Assessment and decision analysis

Report review The Canadian railway system needs serious improvements. The situation became serious after the accidents in the town Las-Megantic in Quebec province and also another province, Alberta. The both accidents happened in 2013. Several coaches with gas and oil derailed and the people of the neighboring towns had to be evacuated. Canadian Greenpeace representatives stated that such accidents will become “ a new norm” if the government is not going to toughen the rules of dangerous goods transportation on railways. The representative of Transport Canada Lisa Rite rejected the accusations explaining that the government spent more than $100 millions for the improving safety on the railway. She also stated that the government toughened the penalties for the companies, which violate the rules of dangerous goods transportation. According to Rite, the government is implementing thorough control over the situation.
However, such statements did not seem convincing. Thus, Canadian Senate committee insists on the reconsideration of the state’s policy concerning the transportation of dangerous goods. Meanwhile, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada is paying special attention to the possibility of implementing strict and corresponding control of the railway system of the country. Canadas Standing Senate Committee considers it is important to implement the thorough inspection of the country’s railway system, the main principles of its regulation standards, the norms and practices. The main goal of a new report called ” Moving Energy Safely: A Study of the Safe Transport of Hydrocarbons by Pipelines, Tankers and Railcars” is to improve the safety of railway transportation in Canada.
The report under consideration includes thirteen advices on safety transportation and the request to take into account all these advices. The report also contains a call to Transport Canada to provide railway companies with advantageous condition of insurance so that they may cover all the expenses connected with possible unhappy accident.
It became clear that Canadian railway system is far from ideal and needs to be re-examined and modernized. One of the investigators, Kirby Jang states: ” in Canada, we have a system called centralized traffic control, which provides visual signals, but there is no automated stopping or slowing of trains if the train crew were to exceed the limits of their authority”. He also insisted on the introduction of new safety system: “ we believe that theres a risk of serious train collisions and derailments if rail signals are not consistently recognized and followed. Really, what were trying to advocate is that further safety defences should be implemented to ensure that signal indications of operating speed or operating limits are consistently recognized and followed. Thats a key finding and recommendation out of Burlington” (Senate Committee report calls for major arm’s length review of the country’s railway systems to enhance safe transport of dangerous goods).
The propositions made by the investigator should be taken into account by the government as soon as possible. The risk of new accidents is really high and it is necessary to take serious measures in order to prevent them.
Works Cited
Senate Committee report calls for major arm’s length review of the country’s railway systems to enhance safe transport of dangerous goods. Parl. gc. ca. 23, January, 2014, Web
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