The Australian Transport Safety Bureau and Queensland’s Department of Transport and Main Roads have renewed their agreement that sees the ATSB conduct no blame transport safety investigations into rail accidents and incidents in Australia’s second largest state.
ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell and TMR Director-General Neil Scales signed a new two-year funding agreement at TMR’s Brisbane headquarters recently, extending the partnership between Queensland and the national rail transport safety investigator through to 30 June 2024.
“ATSB investigations of accidents and incidents on state rail networks is funded by state governments,” Mr Mitchell said.
“The extension of this agreement means the ATSB can continue performing its vital work, which improves safety for Queensland’s rail transport workers and travelling public.”
“The safety of rail safety workers, rail passengers and the general public is paramount. The ongoing relationship with the ATSB demonstrates the importance placed on rail safety in Queensland,” agreed Mr Scales.
Under the current agreement, which began in 2017, the ATSB has conducted over two dozen investigations into rail incidents in Queensland, many of which have identified safety issues for consideration.
ATSB investigations are purely aimed at determining factors which led to an accident or incident so that safety lessons can be learned, and do not lay blame, which encourages the free flow of information during the investigation process, Mr Mitchell explained.
“The identification of safety issues as part of ATSB investigations allows operators and relevant parties to take safety action to address them to help prevent similar accidents and incidents in the future,” Mr Mitchell said.
“I am confident, thanks to this on-going funding arrangement with the State Government, that ATSB investigations will continue to lead to improved rail transport safety for Queenslanders.”