On January 23, 2026, Hedwig Schregle (Gösgen-Däniken Nuclear Power Plant AG) and Alessia I. Bargetzi (Leibstadt Nuclear Power Plant AG) introduced students to the topic of "Safety Culture in HROs" as part of the CAS "Working Environment Nuclear Energy." 🎓
💡"High Reliability Organizations" are organizations that operate safely and with virtually no errors, even in highly complex and risky environments. They achieve this through a strong safety culture, continuous learning, and consistent risk management.
🔎 A key insight: When we talk about safety culture, it is less about technology or rules—it is more about people and their interaction with technology and organization. 👥⚙️🏢
The development of safety culture in nuclear energy clearly shows that, in addition to technical solutions, human factors and, in particular, organizational conditions are crucial for safe working.
👉 High safety performance is only possible where mistakes can be discussed openly. This requires a healthy error culture and psychological safety. Genuine teamwork is based on trust, a willingness to learn, and personal responsibility. In Swiss nuclear power plants, a culture of trust is therefore the basis for safe operation.
👉The MTO model makes it clear: people, technology, and organization mesh together like gears. ⚙️⚙️⚙️
If one of these elements changes—for example, due to technical innovations or digitalization—the others must evolve as well. Safety can only be achieved if this interaction is actively shaped.
Equally important is a culture of error and learning: in complex systems, events are rarely attributable to individuals, but rather to a chain of circumstances. Teams that talk openly about mistakes, deviations, and learning points are more successful in the long term – and safer.
Safety culture is not a state, but a continuous process – supported by leadership, communication, trust, and learning. 🤝🪴
🔎 Further information about CAS:
CAS Working Environment Nuclear Energy | BFH
