulations Amending the Safety Management Regulations; Regulations Amending the Life Saving Equipment Regulations; and the Regulations Amending the Ship Station (Radio) Technical Regulations. Transport Canada conducted extensive public consultations on Regulatory Review at the spring and fall 2006 regional and national meetings of the Canadian Marine Advisory Council (CMAC). In addition, several of the individual projects conducted outreach sessions with stakeholders at strategic locations across Canada in 2006. Other activities in 2006 included the development and delivery of cross-Canada orientation sessions for Marine Safety Inspectors on the new CSA 2001 Regime. INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENTTransport Canada has been busy developing a new compliance and enforcement regime for marine safety as a result of changes to the CSA 2001. Activities have included the development of a comprehensive enforcement policy and a detailed enforcement manual aimed at Marine Safety Inspectors. A key component of the new CSA 2001 regime is the establishment of a new enforcement mechanism and new tools that will be supported by the new Administrative Monetary Penalties Regulations (AMPs). These Regulations represent a completely new set of regulations for the marine sector. AMPs Regulations involve an administrative process of enforcement, and therefore, marine violators who would be charged with an offence will no longer be required to attend criminal court proceedings under the administrative monetary penalties system. Violators who receive a penalty under the AMPs Regulations will have the right to appeal the TCMS decision to the Transportation Appeal Tribunal of Canada. During 2006, Marine Safety Inspectors carried out vessel inspections to ensure that regulatory requirements are respected and, consequently, public safety is protected. This inspection program is driven by legislative and regulatory requirements under the Canada Shipping Act. The CSA 2001 allows for greater flexibility in the program and inspections will be based on risk analysis and attention to particular problems identified as affecting public safety. The particulars of the reform of the inspection program will be detailed after the CSA 2001 comes into force.
MARINE SIMULATORS CONTRIBUTION PROGRAMTraining of marine personnel will be enhanced thanks to the approval of a $7.2 million Marine Simulators Contribution Program, approved by Order-in-Council on December 18, 2006. This program will provide financial assistance to five provinces that have Marine Training Institutes over a four-year transition period, from April 1, 2007 to March 31, 2011. As a result of the gratuitous transfer of the ten marine training simulators, previously owned by the federal government, Transport Canada will be able to ensure consistent standards of training and performance without being prescriptive as to their use. For further details on the above initiatives and other safety regimes under the Marine Safety Program, visit http://www.tc.gc.ca/marinesafety/menu.htm. AVIATION SAFETYCanadian-registered aircraft were involved in 238 accidents in 2006 (preliminary figure), down from 244 accidents in 2005 and well below the previous fiveyear average of 263. The decline is largely attributable to a reduction in recreational aeroplane accidents. Preliminary information shows the 2006 accident rate as 5.7 per 100,000 flying hours compared with 6.0 in 2005 and the five-year average of 6.8. In 2006, there were 131 commercially operating aircraft involved in accidents, accounting for 55 per cent of the total Canadian-registered aircraft accidents. There were 109 private/recreational aircraft involved in accidents. Historically, airlines and commuter aircraft account for a small portion of these accidents. In 2006, four Canadianregistered airliners were involved in accidents but none resulted in fatalities. There was one commuter operations accident, well below the 2001 – 2005 five-year average of seven, and no fatalities. As in the previous five years, approximately half (45 per cent) the commercial aviation operations accidents in 2006 involved air taxis: there were 59 accidents, compared with 56 in 2005 and the five-year average of 53. Of these 59 accidents, eight (13.6 per cent) were fatal accidents, causing 20 fatalities. There were 33 aerial work accidents in 2006, the same as in 2005, on par with both the previous year of 31, and the previous five-year average of 33.2. This figure accounted for 25.2 per cent of all 2006 commercial aviation operations accidents. Five of the aerial work accidents were fatal accidents and caused five fatalities. Recreational aviation is a large contributor to the number of Canadian-registered aircraft accidents, accounting for 45.8 per cent of the 2006 total and 51.3 per cent for the 2001 – 2005 five-year average. In 2006, however, there were 19 per cent fewer recreational aircraft involved in accidents (excluding 29 basic and advanced ultra-lights) than in 2005, at 109 compared with 135. Of the 2006 total, 104 (95.4 per cent) involved aeroplanes, and 11 of these (10.6 per cent) were fatal. This is slightly below the 2001 – 2005 five-year average of 126.4 aeroplane accidents, of which 12.6 were fatal. The number of reportable incidents reported to the Transportation Safety Board involving either a Canadianor foreign-registered aircraft remained relatively unchanged in 2006 at 825, compared with 822 in 2005, but below the 2001 – 2005 average of 856.8. Declared Emergencies, at 31.5 per cent, accounted for the highest percentage among the categories of incidents. The 260 Declared Emergencies in 2006 was higher than in 2005 (224) but on par with the previous five-year average (266.0). For more details on aviation incidents, see Addendum Table A4-17. The source of the data is Transport Canada’s database, which contains data that are extracted from the Transportation Safety Board database and then aligned with the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs). Addendum Table A4-16 provides more details on these occurrences, and Addendum Table A4-17 further summarizes occurrences as they were reported to the Transportation Safety Board. 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. Canada already has one of the safest aviation systems in the world, and accident statistics continue their downward trend. Transport Canada is committed to improving that record by building upon existing regulatory frameworks and focussing on risk management practices.
