Responses to recommendations are assessed based on the extent to which the underlying safety deficiency has been or is being addressed. The acceptance or understanding of a deficiency is not a criterion for the assessment rating. The assessment criterion is the potential or actual effectiveness of action planned or taken to reduce or eliminate the deficiency.
Assessment categories for responses to Board recommendations
Six categories are used to assess responses:
- A Fully Satisfactory rating is assigned if the action taken will substantially reduce or eliminate the safety deficiency. An acceptable alternative course of safety action to the one suggested by the recommendation may have been taken.
- A Satisfactory Intent rating is assigned if the planned action, when fully implemented, will substantially reduce or eliminate the safety deficiency, and meaningful progress has been made since the recommendation was issued. However, for the present, the action has not been sufficiently advanced to reduce the risks to transportation safety. The TSB will monitor the progress of the implementation of the planned actions and will reassess the residual risk associated with the safety deficiency on an annual basis or when otherwise warranted.
- A Satisfactory in Part rating is assigned if the planned action or the action taken will reduce but not substantially reduce or eliminate the deficiency, and meaningful progress has been made since the recommendation was issued. The TSB will follow up with the respondent as to options that could further mitigate the risks associated with the deficiency. The TSB will reassess the residual risk associated with the safety deficiency on an annual basis or when otherwise warranted.
- An Unsatisfactory rating is assigned if no action has been taken or proposed that will reduce or eliminate the deficiency. This rating may also be assigned when recommendations have been issued and outstanding for more than 5 years and there is no precise action plan or timeline provided to complete the required safety actions. This rating applies to situations where, in the Board's view, the safety deficiency will continue to put persons, property or the environment at risk. In such a situation, the TSB will reassess the deficiency and pursue the issue with the respondent, in the hope of acquiring additional convincing information. The TSB will reassess the residual risk associated with the safety deficiency on an annual basis or when otherwise warranted.
- An Unable to Assess rating is assigned if no response has been received to the recommendation or if the response received does not contain sufficient details to enable the Board to make a meaningful determination on whether the safety deficiency will be reduced or eliminated. The TSB will follow up with the respondent to seek a more comprehensive response and will reassess the residual risk associated with the safety deficiency on an annual basis or when otherwise warranted.
- A Not Yet Assessed rating is assigned if the recommendation has been recently issued and a formal response has not yet been received and/or formally assessed by the Board. Under the CTAISB Act, the Minister has 90 days to respond to TSB recommendations. The TSB will normally complete its formal assessment of responses within 60 days of their receipt.
Status of the recommendations
Recommendations can be assigned one of three status designations as follows:
- Closed: The assessment determines that the safety deficiency is rectified or the residual risk is relatively low (Fully Satisfactory).
- Active: The assessment determines that the residual risk associated with the deficiency is sufficient to warrant continued TSB involvement.
- Dormant: The assessment determines that there is a residual risk but no further action is planned to be taken and continued assessment will not likely yield further results. Dormant recommendations will not be assessed on a regular basis. However, occasional reviews will be conducted to see if any dormant recommendations should be reactivated. The Board may also reactivate a dormant recommendation at any time if actions have been taken that significantly reduce the residual risk.