An examination of different safety cultures in a nuclear processing plant

Abstract

In a nuclear processing plant, four departments were compared using a 60-item questionnaire measuring safety attitudes and beliefs including the perception of managers' attitudes and behaviour, communication and risk-taking, and attitudes to taking personal responsibility for safety. Results suggest some differences at the conceptual level in addition to departmental differences and large grade differences. It is proposed that there are certainly two and possibly more differing safety cultures within this organization. The implications of this are discussed in terms of policy.