Safety Starts with Recognizing Risk: Rethinking the Nuclear Plant Accident

[kristopher]

Safety Starts with Recognizing Risk: Rethinking the Nuclear Plant Accident

Shuhei Okuyama
Professor, Faculty of Law, Chuo University
Areas of Specialization: Modern Science and Technology Studies

An accident occurs even if you do everything you can to prevent it—this does not represent fatalism, but rather it means to make assurance double sure, which is often used as a caution for personnel who work on taking safety measures. In most cases, however, actual accidents occurred as human intellect was not exploited.

In the 1970s—about 40 years ago—nuclear power plants were booming around the world and were actively constructed in many countries. Of the six reactor units at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, Unit 1 started operating in 1971. Since then, the other units commenced operation in 1974, 76, 78 (Units 4 and 5), and 78, in sequence. Let us look back over the arguments regarding safety in the 1970s.

In 1975...

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/adv/chuo/dy/opinion/20110912.htm