Fukushima and Process Safety

The Fukushima Nuclear Accident Independent commission has submitted its report. There are lessons to learn from the incident.One of the conclusions of the commission is " Replacing people or changing the names of institutions will not solve the problems.Unless the root causes are resolved, preventive measures against future similar accidents will never be complete. The Commission believes the root causes of this accident cannot be resolved and that the people’s confidence cannot be recovered as long as this “manmade disaster” is seen as the result of error by a specific individual. The underlying issue is the social structure that results in “regulatory capture,” and the organizational, institutional, and legal framework that allows individuals to justify their own actions, hide them when inconvenient, and leave no records in order to avoid responsibility. Across the board, the Commission found ignorance and arrogance unforgivable for anyone or any organization that deals with nuclear power. We found a disregard for global trends and a disregard for public safety. We found a habit of adherence to conditions based on conventional procedures and prior practices, with a priority on avoiding risk to the organization. We found an organization-driven mindset that prioritized benefits to the organization at the expense of the public".


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