SAFETY 

CULTURE

Policy Statement 

NUREG/BR-0500, Rev. 3

March 2015

NRC MISSION

The mission of the NRC is to license and 

regulate the Nation’s civilian use of 

byproduct, source, and special nuclear 

materials to protect public health and safety, 

promote the common defense and security, 

and protect the environment. 

OUTREACH AND EDUCATION

NRC staff continues to provide outreach and 

education on the importance of a positive safety 

culture through presentations at various conferences, 

participation in 

workshops, and 

discussions with 

stakeholders during 

inspections and public 

meetings. In addition, 

the NRC has developed 

various educational tools 

to aid in understanding 

the Safety Culture 

Policy Statement and 

the importance of a 

positive safety culture. 

These tools include case 

studies highlighting 

how the safety culture traits apply to real events and 

documenting the journey that organizations have 

taken to improve their safety culture. 

The NRC also has a 

publication called “Trait 

Talk” that describes each 

safety culture trait in more 

detail, including why 

each trait is important, 

examples of attitudes 

and behaviors that 

apply to each trait, and 

an illustrative scenario 

showing how each trait 

could play a role in 

organizational events. 

Trait Talk and other 

educational tools are available for download 

from the NRC’s safety culture Web page 

(http://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/safety-culture.html). 

Interactions between NRC staff and stakeholders 

about safety culture are an important part of the 

success of the policy statement. These interactions 

increase awareness of the importance of safety culture 

and help individuals and organizations develop an 

understanding of how they can foster and maintain a 

positive safety culture in their work environments. 

This brochure was adapted from the NRC’s Final Safety 

Culture Policy Statement, published in the Federal Register 

on June 14, 2011 (76 FR 34773).

FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO:

http://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/safety-culture.html

FOR FEEDBACK AND QUESTIONS, SEND E-MAIL TO: 

external_safety_culture.resource@nrc.gov
SAFETY CULTURE POLICY STATEMENT 

The Safety Culture Policy Statement sets forth the U.S. 

Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (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. 

This policy statement 

applies to all licensees, 

certificate holders, permit 

holders, authorization 

holders, holders of 

quality assurance program approvals, vendors and 

suppliers of safety-related components, and applicants 

for a license, certificate, permit, authorization, or quality 

assurance program approval subject to NRC authority. 

In addition, the Commission encourages the Agreement 

States (States that assume regulatory authority over their 

own use of certain nuclear materials), their licensees, 

and other organizations interested in nuclear safety to 

support the development and maintenance of a positive 

safety culture within their regulated communities.

CONSIDERATION OF SAFETY 

AND SECURITY

Because safety and security are the primary pillars 

of the NRC’s regulatory mission, consideration of 

both is an underlying principle of the Safety Culture 

Policy Statement. Organizations should ensure that 

personnel in the 

safety and security 

sectors appreciate 

the importance of 

each, emphasizing the 

need for integration 

and balance to 

achieve both safety 

and security in their 

activities. 

BACKGROUND

The 1986 nuclear accident at the Chernobyl nuclear 

power plant in the Ukraine revealed the impact that 

weaknesses in safety culture can have on safety. 

Since then, the influence of safety culture has been 

further demonstrated by a number of significant 

events in the United 

States and internationally. 

Assessments of these 

events revealed that safety 

culture weaknesses were 

an underlying cause or 

increased the severity 

of problems. 

The NRC addressed aspects of safety culture in two 

previously issued policy statements. The “Policy 

Statement on the Conduct of Nuclear Power Plant 

Operations,” (published in 1989) states the NRC’s 

expectations that licensed operators and managers 

of nuclear power plants conduct themselves 

professionally to ensure safety. In 1996, the NRC 

published “Freedom of Employees in the Nuclear 

Industry to Raise Safety Concerns without Fear of 

Retaliation,” a policy 

statement that applies to 

the regulated activities 

of all NRC licensees 

and their contractors. It 

provides the expectation 

that licensees and 

employers subject to 

NRC authority establish 

and maintain work environments where employees 

feel free to raise safety concerns without fear of 

retaliation (referred to as a safety conscious work 

environment). 

IMPORTANCE FOR 

REGULATED ENTITIES 

Industry experience has shown the value of 

establishing and maintaining a positive safety 

culture. It is important to remember that individuals 

and organizations performing regulated activities 

bear the primary responsibility for safety and 

security. The Safety Culture Policy Statement is not 

a regulation; therefore, it is the regulated entities’ 

responsibility to consider how to apply this policy 

statement to its regulated activities. 

DEFINITION OF NUCLEAR 

SAFETY CULTURE

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. 

TRAITS OF A POSITIVE NUCLEAR 

SAFETY CULTURE

Experience has shown that certain personal and 

organizational traits are present in a positive safety culture. 

The following are traits of a positive safety culture:

Leadership Safety Values and Actions

Leaders demonstrate a commitment to safety in their 

decisions and behaviors.

Problem Identification and Resolution

Issues potentially impacting safety are promptly identified, 

fully evaluated, and promptly addressed and corrected 

commensurate with their significance.

Personal Accountability

All individuals take personal responsibility for safety.

Work Processes

The process of planning and controlling work activities is 

implemented so that safety is maintained.

Continuous Learning

Opportunities to learn about ways to ensure safety are 

sought out and implemented.

Environment for Raising Concerns

A safety conscious work environment is maintained where 

personnel feel free to raise safety concerns without fear of 

retaliation, intimidation, harassment, or discrimination.

Effective Safety Communication

Communications maintain a focus on safety.

Respectful Work Environment

Trust and respect permeate the organization.

Questioning Attitude

Individuals avoid complacency and continuously 

challenge existing conditions and activities in order 

to identify discrepancies that might result in error or 

inappropriate action.

There may be additional traits not included here that are also 

important in a positive safety culture. For instance, decision-making 

is included as a trait in the safety culture common language for 

the nuclear power industry (NUREG-2165, “Safety Culture 

Common Language”).