Social Sustainability
Safety Culture
Definition
Safety culture is the set of shared attitudes, values, norms and practices within an organisation that shape how safety is prioritised relative to other goals — how people actually behave when no one is watching. The concept rose to prominence after the Chernobyl disaster analysis; maturity models describe progression from pathological (denial) through reactive and calculative to generative cultures where safety is integral to all decisions. Safety climate denotes the measurable snapshot of that culture at a point in time.
References
This reference provides supporting context for how “Safety Culture” is defined and used.
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Overview
How it is used
The concept structures safety management systems, regulator assessments (nuclear, aviation, offshore), post-incident investigations and high-reliability organisation practice.
Why it matters
Procedures constrain behaviour only within the limits culture permits; safety culture is the deepest determinant of whether safety systems work.