Protection of the plant normally is not considered in discussion of safety principles. However, all safety authorities recognize the importance of a healthy safety culture to maintaining low plant risk (i. e. excellent plant safety). All safety culture begins with senior management. Protection of the plant investment is widely recognized as one of the fundamental responsi­bilities of senior management, usually by the plant’s shareholder(s). The operating organization must justify plant protection to the owner(s). Over time, congruence of these two management responsibilities may prove to be the single most important factor in assurance of real safety within and outside the plant at all times.

Protection of the plant includes protection against damage from external hazards. In the first instance, this falls within the scope of the owner’s invest­ment protection — for example against fire, flood, wind, earthquake and other natural phenomena. Protection of plant functions under these condi­tions is, of course, to be considered as one aspect of public and staff protection.