CHAPTER VII
HIGHWAY TRANPORTATION SAFETY
A. Highway Construction, Repair
and Maintenance
B. Education
C. Driver Training and Licensing
D. Transportation of Dangerous Goods
E.
Enforcement of Laws and Adoption of a National Safety Code
CHAPTER VIII
AIR SAFETY AND SECURITY
A. Airline Safety Issues in
Northern Canada
B. Air Navigation on Canada's West
Coast
C. Airport Safety and Security
D. The Privatization of Air
Navigation Services
E. Helicopter Safety
F. Airline Safety in General
CHAPTER IX
THE WAY AHEAD – SAFETY IN THE FUTURE
CHAPTER VII
As it was concern over truck-transport safety which gave rise to the initial discussions which led to the creation of both the Subcommittee and therefore the Special Committee, the Subcommittee attempted to deal with this part of its mandate in some detail. Recent deaths and numerous accidents in Ontario due to wheels becoming dislodged from trucks have also given the work in this area a real sense of urgency.
Table 4 illustrates the numbers of collisions and deaths associated with large truck transport in Canada. It is our hope that our work in this area will lead to a significant reduction in the number of fatalities resulting from collisions with tractor-trailers.
Highway transportation safety is a multi-faceted area. It touches on matters such as highway construction and maintenance, education, transport of hazardous goods, driver training, enforcement of applicable laws, and the enforceability of the National Safety Code for Motor Carriers. In addition, hearings on this subject have revealed the safety issues created by the pressure of more and bigger trucks on our roads. It is not our intention to brand the trucking companies as villains in the world of highway safety. For the most part, all witnesses were concerned about the intense competition in the truck transportation business. This competition and low profit margins may inevitably lead some to compromise safety in order to remain in business. This relationship of profits and safety has created a large measure of frustration for those involved in the trucking industry and it was well expressed by the Canadian Trucking Association:
We have many customers who will demand from their carriers that they be ISO certified, that they have a total quality program, that they have this and that. When the submissions come in, and they always accept submissions from those who do not meet the qualifications and it is the best price that wins it, best cost, so regardless of what you have or do not have we try to work with them, we try to do that, but price talks all the time. (10:15)
While we recognize the dictates of the bottom line, it is our hope that our work and recommendations will lead to the recognition of a safety culture in all facets and modes of transportation,a safety culture that will dominate the concern for the bottom line.
A. Highway Construction, Repair and Maintenance
The Subcommittee heard much evidence regarding the deterioration of Canada's major highway system. The following from the Canadian Automobile Association is representative:
Another issue of prime importance for motorists across the country is the state of Canada's highways. We know this first hand because we have just completed a cross - Canada expedition in support of a national highway program.
For many Canadians, safety is the biggest issue, on our journey, many people voiced their concerns about the crumbling asphalt, narrow lanes and shoulders, and heavy truck traffic on our roads, as congestion increases and road funding decreases, the state of Canada's roads worsens every day.
You may have heard about the CAA's campaign to have two cents of the ten cents per litre of federal excise tax on gasoline allocated to a shared cost national highway program. This is a small investment to be made in exchange for saving 160 lives and avoiding 2,300 injuries per year. (2:49)
This method of funding a national highway program is also endorsed by the Transportation Association of Canada. That organization pointed out that "Canada remains one of the few countries in the western world without a national highway policy."
The 1989 National Highway Study quoted by many witnesses indicates that almost 40 percent of Canada's major highways are substandard. As pointed out by the Canadian Automobile Association, the improvement of our highway system will save lives and significantly lessen the number of injuries caused by accidents. The number of deaths and injuries in traffic accidents and their cost to Canadians was graphically illustrated by the British Columbia Safety Council.
Current fatality levels have declined in the last few years to approximately 3,500 across the country and 550 in B.C. These dramatic reductions in the fatality rates may make us think that we have reason to celebrate, but fatality rates are not an accurate indication of the traffic situation. During that entire period of time when fatality rates have been going down, the accident rates have continued to rise. The number of people who have been injured and disabled in traffic accidents across the country constitute an army of walking wounded and disabled people. In this province every 12 minutes one of our citizens is injured in a traffic crash. Since I entered the room here, two people have already been injured. Roughly every 16 hours one of the citizens in this province is killed in a traffic crash. The annual cost to the citizens and the government of this province amounts to many billions of dollars, in terms of emergency response, trauma care, rehabilitation.
The Insurance Corporation of British Colombia has to pay in excess of $2 billion a year for the immediate medical treatment, rehabilitation and lost wages for traffic victims. The cost to the private sector is estimated to be about three times that, an additional $6 billion. I would suggest to you that the cost to the individuals, in terms of reduced earning potential during the rest of their lives, probably exceeds that figure. (5:99)
The statistics concerning both accidents and injuries must be reduced. It is the belief of the Special Committee that the federal government must co-operate with the provinces to establish and fund a national highway system.
