A methodology for improving the Transportation of Dangerous Goods regulatory compliance program

Regulatory enforcement agencies seek to secure compliance with laws and regulations designed to protect human health, safety and the environment. In doing so, many employ traditional enforcement methods of inspection, investigation and prosecution to secure compliance. The public is increasingly demanding that scarce government resources be efficiently managed to achieve policy objectives and as a result civil servants have come under increasing pressure to demonstrate the results of their programs.; This study sought to analyze the Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) regulatory enforcement program in the Atlantic Region using risk assessment methodology to identify means to improve program effectiveness. The study's main objective was to apply risk assessment principles to identify and quantify the risk associated with dangerous goods transport by road and rail and to make recommendations on improving the inspections selection criteria.; The research was successful in delineating dangerous goods into risk categories based on measurable risk. It also demonstrated how a simple risk assessment could be applied to a government regulatory enforcement program. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)...