The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) is an operationally independent body within the Australian Government Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government and is Australias prime agency for transport safety investigations. The bureau is entirely separate from transport regulators and service providers. The ATSBs objective is safe transport. Its mission is to maintain and improve transport safety and public confidence through excellence in:
- independent investigation of transport accidents and other safety occurrences;
- safety data recording, analysis and research; and
- fostering safety awareness, knowledge and action.
The ATSB performs its functions in accordance with the provisions of the Transport Safety Investigation Act 2003 (TSI Act). Section 7 of the TSI Act indicates that the object of the Act is to improve transport safety through, among other things, independent investigations of transport accidents and incidents and the making of safety action statements and recommendations that draw on the results of those investigations. It is not the purpose of ATSB investigations to lay blame or provide a means for determining liability.
The organisation
The ATSB was formed on 1 July 1999.
The Bureau's Executive Director is supported by four Directors and a Business Manager.
Staff (approximately 100) include about 60 aviation, marine and rail safety investigators. Most are based in Canberra. Field offices are located in Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.
ATSB staff also include notification and confidential reporting, analysis, statistical and research specialists, particulary in aviation safety.
The ATSB is a member of key safety bodies, including: International Transportation Safety Association (ITSA); International Society of Air Safety Investigators (ISASI); Flight Safety Foundation (FSF); and Marine Accident Investigators International Forum (MAIIF).
The Australian context
Australians travel vast distances by air, sea, rail and road.
Transport activity grows as the economy grows. All sectors rely on transport to move products and provide services.
But as transport activity increases, so does the risk of accidents and incidents.
The Australian, state, territory and local governments, industry and other stakeholders work collaboratively on transport safety.
The ATSB and transport safety
The ATSB contributes to transport safety by independently investigating, analysing and openly reporting on transport safety matters. All ATSB investigations are no blame - the emphasis is on learning to improve future safety.
Bureau publications include reports on the facts and conclusions of investigations, safety research material, and statistics. Reports often contain safety action and recommendations for authorities and other parties to action in the interests of safety improvements.
Aviation
The ATSB is responsible for the independent investigation of accidents and incidents involving civil aircraft in Australia. All accidents and incidents related to flight safety in Australia or by Australian registered aircraft overseas must be reported to the ATSB. While the ATSB does not investigate all of these, it still needs to be notified so that the data can be recorded for possible future safety analysis. Please call the toll-free number 1800 011 034 to notify the ATSB.
Australia is a member of the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which is made up of 190 states (countries), and has frequently assisted with international investigations, including through analysis of flight-recorder (black box) data.
Marine
Marine transport accounts for the majority of imports and exports of cargo in and out of Australia and plays a significant role through coastal trade. Cruise shipping is also a growth industry. Australia is a council member of the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
Marine investigations are conducted into accidents and serious incidents involving Australian registered ships anywhere in the world, foreign flag ships within Australian waters, or where evidence relating to an accident involving ships is found in Australia.
Marine accidents and serious incidents may involve loss of life or serious injury aboard a ship, loss of a ship, fires, collisions and groundings, and serious damage to (or caused by) ships.
The ATSB is a founding member of the MAIIF. The ATSB wrote, and has lectured on, the IMO Model course on marine casualty and incident investigation. Accidents and serious incidents must be reported as soon as practicable to the ATSB. Often such a report will be made through the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA). The toll-free number to make your marine report to the ATSB is 1800 011 034.
Rail
With more national rail operators entering the market, state borders are becoming less significant. The Defined Interstate Rail Network (DIRN) is a nationally vital transport infrastructure, providing an important alternative to road transport for Australias increasing freight task.
The Australian Government can help make significant improvements in interstate rail safety through independent and credible investigations, and wide dissemination of safety findings through public reporting. The TSI Act allows the ATSB to investigate rail accidents and serious incidents that occur on the DIRN. Resources permitting, the ATSB continues to provide advice and participates in state rail safety investigations upon request.
Accidents and serious incidents that occur on the DIRN must be reported as soon as practicable by the quickest possible means to the relevant state or NT rail safety regulator in accordance with established procedures. The regulator, as a Nominated Official under the TSI Regulations, will in turn notify the ATSB. Alternatively reports may also be made directly to the ATSB. Call the toll-free number 1800 011 034 to notify the ATSB.
Legislative framework
ATSB transport safety investigators exercise statutory powers delegated by the Executive Director in accordance with the provisions of the Transport Safety Investigation Act 2003. The TSI Act allows the Executive Director to investigate transport safety matters in the aviation, marine and rail transport modes within the Australian Governments constitutional jurisdiction and to release transport safety information, including investigation reports that detail the findings and significant factors that led to a particular transport safety occurrence.
A comprehensive regime of provisions within the TSI Act is in place to maintain the confidentiality of, and legal protection for, a range of sensitive safety information obtained by ATSB investigators.
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