The idea presented by the CAA to the Subcommittee, that of putting a percentage of the excise tax on gasoline towards highway rehabilitation, has, in our view, considerable merit. In Washington, the Subcommittee learned that the United States has become involved in innovative methods of financing road construction. The Dulles Airport Highway is financed by private sources. State infrastructure banks are being used to bring in private investors.
There have also been large investments in technology for the "intelligent highway". The architecture for the intelligent highway system (ITS) has four components: travel management; use of high tech equipment; automatic vehicle location through the use of GPS technology; and vehicle operations which include the installation of sensing equipment on vehicles.
We learned that the United States is attempting to develop North American standards for ITS and Canada should be able to play a significant role in this area.
France is establishing a road infrastructure audit to assess conditions of their road network in order to plan the upgrading of their system. It is their belief that fifty percent of accidents are caused, at least in part, by problems with infrastructure and that upgrading would improve safety.
In addition to improving the quality of our roads, it is important that Canadians know and understand the vehicles they are operating. The Canadian Automobile Association stressed that an education program must be undertaken to inform consumers that they should drive vehicles that fit. That is, these vehicles should suit their needs, their families, and their lifestyles. This point was reiterated by the British Columbia Safety Council. It was pointed out that many drivers do not understand the critical difference between front-wheel-drive and rear-wheel-drive vehicles. Another example cited was the fact that "many drivers with antilock braking systems do not know how they work, nor how to use them properly. In some cases this causes a reduction in safety." (5:101)
The point made by witnesses was that the engineering of vehicles has improved, but because most drivers do not receive instruction dealing with how they may take advantage of these improvements, safety is compromised.
C. Driver Training and Licensing
A subject closely related to general public education about purchasing cars and trucks and being able to take advantage of engineering advances in vehicles is the topic of driver training. The British Columbia Safety Council made the point that in British Columbia professional truck drivers are not required to take professional training other than an air-brake course.
So as you contemplate multiple-unit trailers weighing 150,000 pounds going down our highways, keep in mind that 93 per cent of B.C. is mountainous and that no professional training whatsoever is required at this point in this province for those drivers. (5:103)
The Safety Council went on to say that effective testing systems and licensing standards should create an incentive for professional driver education and training, that is, testing and licensing should be more expensive for those who have not taken training. In addition, those who conduct the examination must be fully qualified on the vehicle for which they conduct the tests. This is not always the case at present.
A proposal advanced by the Alberta Safety Council is interesting and could be used to supplement the ones put forward in British Columbia.
The Council feels that a tax reduction for driver training fees paid for by oneself or one's dependent is a viable option and something which would encourage voluntary driver training. (4:6)
While the trucking industry itself is also committed to these goals, the Canadian Trucking Association stressed the need for driver training in its appearance before the Subcommittee:
Most commercial drivers are keenly aware of the awesome responsibility that comes with manoeuvring a heavy vehicle through traffic with pedestrians, bicyclists, cars and light vehicles. Safe carriers take a serious approach to training and upgrading the skills of their drivers and other personnel. After all, commercial drivers work the large majority of their time unsupervised, yet the carrier is entrusting to them hundreds of thousands of dollars in equipment and goods. Proper training and a good working relationship with the driver is paramount to safeguarding the equipment, the load, the customer's repeat business, let alone protecting lives. Many carriers only accept drivers trained by schools accredited by the Canadian Trucking Human Resources Council, while others have in-house training programs. (10:8)
The seriousness with which some trucking companies approach driver training was clearly set forth by the Irving Transportation Group in Halifax, a sizeable transportation company with approximately 3,500 pieces of equipment, 1,050 power units and it employs 1,850 road terminal and office associates. They put their commitment to training simply:
Carriers that employ drivers and brokers to transport their freight assume a major responsibility. The assumption is, if a truck driver is licensed, he\she is qualified to perform the job safely. We believe this assumption is incorrect and the carriers should be required to provide new hires with adequate training to perform their job safely and efficiently.
We have heard from the American Trucking Association which believes that a major component for improving truck safety would be the adoption of a National Commercial Driver's License. This would be linked with a central data base containing driver information (such as traffic violations) that would accompany the driver no matter where the driver was employed. A National License would become the driver's record and become part of that person's work record. (8:104)
The Special Committee looks forward to continuing this dialogue with truck transport companies and their various associations in order to recommend some form of acceptable mandatory training and licensing for all drivers.
D. Transportation of Dangerous Goods.
This is an issue with which the Subcommittee did not deal in any particular depth. The evidence in this area came from two major industry groups and has been raised in a peripheral way by other witnesses.
The Subcommittee was particularly impressed by the presentations made in Edmonton by the Canadian Chemical Producers' Association and the Propane Gas Association of Canada. In its submission, the Chemical Producers explained its Responsible Care Program that stresses extreme safety and caution when transporting dangerous materials. Those involved in this program, 70 companies representing ninety per cent of the total Canadian chemical production, impose regulations upon themselves which are stricter than those imposed by Transport Canada. Because it is an industry based program, its effectiveness is not compromised by lack of government financial resources.
