Risk perception and safety targets for major accidents

The Safety and Reliability Directorate of the U.K. Atomic Energy Authority is currently (1987) conducting a re-examination of the risk to society arising from major accidents, and in particular major accidents that could potentially originate from the nuclear power industry. As part of this work, the criteria of safety have been reviewed and the definition of safety goals and safety targets to be met in different circumstances have been examined. Safety goals and targets must be clear to the design and operating side of the industry and to the regulatory authorities; however, they must also be understood by and broadly acceptable to decision makers and to the concerned public. The S.R.D. therefore invited the Environmental Risk Assessment Unit in the University of East Anglia to organise this Seminnar, to include a number of people in academic life who have studied different aspects of the perception of risks and of the factors that seem to argue for or against the acceptability of risks. The papers submitted to the Seminar by six invited speakers are printed in full; they have been slightly amended by the authors in the light of the discussion. A short account of the main points that emerged during the discussions is included at the end of the Report. (author)