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