The Propane Gas Association told the Subcommittee about the new emergency response organization it has been put in place to deal with transportation accidents involving liquified petroleum gases. This program exceeds the requirements of Transport Canada in relation to the transportation of dangerous materials. This organization, having put in place a Canada-wide emergency response network, is now working on the development of integrated programs which focus on accident prevention.
The Special Committee looks forward to further discussions with these two organizations on the success of the implementation of their emergency response programs.
Among other witnesses addressing this matter was the Harbour Master of the Saint John Port Corporation who stressed the need for enhanced integration of road and rail movements of dangerous goods with other agencies involved after the goods leave port property. In a written submission the Alberta Transportation and Utilities Commission stressed that more emphasis should be placed on prevention of problems in the transportation of dangerous goods rather than on "what to do when we have a spill."
At the Second International Conference on Transportation Safety it was suggested that there be supranational regulations in the area that must be implemented universally and complied with by all those wishing to transport dangerous materials. Such a suggestion, if adopted, would eliminate the confusion that sometimes surrounds the packaging, labelling and transport of these goods.
The Special Committee will be dealing with this area in depth in its future work. We are especially interested, as well, in the movement of hazardous material by the military, as witnesses to date have been unable to address this matter.
E. Enforcement of Laws and Adoption of a National Safety Code
There are a number of issues to be addressed under this heading, such as should the hours of work and rest periods for long distance truck drivers be changed? Studies are presently ongoing in all transportation modes as to the effect of sleep deprivation and inconsistent working hours on driver alertness.
During its appearance before the Subcommittee, the Canadian Trucking Association dealt with the issue of work hours and rest time. The conclusions of studies completed so far seem to indicate that a major contributing factor to lack of alertness is inconsistent start times for work. Studies also show greater signs of driver fatigue in the period between midnight and dawn than at other times in the day. As representatives of the Irving Transportation Group indicated "our current hours of service regulations may well be outdated and not fully effective. Authorities in Canada and the United States continue to conduct extensive studies that suggest a different approach may be required to address the issue of driver fatigue." (8:104)
Until studies on this subject have been completed we believe that, as suggested in the conclusions of "Project Alert: Straight talk on Fatigue and Alertness" tabled with us by the Canadian Trucking Association, a common sense approach is appropriate.
Much can be done to help increase driver alertness by taking some common-sense first steps, such as learning a little about how the body clock affects a person's performance, getting the right quality and quantity of sleep, recognizing the signs of fatigue, and taking action when these signs appear.
We look forward to receiving the results of the fatigue related studies and will address this matter further in our future hearings.
Another matter that could be the subject of study by the regulatory authorities at Transport Canada deals with the retreading of truck tires. During the Subcommittee’s hearings in Montreal it heard from both the Rubber Association of Canada and Harvey Brodsky, the managing director of the Tire Retread Information Bureau. After having heard from both witnesses the Subcommittee was convinced that the manufacture of new tires was well regulated and that the use of retreaded tires was for the most part a necessary, safe and economical part of the truck transportation industry.
As explained by the Rubber Association, "the biggest single problem with any tire, new or retreaded is lack of proper inflation. If there is insufficient pressure, then the tire will flex excessively. This causes a build up of heat, or a failure of sidewall plies, and hence can create a situation where the tire fails or even disintegrates." (7:75)
While this may be the major cause of tire failure, we are concerned that there are no regulations governing the retreading of tires. The Rubber Assocition further explained that: There are no performance standards for retreads. Once the tire has been out on the road and has been used, it may have been used by somebody who is very careful, who maintains it well, and the casing is in good shape. The other one run by my neighbour may be abused and so it becomes very much a matter for the retreader to very carefully examine that casing. Many of them do so with x-ray equipment, but they have to do it very, very carefully to make sure the casing is capable of being retreaded. (7:83)
Three issues in relation to existing legislation are closely related: the inconsistency of enforcement of the laws relating to trucking, the fact that laws differ amongst the various provincial jurisdictions and the fact that the National Safety Code has no force in law. The Irving Transportation Group pointed out the problems with inconsistency of enforcement. They told the Subcommittee that the first problem is inconsistency of the applicable laws from province to province and the second is inconsistency of enforcement.
When application of the safety standards is not uniform, the safe operator is disadvantaged relative to the operator who disregards safety regulations. This creates a condition whereby the safety-conscious driver, who meets logbook requirements, can travel fewer miles and therefore earn less money than the driver who avoids logbook requirements. The same condition occurs for their respective companies when quoting on freight. The company that incurs the additional cost to allow safe operation has greater difficulty to compete against the operators who do not place an emphasis on safety. Lack of uniform enforcement provides a disincentive for the safe operator to keep on being safe. We must have methods to encourage safe performance. (8:105)
It is the position of the Irving Group that non-compliance with regulations should be punished while compliance should be rewarded and recognized. Carriers who have good safety records, receiving high ratings in inspections and audits, should be able to bypass some roadside inspections. Recognizing and rewarding the work of those companies that are safety conscious would allow inspection resources to be concentrated on carriers that have not demonstrated a positive safety history.
