Resolving conflicting safety cultures

Conference · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1993 · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (United States)

OSTI ID:6021108

Slider, J E ^[1]; Patterson, M ^[2]

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1. Slider Associates, Inc., Washington, DC (United States)
2. SCIENTECH, Rockville, MD (United States)

Several nuclear power plant sites have been wounded in the crossfire between two distinct corporate cultures. The traditional utility culture lies on one side and that of the nuclear navy on the other. The two corporate cultures lead to different perceptions of [open quotes]safety culture.[close quotes] This clash of safety cultures obscures a very important point about nuclear plant operations: Safety depends on organizational learning. Organizational learning provides the foundation for a perception of safety culture that transcends the conflict between utility and nuclear navy cultures. Corporate culture may be defined as the knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs shared by employees of a given company. Safety culture is the part of corporate culture concerning shared attitudes and beliefs affecting individual or public safety. If the safety culture promotes behaviors that lead to greater safety, employees will tend to [open quotes]do the right thing[close quotes] even when circumstances and formal guidance alone do not ensure that actions will be correct. Safety culture has become particularly important to nuclear plant owners and regulators as they have sought to establish and maintain a high level of safety in today's plants.

• OSTI ID: 6021108
• Report Number(s): CONF-930601--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (United States) Journal Volume: 68
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
210000 -- Nuclear Power Plants
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220900* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Reactor Safety
ANIMALS
ATTITUDES
BEHAVIOR
HUMAN FACTORS
MAMMALS
MAN
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEAR POWER
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
ORGANIZATIONAL MODELS
PERSONNEL
POWER
POWER PLANTS
PRIMATES
SAFETY
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
VERTEBRATES