Why Safety Cultures Degenerate

Safety culture is a contested concept and a complex phenomenon, which has been much debated in recent years. But it is not so much about what can be measured and pin-pointed as about what is difficult to fully articulate. In the long-term, arguably, it is the cultural changes and its adverse impacts on co-operation, skill and ability of judgement that will pose the greater risks to the safety of nuclear plants and other high-risk facilities. Johan Berglund examines the background leading up to the Fukushima Daiichi accident in 2011 and highlights the function of practical proficiency in the quality and safety of high-risk activities.