The Irving Group is to be commended for its suggestions in this area. The Special Committee hopes to discuss solutions such as these with Transport Canada and the various Provincial Ministries of Transport.
We also will monitor carefully the work being done in the Province of Ontario regarding the enforcement of truck safety. There have been serious injuries and deaths in Ontario as a result of wheels becoming dislodged from trucks. The Government of Ontario has implemented strict penalties for trucks that are inspected and found to have safety deficiencies. Fines ranging from $2,000 to $50,000 may be levied on the owner-operator. Should the fine not be paid, the Registrar of Motor Vehicles will suspend the carrier's operating privileges. It will be interesting to see if these measures act as a deterrent regarding unsafe trucks. We hope to have representatives of the Government of Ontario appear before us to explain the effectiveness of these measures and the effect of increased roadside truck inspections on safety.
All of the witnesses appearing before the Subcommittee who addressed the issue of road transportation believe that Canada should have a legally enforceable National Safety Code. Such a Safety Code exists as a set of standards, developed jointly by the provinces and the federal government in consultation with the industry. The benefit of having such a Code in place is that it would result in consistency of standards across the country.
This proposal is supported by the three provincial safety councils who appeared before the Subcommittee and by the Canadian Trucking Association. In the words of the Atlantic Provinces Transportation Commission:
The APTC is supportive of the efforts of the trucking industry and the federal and provincial governments to implement the various provisions of the National Safety Code. However, it is important that uniformity of safety regulations and enforcement is maintained. Uniformity is necessary for compliance. It is also necessary so that regulation does not become a barrier to interprovincial or international trade. Highways and road transport are the responsibility of the provincial governments. The federal government does have a necessary role of co-ordinating the development and implementation of safety regulation so that uniformity of implementation and enforcement is achieved. (8:15)
The Special Committee appreciates the position of those who favour the implementation of the National Safety Code. However, such implementation will require the co-operation of all provincial governments and the federal government. It is our belief that such co-operation should be achievable given that the safety of all Canadians is the desired goal. We will attempt during our mandate to meet with representatives of the provincial and federal governments in order to bring about agreement on the implementation of the National Safety Code.
TABLE IV
| Prepared in response to the Senate Subcommittee on Transportation Safety Fax to Marc Fortin, Director, Occurrence Data, Analysis & Reports AAEO | ||||||||||
| Updated November 20, 1998 ASF, Road Safety & Motor Vehicle Regulations | ||||||||||
1989 |
1990 |
1991 |
1992 |
1993 |
1994 |
1995 |
1996 |
1997 |
||
| Question 3. | All Motor Vehicle Traffic Collisions | |||||||||
| Fatalities | 4246 |
3965 |
3691 |
3500 |
3614 |
3260 |
3347 |
3082 |
3064 |
|
| Injuries | 284937 |
262604 |
249198 |
249821 |
247582 |
244975 |
241800 |
230885 |
221186 |
|
| Question 4b. | Victims of Tractor-Trailers Involved in Collisions | |||||||||
| - Total Fatalities | 436 |
438 |
394 |
344 |
369 |
371 |
409 |
349 |
||
| Collisions Involving Tractor-Trailers | 21253 |
20738 |
18131 |
17748 |
18100 |
20627 |
20002 |
19233 |
||
| Question 4a. | Size of commercial vehicles for the purpose of collision statistics | |||||||||
| In the Traffic Accident Information Database (TRAID) commercial vehicles are considered to be those | ||||||||||
| subject to the National Safety Code (NSC) for Motor Carriers. Commercial vehicles as defined by the NSC are | ||||||||||
| a) A truck, tractor, or trailer, or combination thereof exceeding a registered gross vehicle weight of 4 500 kg | ||||||||||
| or b)a bus designed, constructed and used for the transportation of passengers with a designated seating | ||||||||||
| capacity of more than 10, including the driver, but excluding the operation for personal use. | ||||||||||
1989 |
1990 |
1991 |
1992 |
1993 |
1994 |
1995 |
1996 |
1997 |
||
| COMMERCIAL VEHICLES Chart | ||||||||||
| Total Fatalities of Collisions Involving | ||||||||||
| Commercial Vehicles | 767 |
728 |
662 |
587 |
670 |
639 |
605 |
556 |
||
| Total Vehicles Involved in Collisions | ||||||||||
| with Commercial Vehicles | 125922 |
116293 |
102276 |
100305 |
96711 |
104392 |
99016 |
96682 |
||
| Collisions Involving Commercial Vehicles* | 63170 |
60447 |
53171 |
51975 |
50278 |
54093 |
51674 |
50193 |
||
| Registered Vehicles | ||||||||||
| Commercial Vehicles** ('000s) | 3962 |
4000 |
3516 |
3461 |
3457 |
3520 |
3545 |
3704 |
3720 |
|
| *Collisions involving commercial vehicles were revised to count each collision once. If a truck and a bus were involved in a collision, each vehicle type would count one | ||||||||||
| collision, but when it is the total collisions of all commercial vehicles each collision should be counted only once. | ||||||||||
| **Includes trucks, truck tractors, buses, other vehicles (ambulances, fire trucks) and light trucks and vans with commercial plates. | ||||||||||
| Source: Statistics Canada, Cat.No. 53-219-XPB, Road Motor Vehicles - Registrations. | ||||||||||
At the outset it should be noted that Table 5 indicates a gradual decline in air accidents since 1988. However, more than any part of the transportation sector, the airline industry has been the subject of continuous change over the last 15 years. It has seen deregulation, open skies, introduction of local ownership for airports, increased competition, increased passenger volume, and privatization of Canada’s air navigation system. Any one of these changes, if implemented in haste or with lack of attention to detail, could jeopardise both crew and passengers’ safety. As did the Subcommittee, the Special Committee realises that this is an area that will require detailed analysis as we pursue our mandate. Indeed it is the first mode of transportation which will be studied by the Special Committee. However, the Subcommittee did hear a great deal of evidence on the issues of air safety and security and it is appropriate to report both what was heard and the conclusions reached so far.
