What is ITSA, its mission and role?
ITSA is an international network of heads (Chairpersons, Directors or the equivalent) of independent safety investigation authorities (SIA). ITSA covers all modes of transportation, including aviation, marine, railways, road transport, pipelines and underground infrastructure.
Some ITSA member authorities are single mode, i.e. their remit is limited to one mode of transportation, while others are multimodal.
ITSA aims to bring together the heads of safety investigation authorities from different regions in the world and modes of transportation, in order to contribute significantly to the safety of the travelling public, by:
- learning from the experience of other investigation authorities
- promoting the practice of independent investigations into the causes and safety deficiencies of accidents and serious incidents
- exchanging information on transportation safety on such matters as safety deficiencies, safety studies, safety recommendations, and investigation techniques
- sharing information on the implementation of important safety recommendations
- identifying common concerns, problems, methods and solutions, and share these in national and international forums
- providing opportunities for open and frank discussions of strategic issues and concerns amongst members in a safe environment
- building personal relationships between leaders of safety investigation authorities and facilitate the bilateral sharing of views and challenges
The role of an independent transport safety investigation authority is crucial to maintaining and enhancing transport safety. By carrying out transport safety investigations in a thorough and timely manner, a country can identify areas of safety concern, leading to action by government and transport industry organisations. In that way, the work of the independent agency can contribute to establishing and maintaining a safe and efficient transport system.
All ITSA member authorities carry out their investigatory tasks independently of government and industry. Their task is to uncover the causal factors behind accidents and serious incidents. In doing so they will describe acts and omissions that may have contributed to the outcome of an occurrence, but they will never attribute blame or liability.
While ITSA members may agree on the importance of certain safety issues, each ITSA member is free to advocate its own independent viewpoint, based on its national commitments or obligations, or government policy.
Where and how can I get more information on safety investigations?
Each member authority of ITSA publishes information about safety investigations on their respective web sites. Links to these can be found in the Members section. There are also other web sites with useful information about safety investigation, such as the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), the European Union Agency for Railways and the European Network of Civil Aviation Safety Investigation Authorities (ENCASIA), as well as several non-governmental organizations e.g. the International Society of Air Safety Investigators (ISASI), Marine Accident Investigators’ International Forum (MAIIF) and the International Railway Safety Council (IRSC).
How can I get in touch with the member authorities of ITSA?
In the Members section a list of ITSA members is available with links to their websites.
How can I become a member of ITSA?
The membership of ITSA is restricted to government safety investigation authorities that fulfill certain requirements e.g. of independence, experience and a proven track record in safety investigation.
Consequently, ITSA membership is not possible for individuals, private organizations or governmental authorities that do not fulfill the membership requirements.
The admittance procedure consists of a formal application and membership assessment by the Membership Committee of ITSA.
Click here for an oversight of membership criteria.
Click here to send an e-mail to the ITSA Secretariat.