A mature nuclear energy system includes a large number of people and related organizations. However, one finds that there is a common basic structure needed for successful conduct of any program. This is here identi­fied as the safety management system.

Nuclear safety in nuclear power programs 303 Safety management system

Maintaining and improving nuclear energy’s safety record requires careful attention to authorities and responsibilities so that safety responsibility is always placed only along with commensurate authority. Proper assignment of responsibility and authority is the very foundation of safety. Note that a very similar description of the roles of various groups in plant operation can be found in INSAG-13 (1999b).

The fact that safety is an operational matter places the operating company in the central position of safety responsibility. Figure 10.1 shows the rela­tionship between the operating company and the other major participants. This is not an organization chart, but is used to indicate the relationship of authority and responsibility between the main participants. The top report­ing relationship is to the public. Supporting roles are played by technocrats on one side and by bureaucracies on the other side — the safety tribunal authority and the safety performance regulator.