A. Airline Safety Issues in Northern Canada
The Department of Transport for the Northwest Territories painted a graphic picture of the need for safe air travel in the north. The majority of the communities do not have road access and therefore the only means of year-round transportation is by air. In order to maintain a high level of safe operation it is mandatory, in the opinion of the Department, that the air navigation system not be compromised. There is no desire to move from the CARS system of reporting weather and clearance to the AWOS system until the AWOS technology will provide the same information as CARS. The Subcommittee was told that any movement to change the present system must be done in consultation with the Northwest Territories Department of Transport and stakeholders.
It is the view of the Northern Air Transport Association as well as northern air carriers that Transport Canada should have a northern region to address the unique problems of air service in Yukon and Northwest Territories. There is also a feeling conveyed to the Subcommittee that air transport in the north is much misunderstood in the rest of Canada. Witnesses believe that flying hours in the north need not be the same as they are for air crew operating in southern Canada. As well, the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act should be amended to address the unique cargo carrying requirements of both the residents of northern Canada and their air carriers.
The Special Committee will have to consider whether it is practical to have regionally specific safety policies. Is this appropriate in a country as large as Canada with its varied geography, or would it add confusion and result in air transport becoming less safe than it now is under a uniform national policy? This is a question that the Special Committee will attempt to answer. The Special Committee is also aware of the study by Transport Canada of Canada’s Air Taxi Operators. Air Taxis are helicopters and airplanes, excluding jets, that carry nine or fewer passengers and are operated in a commercial air service. They work primarily in Canada’s north and we look forward to reviewing the results of this study of the safety of their operations.
B. Air Navigation on Canada's West Coast
The Subcommittee received strong representations from the British Columbia Aviation Council regarding their concerns over the weather reporting systems on the west coast of British Columbia. They believe the introduction of AWOS has created safety hazards and will continue to do so. While the Council can live with AWOS in a number of areas, it should not be the primary weather observation system.
It is important that aviators be able to talk to people, not machines. The unique configuration of Canada's west coast, its varied and changeable weather, along with the enormous number of small planes, require the human element to remain, in the gathering and dissemination of weather information in some locations.
The issue with which the Special Committee will have to deal is how to ensure consistent and reliable weather forecasting along this coast line, taking into consideration the government’s desire to destaff as many lighthouses as possible.
C. Airport Safety and Security
In the course of its hearings, the Subcommittee received a guided tour of the Vancouver International Airport conducted by the Director of Security. As well, it heard from representatives of the Vancouver Local Airport Authority, the Calgary Local Airport Authority and the Director of Policy and Airport Co-ordinator for Montreal Airports.
These witnesses seemed satisfied with the reduced role of Transport Canada and, indeed, the Calgary LAA is quite enthusiastic about being given the opportunity to run the airport as a business venture. The Airport Authorities appreciate having the ability to be able to adapt to meet local demands.
Discussions with the Vancouver Airport Safety Director revealed a unique safety problem caused by the birds who nest close to the airport. The strike rate of planes and birds coming in contact is the highest in Canada. This is a constant concern at the Vancouver Airport where many unique initiatives have been employed to deal with the problem.
The issue of access to the airside part of an airport concerned the Subcommittee. In Vancouver, airport employees have passes that include a microchip. However, if one has a pass, one does not receive screening when entering secure areas. At both the Montreal airports and Vancouver, those who service the planes and who place meals on board have been security checked and possess identification cards. However, there is no systematic procedure by which food placed on a plane is checked to ensure that each wrapped meal is totally secure.
The lack of daily screening of employees and the ease of access to the airside through catering facilities by those who may not have been security checked concerned the Subcommittee. The screening of people working at the airport, and their screening of passengers and their bags is of concern to the Airports Council International in Washington D.C. It was reported that hiring capable and industrious screeners and keeping them is very difficult. Perhaps an answer to this problem would be the upgrading of these security positions so that they reflect the type of responsibility assumed by these workers. The safety of millions of air travellers per day is linked to the work of these screeners. Their status and compensation should reflect this fact.
