It is often said that all accidents are deemed to be preventable. The problem, from a safety management perspective, is that this determination usually comes after the accident.

Drawing on experiences gained through safety investigation in both the public and private domains, the presentation will focus on the need to manage, (as with everything else), the process of uncovering the antecedents to accidents.

Using recent occurrences for illustration, the assertion that system safety is being effectively managed, in terms of the collection and analysis of safety data, will be examined.

While advocating for a systematic, managed approach to the uncovering of the conditions which lead to accidents, the presentation will discuss the apparent lack of appreciation for the need for good data to manage safety, and the need for a systematic approach to its collection, analysis and most importantly, its utilization.

Prior to joining the Transportation Safety Board of Canada in 1992, Maury Hill worked as a Human Factors Engineer in the Canadian military on a variety of army, navy and air force evaluation and development projects. He routinely instructed on the topic of Human Factors in Aviation and Aircraft Accidents, and was responsible for the Human Factors Report for Canadian Air Force accidents. On joining the TSB he was appointed Chief, Human Performance at the TSB of Canada, as the TSB's technical authority for human factors issues. As such, he was responsible for the provision of human factors support to rail, marine and air accident investigations. For example, he was the lead human factors investigator for the Swissair accident at Peggy's Cove. He is currently Manager, Macro Analysis, responsible for planning and directing a program of Macro Analysis Projects, including cross-modal studies, in which trends, hazards and systemic safety deficiencies in the national transportation system are identified, analyzed and validated. He has an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Carleton University, and a Master of Science in Ergonomics degree from Loughborough University of Technology.