Within Transport Canada’s Civil Aviation organization, a management improvement approach to increase efficiency, effectiveness and accountability through an Integrated Management System (IMS) is being implemented. The IMS is an evolution of current management processes into a systematic, risk-based management process identical in concept to the SMS but more far-reaching. Once fully operational, an independent evaluation will be conducted along the lines of an SMS assessment. In 2005, the Civil Aviation organization began a review exercise. Consultations are continuing and a dedicated team, the National Organization Transition Implementation Project team, will manage the transition issues over the coming years. There will continue to be interim changes as progress is made toward the 2010 end-state models envisioned for headquarters and regions. Some have been precipitated earlier than originally planned because of the October 1, 2006, SMS implementation milestone to effectively deliver the national oversight program. Legislation to amend the Aeronautics Act, Bill C-6, was introduced in the House of Commons on April 27, 2006. Second reading concluded on November 7, 2006, and the Bill was sent to the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities for review. The proposed amendments to the Act will help modernize the legislation and give Transport Canada the required tools to maintain and enhance safety. TRANSPORTATION OF DANGEROUS GOODSThere were 370 accidents involving the transportation of dangerous goods in 2006, down from 386 in 2005. However, few accidents involving dangerous goods are actually caused by the goods themselves. As Figure 4-4 shows, most accidents involving dangerous goods in recent years occurred during the loading or unloading phase at transportation facilities, not during transport. 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 2006, six fatalities and 40 injuries resulted from accidents involving dangerous goods. Of these, one fatality and 17 injuries resulted from the dangerous goods themselves. Each 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 the road. It is important to note, however, that 93 per cent of dangerous goods are shipped using road transportation. By tonnage, more than 46 per cent of the volume of dangerous goods transported in Canada is transported by road and 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 accidents by mode of transport and those accidents resulting in fatalities and injuries, see Addendum tables A4-20A to A4-20C.
Source: Transport Canada, Dangerous Goods Accident Information System Tank car thermal protection integrity — 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 give Transport Canada inspectors a realistic set of defect assessment criteria. Highway tank trailer vent and burn — Transport Canada continued the vent and burn procedure on three propane tanks. Transport Canada is using the data to develop awareness material for emergency responders. For further information on the vent and burn project, refer to the article in the Transport Dangerous Goods Newsletter, Fall edition, at www.tc.gc.ca/tdg/newsletter/menu.htm. The National TDG Program — This 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 2006, Transport Canada offered training sessions on the TDG Regulations to federal, provincial and territorial inspectors throughout the country. Transport Canada also approved facilities that manufacture or maintain means of containment as required in the standards. 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 when their proposed activity is not in compliance with the prescribed requirements, that it will be conducted at a level of safety at least equivalent to these requirements. In 2006, Transport Canada received 886 applications and issued 776 decisions. International harmonization — Transport Canada’s goal to harmonize the regulatory requirements across jurisdictions remains an important objective. In 2006, 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). The U.N. adopted additional testing and other revisions to the Model Regulations for IBCs that will enhance safety. These revisions will be adopted by the IMO and possibly by the ICAO, other international regulatory bodies and national authorities, thus enhancing international and domestic harmonization of requirements. Transport Canada continued discussions with the U.S. DOT to further harmonize regulatory requirements for means of containment. This includes the Manufactured Goods and Sectoral and Regional Competitiveness Working Group under the prosperity side of the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP), which identified an initiative to develop the recognition of Canadian tanks by the U.S. DOT. This initiative is also a Smart Regulations initiative. In 2006, Transport Canada initiated standards development work to adopt the U.N. Recommendations on portable tanks for domestic use. Amendment 6, which proposes to further harmonize the TDG Regulations, was pre-published in the Canada Gazette, Part I, for comment.
Emergency Response Guidebook — The Canadian
Transport Emergency Centre (CANUTEC) provides
technical assistance to persons involved in dangerous
goods emergencies in order to promote public safety
24 hours a day, seven days a week. CANUTEC handles
over 30,000 calls a year. The review of the Emergency
Response Guidebook 2004 has been under way for future
publication and distribution to fire and police departments
as well as ambulance services. The ERG2008 will also be
made available as a free downloadable database in three
languages. For more information, visit the following: |
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