| The Kashiwazaki Kariwa nuclear power plant in | | | | Active safety systems are systems activated |
| Japan discharged approximately 350 gallons of | | | | by a human operator, an automatic computer |
| radioactive water into the sea today after an | | | | driven system, or even a mechanical system to |
| earthquake shook the Japanese town, which is | | | | respond to dangerous events in an appropriate |
| 160 miles northwest of Tokyo. | | | | manner. Passive safety systems rely on the |
| | | | laws of nature to ensure a reactor responds |
| Fortunately, the radioactive contamination | | | | in an appropriate manner during potentially |
| levels fell well below legal limits. The | | | | dangerous events. The laws of nature include |
| power plant is the one largest nuclear | | | | for instance, incorporating the law of |
| facility's in the world and just one of | | | | physics in engineered components of nuclear |
| fifty-five nuclear reactors in Japan. The | | | | power plants whereby a nuclear reaction would |
| incident, in light of the recent swarm of | | | | slow versus accelerate during potentially |
| headlines regarding alternative energy use | | | | dangerous situations or events. |
| and the possible re-emergence of nuclear | | | | |
| power as a primary alternative energy source, | | | | Nuclear power plants also possess structural |
| leaves many to wonder, is nuclear power safe? | | | | safety systems. Surrounding a nuclear reactor |
| | | | are certain containment structures, such as |
| Nuclear energy has both good and bad points. | | | | the fuel ceramic, metal fuel cladding tubes |
| It creates a huge amount of energy without | | | | and the reactor vessel and coolant system. |
| using valuable fossil fuels, but it also | | | | Finally, nuclear reactors are housed in |
| produces radioactive materials that can be | | | | containment buildings. Containment buildings, |
| extremely harmful to the environment. | | | | which are made of steel or concrete, enclose |
| Consequently, nuclear safety includes actions | | | | nuclear reactors to contain the escape of |
| taken to prevent nuclear and radiation | | | | radiation. |
| accidents or to limit their consequences. | | | | |
| | | | Ultimately, human exposure to radiation, the |
| Workers at nuclear plants, and the larger | | | | primary contamination of concern at nuclear |
| environment, run a risk due to this | | | | power plants, is more likely to come from |
| radioactive material. Nuclear power plants | | | | exposure natural background radiation and |
| must be run very carefully to ensure that | | | | from some medical procedures. In fact, |
| there are no mistakes, which is why nuclear | | | | studies exist finding no evidence of |
| power plant operators promote a safety | | | | increased risk of exposure to radiation or |
| culture. The term "safety culture" is a term | | | | occurrences of cancer in individuals living |
| introduced by the International Nuclear | | | | near nuclear facilities. For instance, in |
| Safety Advisory Group in a report published | | | | 1990 a study by the National Cancer Institute |
| on the Chernobyl disaster in 1986. The | | | | (NCI) of the National Institutes of Health, |
| International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) | | | | which surveyed over 900,000 cancer deaths in |
| defines safety culture as "an assembly of | | | | counties near nuclear facilities, found no |
| characteristics and attitudes in | | | | increased incidence of cancer mortality in |
| organizations and individuals, which | | | | people living near 62 different nuclear |
| establishes that, as an overriding priority, | | | | facilities in the United States. |
| nuclear plant safety issues receive the | | | | |
| attention warranted by their significance." | | | | Regardless of the safety systems in place, |
| Safety culture is about improving safety | | | | which promote a culture of safety in nuclear |
| attitudes in people, but it is also about | | | | power plant operations, no industrial |
| good safety management established by | | | | activity is risk-free. Occurrences take |
| organizations with a holistic, whole | | | | place, which are completely outside our |
| community, whole of life approach. A good | | | | control, as evidenced by the earthquake, |
| safety culture implies a constant assessment | | | | which impacted the Kashiwazaki Kariwa nuclear |
| of the safety significance of events, such as | | | | power. Any malfunction, accident or natural |
| earthquakes or other natural disasters. | | | | disaster at or near a nuclear power plant |
| | | | presents potentially devastating, long-term |
| Additionally, nuclear power plants possess | | | | impacts to the surrounding community and |
| both active and passive safety systems. | | | | environment. |