Role of National Transportation Safety Board in Investigating Oil Spills The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is an independent federal agency responsible for investigating civil transportation accidents. It investigates all types of accidents, including ship and marine accidents and pipeline incidents. The NTSB will also render assistance to the military with accident investigation if requested by it. One of the world’s premiere accident investigation agencies, the NTSB has investigated more than 124,000 aviation accidents and over 10,000 surface transportation accidents ever since its inception on April 1, 1967. The organization has different sub-offices for highway safety, maritime safety, and aviation safety, railroad,
pipeline,
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hazardous
material
investigations,
research
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recommendations and communications, academy and administrative law judges. The NTSB is responsible for maintaining the database of civil aviation accidents and conducting studies of transportation safety issues of national significance. It also provides investigators to serve as U.S. Accredited Representatives for accidents overseas involving American-registered aircrafts. When an accident occurs, the party involved must notify the NTSB, as stipulated in the Code of Federal Regulations. The agency sets the investigation into motion by setting up a "go team." Specialists in fields relevant to the accident usually make up this team. Once this is done, other organizations or corporations are designated as parties to the investigation. The NTSB may then hold public hearings on the issue. After completing the investigation, it issues a final statement. The board may also issue safety recommendations, if need be. Its reputation for impartiality and thoroughness has helped it improve safety measures. Several safety features integrated in automobiles, pipelines, and marine vessels have their origin in NTSB recommendations. The NTSB has also investigated several oil spills, including the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Oil spills on both water as well as land are a serious threat to the environment as they cause terrible damage to the encompassing ecosystem. Oil Gone Easy’s Marine S-200 can be used for oil spill cleanup effectively without causing any further damage to the environment.