The Subcommittee toured the security facilities at Schippol, Heathrow and DeGaulle Airports. At Schippol, by the year 2003 all passengers’ baggage will be screened. They are also developing containers that will withstand certain bomb blasts. Here the people screening baggage are well paid and they are security cleared by the secret service.
At Heathrow, the British government issues security directives and has its own investigators. The airport works closely with the Metropolitan Police who have 350 officers at the airport. Employees of the airport are security checked by the Department of Transport and they are also subjected to an anti-terrorism check. Employees are subjected to a full security clearance when they enter a restricted zone at the airport. With regard to baggage, a complex system is in place wherein thirty percent of passenger baggage is subjected to intense scrutiny. At a certain point, if the baggage still seems suspicious it is taken out of circulation, matched with the passenger and opened in the passenger’s presence.
Heathrow has its own fire service and its own fire prevention office.
The Charles De Gaulle airport in Paris is divided into a number of security zones with employees being restricted to particular zones. The local police are the final authority to determine who can work at the airport. Everyone who does business at the airport is security cleared.
The area of concentration at Charles De Gaulle is on air freight. Each piece is meticulously screened for explosives before it is loaded onto the airplane.
The intense concentration on airport security in both the United States and Europe is inevitable given the propensity for terrorist attacks at major airports in these areas.
The Special Committee looks forward to continuing its discussion on airport security as we plan to visit Dorval, Pearson International and the Halifax airports in order to examine the approaches to security and the security systems in effect in these airports.
D. The Privatization of Air Navigation Services
One of the most recent changes to the air traffic management system in Canada has been the creation of NAV CANADA. It is a private not-for-profit corporation whose membership is composed of representatives of government, labour and industry. It is responsible for the ownership and operation of the civil air navigation system in Canada.
In its presentation to the Subcommittee, NAV CANADA stressed its commitment to safety and training. While impressed with these statements Senators were concerned about the age and effectiveness of the equipment which NAV CANADA has acquired and is now using.
While in Edmonton, the Subcommittee had the opportunity to visit the air traffic control centre that covers most of the air space above central and western Canada. While it is difficult during a short visit to make any real assessment of an operation, the Subcommittee was impressed with the state of the technology being utilized. The employees took a great amount of time to explain the complicated process of routing and tracking aircraft in this vast area. The Subcommittee was also told of computer innovations developed by this group which have been supplied to other air traffic control centres.
The Special Committee will continue to monitor the work of NAV CANADA with a particular view to ensuring that the most modern, efficient equipment available is used in Canada’s airports in order to safely track the flight paths of aircraft in Canada’s airspace.
In Vancouver, the Subcommittee heard testimony regarding the unique features of the coastal areas. The mountainous topography of this area of Canada combined with large numbers of rivers and lakes makes the use of helicopters necessary for ease of access to remote areas where there is not enough level land to carve out a landing strip.
It was during the appearance of the British Columbia Aviation Council that the safety of helicopters was raised. The response to a question was as follows:
The accident rate with helicopters in British Columbia is possibly a bit higher than it is with fixed-wing aircraft in that same category size-wise because of the environment in which they fly. It is a demanding environment and a demanding terrain.
The causal factors for helicopter accidents, not only helicopters but accidents with aircrafts, are primarily related to human factors. Weather can be a factor, but if an aircraft goes into the side of a mountain and it is blamed on weather, it is not the fault of the weather, it is the fault of the pilot for going into that cloud in the first place. So it is primarily the human factor side and the decision-making and judgment ability of a pilot. That has been addressed over the last few years with very intensive training courses for both new pilots and active pilots in decision-making and judgement training. (5:26)
This testimony led the Subcommittee to inquire further into the safety issues of helicopters. In Halifax, it heard from the Manager of Flight Safety for Canada's largest helicopter company. CHC Helicopter Corporation, with its head office in St. John's, Newfoundland, has as its Chairman of the Board, Craig L. Dobbin, who was named the 1996 National Transportation Person of the Year in Canada.
We were assured that "safety is first and foremost in everything that we do" by the CHC Flight Safety Manager. In a frank discussion with the Subcommittee he explained the problems of pilot error in the helicopter business. He termed it a "sudden loss of judgement" which primarily affects experienced pilots who are attempting to please a customer or to help out in a situation where risk is involved.
In order to combat this problem CHC Helicopter has initiated a two year program for pilots called "Pilot Decision-Making". Those who fly on multi-crewed aircraft are going through a course entitled "Crew Resource Management". This course was described as:
A human relations type course where we want our pilots to be open to suggestions of a safer way to do things, to use all the resources they have in the aircraft and in the cockpit to make the right decision. (8:124)
Further safety measures were explained:
We also have a program to get more information out to our pilots on accidents that have happened, what caused them and how we are going to prevent them in the future.
