Committed and with impact: Annual Report 2023
Through its investigations, the Dutch Safety Board improves the level of safety in the Netherlands. It continued to do so in 2023, initiating 168 investigations and completing 173. In the Safety Board’s Annual Report for 2023, investigators explain where they were able to make a difference and where their work had an impact. In 2023, the Safety Board added three themes of public concern to its investigation agenda, namely ecological, social, and digital safety.
Going that extra mile in times when trust is lacking
Chris van Dam, Chairman of the Dutch Safety Board: ‘We live in a time of increasing hesitancy, doubts about facts, and distrust of government organisations. If they are to continue to merit the trust of the public at large, then investigation agencies really need to “go the extra mile”. We aim to do our utmost in that regard – both now and in the future.’
Investigations
The Dutch Safety Board devotes a great deal of its capacity to mandatory investigations in the aviation and shipping sectors. It also published a number of other reports in 2023:
- Surveillance and protection – Lessons from three security situations;
- Industry and local residents;
- Addressing the COVID-19 crisis – Part 3: January 2020 to September 2020;
- Safety of historic sailing fleet – Follow-up investigation following two occurrences in 2022.
Follow-up reports
In 2023, the Dutch Safety Board published 26 follow-up reports, setting out how parties had dealt with the recommendations arising from its investigations.
It does all this with a staff of over 80 committed, highly motivated employees.
