1. Actionable Items 2012 ERAC Committee
September 10, 2012
Mobile, Alabama
Tammy Terry, OH (Chair)
Deb Gona (NASBLA)
Good morning to the NASBLA Leadership, our state BLAs, and other conference guests – and thanks for having us back after everything we threw at you yesterday [during the ERAC briefing].
Today we’re going to dial it back a little for you – giving you the 30,000 foot view of the actionable items that ERAC has for the membership this year – and giving you an opportunity to give us some feedback and let us know if there is anything in our actionable items that might need some adjustment before calling for the vote tomorrow…

2. Resolution #2012-3 Three Key Elements
In support of the Accident Reporting Terms and Definitions Project, the adoption of standardized terms and definitions by the U.S. Coast Guard, and actions to facilitate their application.
Three Key Elements
Support for the project and its intent
Formal request to the USCG to incorporate each list of terms and definitions into national use after each list is accepted by NASBLA Membership as a “final work product”
Recommendation that ERAC/USCG continue work needed to develop training and guidance for the states regarding the use of these terms and definitions
As we discussed yesterday, the first item we have for the membership is a resolution – to be specific. [copies distributed]
This resolution - “In support of the Accident Reporting Terms and Definitions Project, the adoption of standardized terms and definitions by the U.S. Coast Guard, and actions to facilitate their application.” – asks the membership for three key items as outlined here:
First – support for the project and its intent – improving the quality and reliability of accident reporting data in order to provide better analyses in the future
Second – to make a formal request to the Coast Guard to incorporate each list of terms and definitions into national use after each list is accepted by the NASBLA Membership as a “final work product”. Note that the lists of terms and definitions themselves are not directly incorporated into this resolution, but rather this resolution serves as a channel to route the lists for implementation once they have received the blessing of the body – giving us a little more flexibility in making sure that the lists meet with the membership’s satisfaction.
And finally, we are asking the membership to recommend that ERAC – working in cooperation with the Coast Guard – continue the work needed to develop training and guidance for the states regarding the use of these terms and definitions.

3. Comments/Questions regarding the Resolution ???
I’d like to open the floor to any questions, concerns, or comments regarding the resolution. 3

4. Final Work Products: Terms and Definitions Lists
Committee Members
Eleanor Mariani (CT, Board Liaison) Mike Baron (USCG)
Deb Gona (NASBLA Staff) Pete Chisholm (Mercury)
Gary Haupt (MO) Andy Bickel (FL)
Susan Tomczuk (USCG) Glenn Moates (TN)
Cody Jones (TX) Jeff Ludwig (USCG)
Eric Lundin (CT) Rachel Warner (USCG)
Fred Messmann (NSBC) Dan Maxim (USCGA)
Mike Jendrossek (USCG) Tammy Terry (OH)
The two remaining action items from ERAC – following from the resolution – will be requesting approval of the Accident Types and Contributing Factors/Causes Lists – which – after approval by the membership – will again follow the path laid out by the resolution for implementation.
I just wanted to recap for the group that we had a very dedicated – and knowledgeable - group working on this project – representing a variety of diverse groups and points of view as indicated by our committee member list you see up here – from the states, to the Coast Guard, to industry folks, and other partner groups.

5. Final Work Products: Terms and Definitions Lists
Vetting Process
Achieve project team consensus on terms/definitions through series of teleconferences and interim work
Share team consensus list with and get feedback from full ERAC Committee, NASBLA Executive Board and the U.S. Coast Guard (for initial, Office-level review)
Share the resulting, refined list with and get feedback from the States/ Territories using a structured, open comment period
Review responses to assess need for additional team refinements to entries
Submit final consensus list to the NASBLA Executive Board for delivery to and vote by the NASBLA membership
Transmit to the U.S. Coast Guard for final review and clearance through its appropriate internal channels
In addition, this group used a pretty intensive vetting process for each list - requiring several months and incorporating any and all input received for each list by way of the steps outlined here – going so far as to document and respond to each and every comment received.
Basically anyone who wanted a chance to have a say in the development of these terms has had an opportunity. 5

6. Action Item: Approval of Accident Types List
Comments/Questions
regarding the
Accident Types List
???
With that little piece of background on the development of the lists – and having posted a copy of the Accident Types list for your review prior to asking for your vote of approval (anyone still need a copy?) – I’ll again push the mic back to all of you for any comments or questions any of you have on this list. 6