We have to let the pilot know that he has the support of management, right from the Chief Executive Officer, the Chairman, on down to the local base manager. (8:124)
With regard to safety, the Subcommittee was told that the helicopter company keeps computerized records on the life of all parts of its helicopters. We were also assured that Canada's regulations for helicopter flights and hours of flying time by pilots are among the most stringent in the world.
The Subcommittee looks forward to meeting with other helicopter companies as well as monitoring the effectiveness of the safety programs instituted by CHC Helicopters.
As part of the Subcommittee's visit to Montreal it had the opportunity to visit the huge Air Canada repair and maintenance facility in Dorval, Québec. These facilities contain hangars where repairs and maintenance are carried out, machine shops, and computer repair facilities.All the equipment necessary to keep Air Canada's fleet air worthy is housed in this facility. At this site, air flight attendants also receive training and refresher courses through the use of cabin simulators.
Maintenance is a constant vigil, with airplanes being brought in on a regular basis to be checked and repaired. All airplane component repair is done in-house, therefore quality checks on work being done are simplified.
On-board flight computers are recalibrated every six months by Air Canada computer technicians. These people are trained by Air Canada. Air Canada also has its own machine shop where replacement parts can be made.
After the tour, the Subcommittee engaged in an exchange of ideas with Air Canada representatives in charge of safety, as well as repair and maintenance. Questions were asked as to the effect of deregulation on the airline. The Committee was told that the effect of deregulation is negligible. Air Canada actually exceeds the Transport Canada guidelines and, indeed, this airline is in a situation where maintenance and repair will be done at a rate that will keep the airline flying safely regardless of Transport Canada regulations.
Air Canada believes it has established systems that are effective in ensuring safety. The job of safety, maintenance and repair is to continue to check the systems to see if they are functioning effectively.
Two other carriers to appear before the Subcommittee as witnesses were Canada 3000 airline, an internationally scheduled and charter airline, and Canadian Airlines. Canada 3000’s position was that, while airlines do not want to loose Transport Canada's oversight capacity, there is no need for Transport Canada to severely scrutinize airlines 24 hours a day.
Canada 3000 agreed with the Transportation Safety Board that the major safety issues facing airlines now are:
a. Corporate management's attitude towards safety
b. Controlled flight into terrain awareness
c. Automated cockpit
d. Work and rest schedules
This witness went on to list "abusive and unruly passengers" and the reduction in emergency response or crash fire rescue, as well as increased terrorism in the world as further safety issues.
Canadian Airlines stressed their commitment to safety in their appearance before the Subcommittee. It described its training techniques developed to ensure that all crew members act in a collegial fashion to ensure safety during flight.
The Subcommittee also had the benefit of hearing from the Air Transport Association of Canada. ATAC is the national service organization for the Canadian commercial air transport industry. Its current membership accounts for more than 95 percent of all commercial air transport revenue generated in Canada. ATAC emphasized that aircraft systems have reached a point where "seldom do we now have accidents caused by failure of the machine or as compared to the early years of aviation - post second world war".
As a consequence, ATAC pointed out that now "accidents are more often attributable to human factor causes rather than to the failure of the machine". It is ATAC's view that training for pilots and crew must emphasize communication skills, problem solving, conflict resolution and decision making. It is virtually taken for granted that crews are technically trained, and this type of training should result in team building, distributed workloads and appropriate reaction in crisis situations.
ATAC also drew to the Subcommittee's attention the new Canadian Aviation Regulations that reduce the maximum monthly flight times and duty times. They also increase the number of rest periods and number of hours assigned to those rest periods. Pilots are now to be limited in the number of hours they may fly weekly and employers are required to assign additional off duty periods to pilots on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. These new regulations are supported by ATAC.
In addition there is a new regulatory requirement for airlines to introduce flight dispatch organization. ATAC supports this on the basis that it relieves pilots from a number of routine tasks regarding flight planning and flight watch during the en route phase of a flight.
Another major new initiative is the introduction of a requirement that a flight safety committee be established by each airline as well as an emergency response plan.
In relation to Transport Canada, ATAC would like to see control centralized rather than having five separate zones. We realize that in relation to hours of work and centralization of control ATAC’s position contradicts much of the evidence heard by the Subcommittee from the air carriers in Northern Canada. It is our intention not only to reflect on these contradictions, but to pursue solutions during the next phase of our work.
While in Washington D.C., the Subcommittee was briefed on the "Gore Commission" Report on aviation safety. It was the conclusion of the Commission that the principal focus regarding safety should be on reducing the rate of accidents by a factor of five within a decade. In order to do this the Federal Aviation Administration's regulatory and certification programs must be re-engineered. For example, the FAA should be the agency certifying the companies that employ screeners at airports. Certification processes for new entrants to the airline industry will also be tightened.
We also learned in Washington that small ultralight aircraft are being manufactured with parachutes. With the large number of small planes flying on Canada's coasts and in the north, at low altitudes, it would only make sense to require them to be equipped with parachutes as that would prevent crash landings. This is a matter that the Special Committee will pursue with aircraft manufacturers during its mandate.
