Date Issue Released
Issue number
Safety issue title
Absence of air traffic control procedures and tools for runway changes at Melbourne Airport
Safety Issue Description

Airservices Australia did not provide procedures with associated local instructions to Melbourne air traffic controllers regarding how to coordinate runway changes at Melbourne Airport. Furthermore, an absence of system tools increased the risk of the controllers forgetting to coordinate those changes with the Essendon Aerodrome Controller.

Issue Owner
Airservices Australia
Transport Function
Airspace
Date issue released
Mode of Transport
Aviation
Issue number
Safety issue title
Network rule governing Distant signals
Safety Issue Description

The rule describing the required driver response to a Distant signal at Caution in a two-position signalling system did not fully reflect the signalling system design principles. 

Issue Owner
V/Line
Transport Function
Network Operations
Date issue released
Mode of Transport
Rail
Issue number
Safety issue title
Driver training
Safety Issue Description

The training and assessment of the driver did not ensure that he had an adequate understanding of the two-position signalling through Marshall. 

Issue Owner
V/Line
Transport Function
Rail: Passenger - regional
Date issue released
Mode of Transport
Rail
Issue number
Safety issue title
Operational rules and procedures
Safety Issue Description

The Queensland Rail network rules, procedures and safety manual provided insufficient guidance to identify the magnitude of the potential hazard from a weather event, or define the response when encountering water that had previously overtopped the track and receded or was pooled against the track formation or ballast.

Issue Owner
Queensland Rail
Transport Function
Network Operations
Date issue released
Mode of Transport
Rail
Issue number
Safety issue title
Hazard identification and assessment by rail traffic crew
Safety Issue Description

The Queensland Rail General Operational Safety Manual (MD-10-107) contained insufficient guidance for rail traffic crews to ensure the timely identification and management of a potential hazard (resulting from a weather event) that might affect the safe progress of the train.

Issue Owner
Queensland Rail
Transport Function
Network Operations
Date issue released
Mode of Transport
Rail
Issue number
Safety issue title
Compromised separation recovery training
Safety Issue Description

Compromised separation recovery training deficiencies existed within the Department of Defence at the time of the occurrence, increasing the risk of inappropriate management of aircraft in close proximity.

Issue Owner
Department of Defence
Transport Function
Airspace
Date issue released
Mode of Transport
Aviation
Issue number
Safety issue title
Potential adverse effects of a tip-up canopy opening in-flight
Safety Issue Description

In‑flight opening of the tip-up canopy in a number of Van’s Aircraft Inc. models has resulted in varying consequences, including a significant pitch down tendency, increasing the risk of a loss of control. 

Issue Owner
Van’s Aircraft Inc.
Transport Function
Aviation: General aviation
Date issue released
Mode of Transport
Aviation
Issue number
Safety issue title
Open stern offshore support vessels
Safety Issue Description

Skandi Pacific’s managers had not adequately assessed the risks associated with working on the aft deck of vessels with open sterns, including consideration of engineering controls to minimise water being shipped on the aft deck.

Issue Owner
DOF Management, Norway
Transport Function
Marine: Shipboard operations
Date issue released
Mode of Transport
Marine
Issue number
Safety issue title
Cargo securing procedures
Safety Issue Description

Skandi Pacific’s safety management system (SMS) procedures for cargo securing were inadequate. There was no guidance for methods of securing cargo in adverse weather conditions.

Issue Owner
DOF Management, Norway
Transport Function
Marine: Shipboard operations
Date issue released
Mode of Transport
Marine
Issue number
Safety issue title
Cargo handling procedures
Safety Issue Description

Skandi Pacific’s safety management system (SMS) procedures for cargo handling in adverse weather conditions were inadequate. Clearly defined weather limits when cargo handling operations could be undertaken and trigger points for suspending operations were not defined, including limits for excessive water on deck.

Issue Owner
DOF Management, Norway (DOF Management)
Transport Function
Marine: Shipboard operations
Date issue released
Mode of Transport
Marine
Issue number
Safety issue title
Towage procedures
Safety Issue Description

Procedures for harbour tugs to meet inbound ships and for their co-ordinated movement in the Fremantle pilotage area were not clearly defined. On 28 February, inadequate co-ordination of the tugs and ineffective communication between Maersk Garonne’s pilot and the tug masters resulted in both tugs, the second one in particular, being significantly delayed from when they could reasonably have been expected to be on station. 

