Management Improvement Could Enhance Enforcement of Coast Guard Marine Safety Programs

Gao ID: RCED-85-59 August 15, 1985

GAO reviewed the Coast Guard's management of its safety enforcement actions, specifically its Commercial Vessel Safety Program and its Port and Environmental Safety Program.

GAO found that the primary data source for determining the Port and Environmental Safety Program's staffing requirements did not always show correct and consistent work-load information. Furthermore, field and district officials placed little emphasis on verifying the reported information. GAO found that: (1) Marine Safety Information System data were not always accurate or consistent; (2) Coast Guard headquarters had not provided specific guidance to the field units or conducted any oversight operations to ensure the integrity of data in the system; and (3) four units had not established adequate procedures for ensuring data quality. GAO also found that 10 of the 11 Coast Guard units which it analyzed were not maintaining follow-up systems to ensure that vessel deficiencies were corrected. In addition, GAO found that the Coast Guard failed to oversee National Cargo Bureau (NCB) inspection activities or develop guidelines regarding adequate oversight. Finally, GAO found that 10 field units failed to specify all the items for which Coast Guard regulations required inspection.

Recommendations

Our recommendations from this work are listed below with a Contact for more information. Status will change from "In process" to "Open," "Closed - implemented," or "Closed - not implemented" based on our follow up work.

Director: Sarah F. Jaggar Team: General Accounting Office: Resources, Community, and Economic Development Division Phone: (202) 275-1000


The Justia Government Accountability Office site republishes public reports retrieved from the U.S. GAO These reports should not be considered official, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Justia.