7. Action Item: Approval of Contributing Factors/Causes List
Improper Lookout/Inattention:
The operator failed to perceive danger, resulting in the accident. This could have been with respect to failure(s) to perceive dangers outside or inside the vessel. May apply to violations of the requirement to maintain a proper lookout.
Distraction codes for Improper Lookout/ Inattention
Alright – our last actionable item is going to be a request for approval on the Contributing Factors/Causes List – but before I ask for your comments and questions on this list there is one portion of the list that we’d like to make sure you take a chance to look at because it’s a late arrival to the party so to speak - and although it is and has been being vetted though the same process as every other term/definition on this list – it has been doing so in a much more condensed manner in an effort to have this product ready for you at this conference.
The particular term we are speaking of is the Improper Lookout/Inattention tem and its accompanying definition – and even more specifically its associated distraction codes. We had a little more difficulty reaching a final recommendation for you on this one – in fact asking all of you to provide some input to our discussion by way of a survey sent out to you over the summer on this topic – thank you to those who responded – however the result of that difficulty in reaching consensus was a delay in getting this term into the same vetting process timeline as the other terms on the list. You all should have received an just prior to the conference – as this item moved into the vetting stage – in conjunction with the announcement that the Accident Types and Contributing Factors Lists were in their final format for your review - asking you to review this particular term and definition and asking specifically for feedback on the distraction codes associated with this one… 7

8. Action Item: Approval of Contributing Factors/Causes List
Improper Lookout/Inattention Distraction Codes:
Background lighting – Lights on docks, shorelines, or other vessels.
Onboard lighting – Glare from lights onboard the vessel; includes improperly shielded navigation lights
Navigation device – Viewing or operating a navigation device; includes GPS or other devices being used for navigation.
Using or reaching for mobile/wireless communication devices -- Using, attempting to use, or reaching for a wireless phone or device; includes talking or listening, entering numbers, or text messaging on the wireless device.
Using or reaching for other devices – Using, attempting to use, or reaching for a spotlight, a VHF radio, an audio device, or any other equipment or devices (excludes mobile/wireless communication devices).
Using autopilot – Reduced attention to navigation as result of reliance on an engaged electronic helmsman or self-steering device to steer or make throttle adjustments.
Occupant(s) – Occupant(s) in vessel; includes conversing with or looking at other occupant(s).
Moving object(s) in vessel – Moving object(s), other than occupant(s), in vessel.
Person(s) or object(s) outside of vessel -- Fixated on a person, towed watersport participant, another vessel, or any other object(s) in or on the water and outside of the vessel.
Eating or drinking – Eating, drinking, or activity related to these actions.
Sightseeing -- Fixated on viewing adjacent scenery.
Looked but did not see – Observed, but did not detect the relevant vessel, person, or object.
Lost in thought – Was thinking about items other than the task; daydreaming.
Other distraction – Details regarding the distraction are known, but none of the specified codes is applicable.
Distraction details unknown – Distraction noted, but the specifics are unknown.
The text is pretty small up here so you might want to refer to your own copies to take a look at these distraction codes – or again – we have handouts - but we wanted to make sure that we drew your attention to this area – and that you had an opportunity to weigh in on this area before we moved this list onto a vote for approval – especially since we have not seen any comments posted to the online discussion forum on this item so far.
As an aside, I want to point out that the primary reason for inclusion of these distraction codes is to begin to take a closer look at some of the human factors involved in some of our most devastating types of accidents – collisions – that are often the result of this contributing factor – and more importantly to get at the “why” factor that underlies Inattention and Improper Lookout scenarios – something that we have not been able to do in this area consistently up until now. Also, inclusion of this additional element begins to bring recreational boating accident reporting into closer alignment with other coding and analysis elements associated with other modes of transportation as well.
So let me open the floor again for – first – any comments on this particular term and definition first – then we’ll see if you have any other comments on the remaining terms … 8

9. Action Item: Approval of Contributing Factors/Causes List
Comments/Questions
regarding the
Contributing Factors/Causes List
???
Alright – are there comments or questions on the remaining terms and definitions on the Contributing Factors/Causes Lists? 9

10. Thank You…
Thanks to all of you for your input, guidance, and support on this project – and if there are any other questions we can answer for you prior to tomorrow’s vote – don’t hesitate to ask…
[Post-workshop note: As a result of discussion on the distraction codes for the term “Improper Lookout/Inattention”, the project team on-site was asked to provide the membership with an alternate, condensed list of codes for consideration. The modified list was developed and distributed prior to the conclusion of the Workshop session, was considered, and then given preliminary approval by the membership. A revised Contributing Factors/Causes document was subsequently posted to and also distributed in hard copy to the members at the Annual Business Meeting on Sept. 11, 2012 (along with a final version of the project resolution ). All items discussed during this Workshop session, as presented or as revised, were approved by the membership at the Business Meeting.] 10