NRC Initial Definition/Traits 

November, 2009 • Definition: Safety Culture: that assembly of 

characteristics, attitudes, and behaviors in organizations and individuals, which establishes that as an overriding priority, nuclear safety and security issues receive the attention warranted by their significance

• Problem Identification and Evaluation

The organization ensures that issues potentially impacting safety or security are promptly identified, fully evaluated, and promptly addressed and corrected commensurate with their significance.

• Work Practices

Personnel demonstrate ownership for nuclear safety and security in their day-to-day activities.

• Work Planning and Control

P f l i d t lli k ti iti

Workshop Definitio

February 20

• Definition: Nuclear safety culture 

values and behaviors resulting frocommitment by leaders and indiviemphasize safety over competing protection of people and the envir

• Problem Resolution and Metric

The organization ensures that issimpacting safety or security are pfully evaluated, and promptly addcorrected commensurate with the

• Personal Responsibilities and A

Everyone is personally responsibsafety.

• Processes and Procedures

Process for planning an

d controlling wor

k acti

vities are 

implemented such that safety and security are maintained.

• Continuous Learning Environment

The organization maintains a continuous learning environment in which opportunities to improve safety and security are sought out and implemented.

• Licensee Decision Making

The organization’s decisions ensure that safety and security are maintained. 

• Safety Conscious Work Environment

The organization maintains a safety conscious work environment in which personnel feel free to raise safety and security concerns without fear of retaliation.

• Accountability

Roles, responsibilities, and authorities for safety and security are clearly defined and reinforced.

• Resources

The organization ensures that the personnel, equipment, tools, procedures, and other resources needed to ensure safety and security are available. 

Processes for planning and controactivities are implemented such thmaintained.

• Continuous Learning

Organizational learning is embrac

• Leadership Safety Behaviors

Leaders demonstrate commitmen

• Encouraging Report of Problem

The organization maintains a safeenvironment in which personnel feconcerns without fear of retaliatio

• Effective Safety Communicatio

Effective communication is essenfocus on safety.

• Respectful Work Environment

Trust and respect permeate the o
Workshop Definition/Traits 

February, 2010

• Definition: Nuclear safety culture is the core 

values and behaviors resulting from a collective commitment by leaders and individuals to emphasize safety over competing goals to ensure protection of people and the environment.

• Problem Resolution and Metrics

The organization ensures that issues potentially impacting safety or security are promptly identified, fully evaluated, and promptly addressed and corrected commensurate with their significance.

• Personal Responsibilities and Attitudes

Everyone is personally responsible for nuclear safety.

• Processes and Procedures

NRC Revised Defin

July, 2010

• Definition: Nuclear safety cultur

values and behaviors resulting frocommitment by leaders and indiviemphasize safety over competing protection of people and the envir

• Problem Identification and Res

Issues potentially impacting safetpromptly identified, fully evaluatedaddressed and corrected commesignificance.

• Personal Accountability

All individuals are personally respand security

• Work Process

Processes for planning and controlling work activities are implemented such that safety is maintained.

• Continuous Learning

Organizational learning is embraced.

• Leadership Safety Behaviors

Leaders demonstrate commitment to safety.

• Encouraging Report of Problems

The organization maintains a safety conscious work environment in which personnel feel free to raise concerns without fear of retaliation.

• Effective Safety Communication

Effective communication is essential to maintain focus on safety.

• Respectful Work Environment

Trust and respect permeate the organization.

The process of planning and contactivities is implemented so that sare maintained

• Continuous Learning

Opportunities to learn about ways and security are sought out and im

• Leadership Safety Values and A

Leaders demonstrate commitmensecurity in their decisions and be

• Environment for Raising Conce

A safety conscious work environmpersonnel feel free to raise safety concerns without fear of retaliatioharassment or discrimination is m

• Effective Safety Communicatio

Communications maintain a focus security
NRC Revised Definition/Traits 

July, 2010

• Definition: Nuclear safety culture is the core 

values and behaviors resulting from a collective commitment by leaders and individuals to emphasize safety over competing goals to ensure protection of people and the environment

• Problem Identification and Resolution

Issues potentially impacting safety or security are promptly identified, fully evaluated, and promptly addressed and corrected commensurate with their significance.

• Personal Accountability

All individuals are personally responsible for safety and security

• Work Process

Th f l i d t lli k

NRC Final Defini

September, 

• Definition: Nuclear safety culture 

values and behaviors resulting frocommitment by leaders and indiviemphasize safety over competing protection of people and the envir

• Leadership Safety Values and A

Leaders demonstrate commitmendecisions and behaviors 

• Problem Identification and Res

Issues potentially impacting safety identified, fully evaluated, and proand corrected commensurate with 

• Personal Accountability

All individuals are personally resp

The process of planning an

d controlling wor

k • Work Process

activities is implemented so that safety and security are maintained

• Continuous Learning

Opportunities to learn about ways to ensure safety and security are sought out and implemented

• Leadership Safety Values and Actions

Leaders demonstrate commitment to safety and security in their decisions and behaviors 

• Environment for Raising Concerns

A safety conscious work environment in which personnel feel free to raise safety and security concerns without fear of retaliation, intimidation, harassment or discrimination is maintained.

• Effective Safety Communication

Communications maintain a focus on safety and security

• Respectful Work Environment

Trust and respect permeate the organization.

• Work Process

The process of planning and contactivities is implemented so that smaintained

• Continuous Learning

Opportunities to learn about ways are sought out and implemented

• Environment for Raising Conce

A safety conscious work environmpersonnel feel free to raise safety fear of retaliation, intimidation, hadiscrimination is maintained.

• Effective Safety Communicatio

Communications maintain a focus 

• Respectful Work Environment

Trust and respect permeate the o
Preamble for Safety Culture T

A trait, in this case, is a pattern of thinking, feeling, and bethat emphasizes safety, particularly in goal conflict situatioproduction vs. safety, schedule vs. safety, and cost of the safety. It is the Commission’s expectation that all organizand individuals overseeing or performing regulated activiti l i l t i l h ld t k th t involving nuclear ma

terials s

hould

t

a

ke the necessary s

te

promote a positive safety culture by fostering these traits. Additionally, it should be noted that although the term ”senot expressly included in the traits, safety and security are primary pillars of the NRC’s regulatory program. Conseqconsideration of both safety and security issues commenswith their significance, is an underlying principle of the StaPolicy.