In London, the Subcommittee heard from representatives of British Airways who shared with the Subcommittee their components for safety. They are:
- Open reporting culture – Comprehensive and penalty free
- Perform a risk assessment of incidents and then target financial resources accordingly
- Develop safety management software
- Use black box readouts for daily safety monitoring so that a safety audit is constantly being performed and monitored.
British Airways also demonstrated a computer simulation of an actual incident. Incidents and, indeed, accidents can be traced onto a computer disc and subsequently shown on a computer screen. The images on the computer screen can then be analysed and results shared with other air carriers.
The necessity for the exchange of safety information especially in relation to air and marine transport was stressed at the Second World Conference on Transportation Safety at Delft. For example, it was pointed out that the more incidents and accidents that are reported and analysed, the longer the data base which can be constructed in order to begin to determine causes and then devise prevention plans. It was suggested ICAO be charged with collecting and processing accident and incident data from member states. After this is done, there should be feedback to pilots, air traffic controllers, airlines and manufacturers.
The Special Committee looks forward to discussing these safety proposals with ICAO, Canadian Air Carriers and Transport Canada in order to determine how Canada and the airlines operating within Canada may participate in such a venture.
THE WAY AHEAD – SAFETY IN THE FUTURE
At the World Transportation Safety Conference in Delft it was made clear to the Subcommittee that safety, and especially, air safety has become a global concern and responsibility. No longer is it sufficient for the developed nations of the world to be concerned only with safety within their borders. In other words, we should ensure that not only may Canadians travel safely within Canada, but that global travel is as safe as possible for Canadians.
A report from the European Commission to the European Parliament and Council addressed the problem of sub-standard carriers from third world countries operating to and from the European Union area. It contained the following recommendations to its member countries:
- Establish measures to enable the assessment of the safety of individual freight carriers as well as the capabilities of their State of registration to ensure compliance with international safety standards.
- Encourage ICAO to take a more active stance in safety – bilateral agreements to include safety clauses, right to audit foreign carriers. This could be done through ramp checks at European airports.
- Could move towards establishing "foreign air operators certificates"
- Simply assessing safety deficiencies is not sufficient – it is also necessary to offer technical assistance to foreign authorities.
It was also pointed out in Delft, that banning airlines from states whose civil aviation authorities do not perform satisfactorily may yield some short term results, but it ignores the causes and creates economic, political and social disturbance. A better approach is to accept that many states need external support and this should be considered a global responsibility. Responsibility for aviation safety is not solely a task for national authorities – it is an international responsibility.
It is the intention of the Special Committee to pursue the issue of the global nature of safety through meetings with all the appropriate agencies to determine the role Canada can play in this matter. Canada has an enviable record in safety and we believe the international community would benefit from the expertise of the Canadian transportation industry.
Looking at what Canada can learn from other countries the Chair and Deputy Chair of the Special Committee completed a fact finding trip to Australia and New Zealand and were impressed by the commitment to safe transportation in both of these countries. The Special Committee will study their report, which appears as Appendix II to this report, to determine areas of transportation safety to be pursued more thoroughly with representatives of these countries.
We also believe it is important to look beyond the present and concentrate on isolating safety issues for the period between 2005 and 2015.
While few witnesses before the Subcommittee addressed the safety issues of the twenty-first century, in Washington D.C. we were fortunate to hear from Charles Heuttner, the Director of Aviation Safety Research for NASA. He spoke about the technological revolution that is affecting all modes of transportation, especially aviation. His point was that all participants in a transportation mode must work together in order to ensure safety. No longer should safety be the sole prerogative of the senior ranking person or the person behind the wheel.
Safety is to be viewed as a shared responsibility. Mr. Heuttner explained that this attitudinal change is driven by advancements in information technology, economics and globalization. These are factors that, in greater or lesser significance, affect all modes of transport. Using aviation as an example, it was explained that this new safety philosophy would connect people involved in aviation who have not been connected before. Decision making will become distributed amongst those who have an interest in the outcome of the decision. It will be less centralized. Flight management systems now virtually fly the airplane alone and the role of the pilot becomes more strategic, while controllers become systems managers and monitors. Hopefully through these changes in responsibilities problems can be identified before they become accidents.
The movement to this new technology will require a significant investment of financial resources. It will need support from government, industry and the public. Costs will be incurred in the transition to new air traffic management systems and the retrofitting of existing fleets to digital technology.
While Mr. Heuttner explained this in relation to aviation, he stressed that these future changes in safety will affect truck transport, ships and rail. They will involve integrated support from manufacturers, traffic managers, dispatch, maintenance, and terminal operators.
The Special Committee looks forward to exploring the future of transportation safety throughout the term of its mandate.
The Special Committee will now turn its attention to air safety and security and hopes to table a comprehensive report on this mode in the Spring, 1999.
Respectfully submitted,
J. MICHAEL FORRESTALL
Chair