Professional subcultures in nuclear power plants

• Published in: Safety science Vol. 59; pp. 78 - 85
• Main Authors: Rollenhagen, Carl, Westerlund, Joakim, Näswall, Katharina
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier India Pvt Ltd 01.11.2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: analysis of variance; Applied sciences; Biological and medical sciences; Confirmatory factor analysis; Cronbach alpha coefficient; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Exact sciences and technology; Exploratory factor analysis; Factor analysis; factorial analysis; feedback system; Fission nuclear power plants; General, economic and professional studies; human; Installations for energy generation and conversion: thermal and electrical energy; knowledge; Medical sciences; Miscellaneous; nuclear power plant; Nuclear power plants; nuclear safety; Occupational risks; Occupational safety; Organizational factors; Point of departures; priority journal; Professional aspects; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; questionnaire; Safety climate; Safety culture; Safety engineering; Staff. Occupational work. Work management. Control. Safety. Accidents. Professional diseases; Subcultures; Surveys; work environment; work experience; Sweden; Europe; Nuclear power plants; Safety climate; Safety culture; Subcultures; Organizational factors; Nuclear industry; Organization; Nuclear power plant; Subculture
• ISSN: 0925-7535; 1879-1042; 1879-1042
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ssci.2013.05.004

•The study explores plant safety cultures vs. professional safety subcultures at three nuclear power plants.•Differences between power plants and differences between departments were found for several factors.•Overall, the differences between departments were larger than those between power plants. Using a safety climate survey as the point of departure, the present study explores some aspects of plant cultures vs. professional subcultures in three Swedish nuclear power plants (named A, B and C). The ratings on the safety climate survey by workers on power plant A were subjected to an exploratory factor analysis. A six-factor solution explained a total of 56.0% of the variance in the items included. The six factors were considered to measure Safety management, Change management and experience feedback, Immediate working group, Knowledge and participation, Occupational safety, and Resources. The six factor model was tested by running a confirmatory factor analysis on the ratings by workers on power plant B and C, respectively. The model fit for both plants was acceptable and supported the six factor structure. For each of the six factors, a 3×3 ANOVA was conducted on the ratings, with the three largest departments (Operation, Maintenance, Engineering support) and power plants (A, B, C) as the between-subjects factors. Differences between power plants as well as differences between departments were found for several factors. Overall, the differences between departments were larger than those between power plants. The results are discussed in terms of challenges for creating safety climate in organizations that harbor several professional subcultures.