Culture of safety: Diablo contributes resources, money, jobs, and electricity to our community

As a South County resident and business owner who is interested in public safety, our local economy, water resiliency, and state electrical power capacity, I recently visited Diablo Canyon Power Plant (DCPP) for the first time.

I was impressed by their adherence to a culture of safety. My experience as a professional pilot has taught me that safety largely involves methodical compliance to a good process and training to have the capacity to respond to a variety of situations. From my first encounter with PG&E staff at the meeting location where we were given a safety briefing that included confirming who has and has not had CPR training, to compliance with the proper use of personal protective equipment, it is clear they are imbued with a safety-forward culture. The plant’s security protocols were visible and formidable, with escalating measures as we approached critical areas of plant operations. I was struck by such details as background checks a week prior to our tour date and guard towers with armed personnel tactically located to provide a clear line of sight to approaches to sensitive areas.

The facility itself is extensive, with its own fire department, control room simulator, environmental team, professional divers, a shooting range, and threat simulator utilized by both PG&E security personnel and our own SLO County Sheriff’s Office for training. I heard people on the shooting range both at the time of our entrance in the morning and again passing the facility in the afternoon when we departed the plant.

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View Original Publication: New Times