Safety culture in the Hanhikivi 1 project area

The COVID-19 pandemic caused extra challenges also for the safety culture work at the Hanhikivi 1 project area in 2020. Among other things, we were not able to continue normally with most work duties and events requiring face-to-face interaction, such as safety culture walks during which we observe and collect information about the safety culture at the construction site.

Regardless, we continued our close cooperation with RAOS Project and Titan-2 to develop the safety culture. We worked on improving processes at the project area and the transparency of decision-making, for example. Our goal is achieving a shared view of the operating methods in the project area in which all parties are committed, and a clear shared goal: a nuclear power plant that is safe and functional in all respects.

Finnish nuclear safety requirements are strict and demanding, which is also reflected in Fennovoima’s quality and safety goals and requirements. This makes working in the project area more complicated than in traditional construction projects. It is of utmost importance that the parties in the project area work together with a mutual understanding and are able to cooperate. This enables achievement of the set goals and requirements and also ensures that the methods used to achieve them support smooth and safe operations by all the parties in the project area and the progress of the project.

Even though the current working methods and systems still require some development, as they have been perceived as inflexible, the companies working in the project area understand that systematic and accurately instructed processes are used in order to ensure a high level of nuclear safety. Nuclear safety is the most important principle guiding the work and its development, the implementation of which is influenced by each person and company operating in the project area. Strong occupational health and safety and environmental safety practices in the project area already support the achievement of a high level of nuclear safety.

Areas requiring significant development have been observed in the project area safety culture in the past years, and the different parties have worked hard to improve these areas. The progress continued also in 2020, and we are heading in the right direction. The work is also facilitated by the fact that Fennovoima, RAOS Project and Titan-2 project area safety culture managers share a common view on how we want to promote the safety culture.

Work on safety means continuous improvement. Even though you can achieve the target state and maintain it, the work is never done. Furthermore, it takes time to change the safety culture. Being willing to do the work is the most important thing. Such an attitude will bear fruit and lead to the desired results over time.

Jesse Hakala
Safety Culture Specialist

Jesse Hakala has a master's degree in energy and environmental engineering. In his dissertation in 2018, Jesse assessed nuclear safety culture in the Hanhikivi 1 project area and has since worked as a safety culture expert at Fennovoima. Jesse enjoys climbing, hiking, guitar playing, and various ball games in his free time.