In June 2011, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued its final safety culture policy statement, which describes NRC’s expectation that individuals and organizations performing regulated activities establish and maintain a positive safety culture commensurate with the safety and security significance of their activities and the nature and complexity of their organizations and functions.
The policy statement complements agency regulations and guidance; it is not a regulation and, as such, does not impose requirements. The Commission expects the regulated community to take the necessary steps for promoting a positive safety culture by fostering the nine traits as they apply to their specific activities. This presentation is intended to educate stakeholders (e.g., industrial radiographers) on the contents of the policy statement and the importance of a positive safety culture in their specific regulated activities (e.g., industrial radiography). The presentation includes a brief overview of the development of the safety culture policy statement; a discussion of the importance of safety culture in regulated entities; the NRC’s definition and traits of a positive safety culture; and case studies that illustrate the role that safety culture played in contributing to or in lessening the causes and consequences of events.
1. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, “Policy Statement on the Conduct of Nuclear Power Plant Operations,” Federal
Register Notice, 54 FR 3424, January 24, 1989.
2. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, “Freedom of Employees in the Nuclear Industry to Raise Concerns Without Fear of
Retaliation: Policy Statement,” Federal Register Notice, 61 FR 24336, May 14, 1996.
3. Vietti-Cook, Annette L., Staff Requirements Memorandum (SRM)-COMGBJ-08-0001, “A Commission Policy
Statement on Safety Culture,” 2008.
4. Borchardt, R.W., SECY-09-0075, “Safety Culture Policy Statement,” 2009.
5. Vietti-Cook, Annette L., Staff Requirements Memorandum (SRM)-SECY-09-0075, “Safety Culture Policy Statement,” 2009.
6. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, “Draft Safety Culture Policy Statement: Request for Comments,” Federal Register
Notice, 74 FR 57525, November 6, 2009.
7. Summary of the February 2-4, 2010 Public Meeting Between the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Stakeholders
Regarding Safety Culture Policy Statement, Definition, and Descriptions/Traits,
http://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/regulatory/enforcement/safety-culture.html, 2010.
8. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, “Revised Draft Safety Culture Policy Statement: Request for Comments,” Federal
Register Notice, 75 FR 57081, September 17, 2010.
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9. Summary of the September 28, 2010 Public Meeting between the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and
Stakeholders Regarding Safety Culture Policy Statement,
http://www.nrc.gov/aboutnrc/regulatory/enforcement/safety-culture.html, 2010.
10. Borchardt, R.W., SECY-11-0005, “Proposed Final Safety Culture Policy Statement,” 2011.
11. Vietti-Cook, Annette L., Staff Requirements Memorandum (SRM)-SECY-11-0005, “Proposed Final Safety Culture
Policy Statement,” 2011.
12. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, “Safety Culture Policy Statement,” Federal Register Notice, 76 FR 34773, June 14, 2011.
13. Borchardt, R.W., SECY-12-0008, “Implementation Plan for the Safety Culture Policy Statement,” 2012.
14. Vietti-Cook, Annette L., Staff Requirements Memorandum (SRM)-SECY-12-0008, “Implementation Plan for the Safety
Culture Policy Statement,” 2012.
15. Safety Culture Brochure, http://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/regulatory/enforcement/safety-culture.html.
16. Safety Culture Case Studies, http://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/regulatory/enforcement/safety-culture.html#case.
17. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Regulatory Issue Summary 2012-01, “Availability of Safety Culture Policy Statement,”
2012.
18. Health Physics Society, “Radiation Safety Culture” PS-026-0 Position Statement of the Health Physics Society,
February, 2012