Analysis of Challenges to Nuclear Power Plant Safety Management: Finland, Sweden, and the European Context

This chapter provides an overview of the most important safety management challenges within the European nuclear power industry and explores the special characteristics of Finland and Sweden in the European context. The data were gathered as part of the LearnSafe project1 in 2002 and the SAFIR research programme2 in 2003-2004. The results suggest, in general, that challenges relative to human resource management and organizational climate and culture are regarded as most important in Europe. The major differences between Finland and Sweden relate to organizational climate and culture-related issues, which are more emphasised in Finland, and to the perceived importance of economic pressures and other external factors, which receive more attention in Sweden. The paper also establishes links between the key findings of the analysis and factors characterising the performance and the operating environment of the Nordic nuclear power plants. Finally the paper gives suggestions and recommendations for further research and action in the context of safety management.