[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 68 (Thursday, April 9, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17468-17469]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-9381]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard
[USCG 1998-3662]


Development of a National Maritime Safety Incident Reporting 
System; Request for Written Material

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard, in cooperation with the Maritime 
Administration, is holding a public meeting to invite ideas, comments, 
questions, and interest by individuals and organizations willing to, in 
an industry-led team, develop a national maritime safety incident 
reporting system. The team would design and implement an industry-based 
system that would receive, analyze, and disseminate information about 
unsafe occurrences, hazardous situations, and lessons, learned from 
corrective actions. The Coast Guard and the Maritime Administration 
expect the new system to promote a safer and more efficient maritime 
industry.

DATES: The meeting will be held on May 4, 1998, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 
p.m. Written material must reach the Coast Guard on or before April 27, 
1998.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in Coast Guard Headquarters, 2100 
Second Street SW., Washington, DC 20593-0001 in room number 2415. You 
may send written material to the Docket Management Facility, (USCG 
1998-3662), U.S. Department of Transportation, Room PL-401, 400 Seventh 
Street SW., Washington, DC 20593-0001, or deliver them to room PL-401, 
located on the Plaza Level of the Nassif Building at the same address 
between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays. The telephone number is 202-366-9329.
    The Docket Management Facility maintains the public docket for this 
notice. Written material, and documents as indicated in this notice, 
will become part of this docket and will be available for inspection or 
copying at room PL-401, located on the Plaza Level of the Nassif 
Building at the above address between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday 
through Friday, except Federal holidays.

[[Page 17469]]

You may electronically access the public docket for this notice on the 
Internet at http://dms.dot.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the public docket, 
contact Carol Kelly, Coast Guard Dockets Team Leader, or Paulette 
Twine, Chief, Documentary Services Division, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, telephone 202-366-9329. For information concerning this 
notice, contact LCDR Scott J. Ferguson, Office of Investigations and 
Analysis (G-MOA), U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, 2100 Second Street 
SW., Washington, DC 20593-0001; telephone 202-267-0715/1430, fax 202-
267-1416, e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION:

National Maritime Safety Incident Reporting System

    The Coast Guard, in cooperation with the Maritime Administration, 
plans to assist in the creation of an industry-wide team that will 
design, develop, and implement a practical, voluntary, and confidential 
national maritime safety incident reporting system run by a non-
regulatory party and/or a network of parties (public and/or private). 
The system would receive, analyze, and disseminate information about 
near-casualties (unsafe occurrences), hazardous situations, and 
lessons-learned from corrective actions. These near-casualties or 
problem events are an untapped source of information that can serve as 
leading indicators on safety in the maritime community providing 
information that can be used to prevent accidents before they happen. 
The information gleaned from this system will serve as a baseline to 
foster continuous improvement in safety throughout all segments of the 
maritime community. The system will help prevent marine casualties, 
injuries and property damage including environmental damage, and create 
a safer and more efficient marine transportation system and mariner 
work environment. Success will depend on the extent of industry 
involvement and leadership in this process; on the resulting mechanism 
for gathering the data; and on developing the means for effectively 
analyzing, using, and disseminating the information gleaned.

Procedure

    The Coast Guard and the Maritime Administration will hold a joint 
public meeting on May 4, 1998 in Washington, DC to invite ideas, 
comments, questions, and interest by individual and organizations 
willing to participate as members and lead an industry-wide team to 
develop this system. The meeting will be in the form of an informal 
workshop open to the public. With advance notice, and as time permits, 
members of the public may make oral presentations during the meeting. 
Persons wishing to make oral presentations should notify LCDR Scott J. 
Ferguson no later than the day before the meeting. Persons wishing to 
make their material available at the meeting should forward 25 copies 
to LCDR Scott J. Ferguson at Commandant (G-MOA), U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. 
Coast Guard Headquarters, 2100 Second Street SW., Washington, DC 20593-
0001. These copies are in addition to the copy sent to the Docket 
Management Facility. Written comments may also be submitted during the 
meeting. Any material submitted after the meeting should be sent to the 
Docket Management Facility. Persons unable to attend the public 
meetings should submit written material as outlined above. It is 
anticipated that more public meetings will be held at later dates in 
various parts of the country. Dates and locations of these meetings 
will be published via a separate notice in the Federal Register.

Questions

    We especially need your help in answering the following questions, 
although additional information is welcome. In responding to each 
question, please explain your reasons for each answer so that the 
consequences and impacts can be carefully weighed.
    1. Would a national maritime safety incident reporting system such 
as described in this notice be beneficial? Why or why not? If yes, what 
are the potential benefits of such a system?
    2. How should near-casualty and precursor events (hazardous 
situations) be defined? In responding consider the relationship with 
existing requirements to report marine casualties (46 CFR 4.05-10) and 
hazardous conditions (33 CFR 160.203 and 160.215).
    3. What legislation and or regulatory changes, if any, should be 
considered to promote the use of the system?
    4. How should the system be designed, developed, and implemented? 
Should this be done by the Government, by a cross sectional industry 
committee within an industry based organizational umbrella, or another 
combination? Who in industry should take a leadership role in the 
design, development, and implementation process with the Coast Guard 
and the Maritime Administration's assistance? The identification of 
industry members willing to lead this project is a key first step 
towards its success.
    5. Who should run the system? The Coast Guard envisions a non-
regulatory party or network of parties (public and/or private). Is 
there a better option? Who in the maritime community is willing and 
able to run this system? How should the system be funded? How much will 
it cost?
    6. What are the potential problems with a national maritime safety 
incident reporting system? How would the system developers overcome 
these problems? Will mariners be willing to use the system? What could 
be done to promote mariner wholehearted support and use of the system?
    7. What other issues must be resolved to turn this idea into a full 
fledged working system? In responding to this question please include 
your ideas on how they can be resolved. What is the next step(s)?
    The Coast Guard and the Maritime Administration intend to do the 
following with the information received: Evaluate the information; 
identify industry leadership to run the project and participants; 
discuss the results in another Federal Register document; use it as a 
basis for other meetings; and develop a plan or blueprint to design, 
develop, and implement a national maritime safety incident reporting 
system.

Information on Services for Individual With Disabilities

    For information on facilities or services for individuals with 
disabilities or to request special assistance at the meeting, contact 
LCDR Scott J. Ferguson as soon as possible, at least one week prior to 
the date of the meeting.

    Dated: April 3, 1998.
R.C. North,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety 
and Environmental Protection.
[FR Doc. 98-9381 Filed 4-8-98; 8:45 am]
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