The narrative of the Fukushima Dai Ichi accident by the plant's supervisor: coping in extreme situations

On 11 March 2011, Fukushima Dai Ichi power plant is deprived of electricity due to an earthquake and a large-scale tsunami. The consequent accident is regarded as a major nuclear accident. Investigation reports and academic studies tried to explain the causes of the accident and to draw lessons to improve safety of nuclear buildings. These publications suggest preventive measures and use classical approaches to nuclear safety. However, the human aspect of real-time crisis management is not addressed enough. The concept of extreme situation refers to the unexpected, unimaginable and potentially destructive conditions in which the workers had to act. An extreme situation entails an overturning of the values and the representations and implies the implementation of strategies to overcome threats to the individuals' integrity. On the other hand, efforts carried out to reduce threats to one's well-being and to adapt to demanding situations are known in the literature as 'coping'. This research on coping at Fukushima Dai Ichi is based on the hearings of the plant's supervisor Masao Yoshida, by the Japanese Government's investigation Committee. The transcription of these hearings is considered a narrative of the Yoshida's life among a collective in an extreme situation. He depicts the evolution of his coping in an extreme situation. His efforts are first anticipating and focused on preserving the reactors, but he becomes progressively passive and desperate as the operations fail. His coping is then temporarily focused on his emotions. In addition to technical and operational elements, Yoshida emphasises the relational and human aspects of accident management. Constructing his narration enables him to rehabilitate his collective, by presenting himself as not only a member, but a spokesman of the group of isolated workers who saved Japan. The narrative function therefore allows him the reconstruction of his identity by struggling against the depreciation of his collective. This thesis demonstrates the usefulness of life narratives to analyse accidents. Life narratives give us access to the events as they are represented by the narrator. They give us indications on the representations, the emotions and the values that allow organisations to redefine their action in extreme situations. These dimensions are proven to be essential to understanding accident management and require the study of life narratives to be grasped. (author)