Excerpt from the OH&S Canada magazine
Preliminary transportation-occurrence statistics for 2018 that the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) released on March 6, 2019 showed encouraging trends in air transportation, while marine and rail transportation had mixed results.
The 201 aviation accidents – defined as an occurrence resulting in a serious injury or fatality or when a mode of transportation sustained structural failure or is missing – reported to the TSB in 2018 was substantially lower than the five-year average of 249. A significant drop in flight-training accidents following a 2017 peak has brought commercial-operator accidents of 66 in 2018, compared to 97 last year and to the five-year average of 80.
As for the 860 reported aviation incidents reported in 2018, the number is a substantial decrease compared to the previous year of 939, but higher than the five-year average of 797.
The number of marine accidents in 2018 hover at 283 – just above the 2017 total of 279 and below the five-year average of 287. Although the number of fishing vessels involved in accidents was lower than the previous year, 12 of the 15 fatal marine accidents and 17 of the 22 marine fatalities were related to commercial fishing.
“Clearly, more needs to be done to improve safety in this industry,” a TSB statement says. “Commercial fishing safety will remain on the TSB Watchlist of key safety issues until more positive changes accomplished.”
Marine incident saw a 6% increase to 936 and 2018 and a 22% hike from the five-year average of 768. More than two thirds of reportable incidents were related to total failure of machinery or technical system.
The railway transportation had 1,170 reported railway accidents – a 7% increase over 2017 in a 13% rise from the five-year average of 1,035. Most of the increase relates to non-main-track derailments of five or fewer cars. The 57 rail -related fatalities reported in 2018 or 19 fewer than the previous year and well below the five-year average of 74.
My opinion
I am please to see that the federal government safety is catching up with provinces like Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia and Saskatchewan. The province of Newfoundland is also becoming a provincial leader in safety and I am please to include them in the conversation.
For all of you not in the safety field, the federal government of Ontario has to create Bill C45 because of a nasty mining accident way back in 1992. Anyone remember “Westray”? (look it up)
The federal safety laws have been lagging behind the provincial counterparts so this report is not surprising at all.
Ensure your workplace is a safe place.
Remember – In Canada, “ALL Accidents are Preventable”
‘Work’ and ‘Play’ safe.
Daniel L. Beal
CHSEP – Advanced Level
VP & Senior Trainer
HRS Group Inc.
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The point of view of your article has taught me a lot.
Thanks.