Department of Transport Annual Report 2010 - 2011

Rate of reported incidents (accidents) on the water per 100 commercial
vessels surveyed under the Western Australian Marine Act 1982
All commercial vessels in Western Australia are subject to survey to ensure they meet
minimum standards for construction and equipment safety before they may begin
to operate. These vessels are surveyed annually to ensure safety and maintenance
standards are upheld (excluding vessels certified as Class 4 Hire and Drive vessels).
Under the Western Australian Marine Act 1982 all accidents or incidents that result
in serious injury or death, or cause damage to the vessel rendering it unseaworthy
or unsafe, must be reported and, as mentioned above, a commercial vessel must
hold a current certificate of survey to show that it meets national and international
maritime standards to continue to operate.
The information for this indicator is derived from the DoT’s commercial vessel
database and the marine incidents database, and is calculated by dividing the
number of incidents by the number of commercial vessels holding current survey
certificates (expressed as a rate per hundred vessels).
A reduction in the rate of incidents per commercial vessel indicates that the safety
outcome is being met in relation to commercial activities.
Rate of
reported
incidents
(accidents)
on the water
per 100
commercial
vessels
surveyed under
the Western
Australian
Marine Act
1982.
98
2007-08
actual
2008-09
actual
2009-10
actual
2010-11
target
2010-11
actual
5.15 3.26 5.11 4.00 5.95
Reasons for
significant variance
The introduction of
a penalty provision
for non-reporting of
incidents appears to
have had an impact on
incident numbers known
to the DoT. In turn,
there has been a shift
of fishing vessels now
surveyed to operate as
trading vessels in the
North-West servicing
the resource industry.
Rate of reported incidents (accidents) on the water per 10,000 registered
recreational vessels.
Western Australia’s temperate climate and unique marine environment entice an
estimated 250,000 people to make recreational use of the State’s waterways each year.
DoT takes a lead role in ensuring the safety of the State’s mariners through:
• setting standards for recreational vessels and registering only those that meet
legislative requirements;
• requiring recreational mariners to meet basic safety competencies through the
Recreational Skipper’s Tickets (compulsory from 1 April, 2008);
• maintaining marine charts and signs to promote safe navigation and warn of
hazards;
• responding to oil spills and other pollutants;
• maintaining navigational aids (NAVAIDS); and
• educating and informing mariners on marine safety matters.
Under the Navigable Waters Regulations 1958, to operate on navigable waters in
Western Australia all vessels that have a motor or have the capacity to have a motor
fitted must be registered. It is also a requirement under the Western Australian Marine
Act 1982 for people to report any accident or incident that results in serious injury
or death, or the vessel being damaged enough to make it unseaworthy or unsafe.
The data for this indicator is taken from the DoT’s recreational vessel registration
database and the marine incidents database, and is calculated by dividing the
number of incidents by the number of registered recreational vessels (expressed as
a rate per 10,000 vessels).
A reduction in the rate of incidents per registered recreational vessel indicates that
the safety outcome is being met in relation to recreational boating.
Rate of reported
incidents
(accidents)
on the water
per 10,000
registered
recreational
vessels.
2007-08
actual
2008-09
actual
2009-10
actual
2010-11
target
2010-11
actual
9.05 9.46 9.51 9.00 12.52
Reasons for significant
variance
Recreational vessel registrations
have increased by 4.7 per cent
whereas incident numbers
have increased by 38 per cent.
It appears the introduction of
a penalty provision for nonreporting
of incidents has had a
negative effect on this indicator.