Issue Owner
Svitzer Australia; Fremantle Ports; Fremantle Pilots
Transport Function
Marine: Shipboard operations
Date issue released
Mode of Transport
Marine
Issue number
Safety issue title
Contingency planning
Safety Issue Description

Fremantle Pilots’ procedures did not include any contingency plans, including abort points, for risks identified for the pilotage. 

Issue Owner
Fremantle Pilots
Transport Function
Marine: Shipboard operations
Date issue released
Mode of Transport
Marine
Issue number
Safety issue title
Passage plan
Safety Issue Description

Fremantle Pilots’ publicly available information to assist ships' masters with preparing a berth to berth passage plan was inadequate and ineffectively implemented. The information provided consisted essentially of a list of waypoints, which was routinely not followed.  

Issue Owner
Fremantle Pilots
Transport Function
Marine: Shipboard operations
Date issue released
Mode of Transport
Marine
Issue number
Safety issue title
Bridge resource management
Safety Issue Description

Bridge resource management (BRM) was not effectively implemented on board Maersk Garonne. The ship’s passage plan for the pilotage was inadequate, its bridge team members were not actively engaged in the pilotage and they did not effectively monitor the ship’s passage.

Issue Owner
Maersk Line Ship Management, Singapore
Transport Function
Marine: Shipboard operations
Date issue released
Mode of Transport
Marine
Issue number
Safety issue title
Coordination of activities related to pushback
Safety Issue Description

The procedures provided to ground and flight crews by Malaysia Airlines Berhad and the towbarless tractor operator did not provide clear guidance or instruction on coordinating activities related to pushback and, in the case of the tractor operator, were informally replaced by local procedures

Issue Owner
Malaysia Airlines Berhad and Menzies Aviation
Transport Function
Aviation: Air transport
Date issue released
Mode of Transport
Aviation
Issue number
Safety issue title
No cockpit annunciation or checklist item for parking brake status
Safety Issue Description

The Citation aircraft did not have an annunciator light to show that the parking brake is engaged, and the manufacturer’s before take-off checklist did not include a check to ensure the parking brake is disengaged.

Issue Owner
Textron Aviation (Cessna)
Transport Function
Aviation: General aviation
Date issue released
Issue Status
Closed – Partially addressed
Mode of Transport
Aviation
Issue number
Safety issue title
Passenger Train Marker Light Standards
Safety Issue Description

The marker lights on some MTM passenger trains do not meet the requirements of the standard for Railway Rolling Stock Lighting and Rolling Stock Visibility, AS/RISSB 7531.3:2007.

Issue Owner
Metro Trains Melbourne
Transport Function
Rail: Other
Date issue released
Issue Status
Closed – Adequately addressed
Mode of Transport
Rail
Issue number
Safety issue title
Permissive Signalling System
Safety Issue Description

The rules pertaining to passing a permissive signal at stop, place sole reliance on the train driver to provide separation between trains by line-of-sight observation. In the absence of any additional risk mitigation measures, this administrative control provides the least effective defence against human error or violations.

Issue Owner
Metro Trains Melbourne
Transport Function
Rail: Other
Date issue released
Issue Status
Closed – Adequately addressed
Mode of Transport
Rail
Issue number
Safety issue title
Low rim thickness
Safety Issue Description

Despite a number of incidents, Pacific National did not take adequate action, before the derailment, to reduce the risk of wheel defects, especially in light of previously identified contributors such as low rim thickness. 

Issue Owner
Pacific National
Transport Function
Rail: Freight
Date issue released
Mode of Transport
Rail
Issue number
Safety issue title
Wheel inspection processes
Safety Issue Description

The wheel inspection processes and systems were not effective in detecting surface damage or cracks on the R4 wheel on wagon NHIH97081 prior to the wheel failure.

Issue Owner
Pacific National
Transport Function
Rail: Freight
Date issue released
Mode of Transport
Rail