The Fukushima Daiichi Accident and its Impact on Risk Perception and Risk Communication

There is no question that the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in 2011, after the 9.0magnitude earthquake that shook Japan and the subsequent tsunami, had a major impact not only on the safety of the people and the environment surrounding the site, but also on Japanese economy due to the affectation on the energy and agriculture sectors. However, the effects of the accident extended beyond Japanese border and distorted public’s risk perception toward nuclear energy plants around the world. In order to ensure the continued operation of nuclear facilities, it is necessary to increase public trust by actions that lead to a generalized improvement in the safety at nuclear facilities and by a better risk communication with the public. Any person involved in Process Safety should contribute to increasing trust in regulatory agencies and risk management organizations based on sound science and effective risk communication practices.