Well maybe a good place to start would be a complete re-vamping of the standard to which we train, both for intitial and recurrent. Follow that closely by mandating the use of NVG for night EMS ops, and HUET training for utility pilots.
Just a few suggestions, but unfortunately ones that are way over due and deemed unrealistic by many. We are (in Canada at least) an industry taking advantage of the best technology the the 1950's has to offer, and seem entirely unable to make the leap into the present. The pundits say that it'll cost too much, if that's the case charge more, re-educate the customers on what it really costs to field good equipement and pilots, and stick too it.
For some reason so called "insurance" limits are being imposed with little or no research or thought, rendering scores of capable pilots unable to work many contracts - all in the name of safety. If a big oil company wants to ensure the saftey of it's employees when in helicopters, DEMAND the best training for the pilots, the best equipment for the job, and realize that paying for it is nessesary. Unfortunatley lip-service is all that gets paid to "saftey" these days, as anything that makes a real difference actually cost someone money.
Duty times for engineers anyone?
RH