April 30, 2021 By Waterways Journal
No one knows better than towboat operators that river safety is a shared responsibility. Our industry has made tremendous strides in increasing safety in a difficult occupation that can be dangerous. Towing companies have enacted zero-incident goal programs that capture more data, and reported incidents have steadily dropped.
The safety partnership established in 1995 between The American Waterways Operators and the Coast Guard is the oldest such public-private partnership. “Since its establishment, the Safety Partnership has been distinguished by its non-regulatory, data-driven, results-oriented approach,” AWO’s website notes. That data-driven approach is behind AWO’s Safety Statistics Reporting Program, which compiles detailed and accurate data on incidents. The towing industry has also been a leader in enacting safety protocols and procedures during the COVID-19 perio