Abstract
This chapter reviews some of the literature, discuss the contributions of power-oriented approaches in safety science, and delineate some of the future challenges for power-oriented safety research. In 2009, Antonsen published an article called ‘Safety Culture and the Issue of Power’ in Safety Science. The dilemma between safety as an individual or collective phenomenon has been a troublesome issue for research on safety culture in particular. ‘Boundary processes’ refers to the meetings between cultural units and the way in which different frames of reference, areas of expertise, language and method conventions all influence the way ill-structured matters of safety and security are dealt with. Power is also a topic for research on safety regulation. Power distance refers to ‘perceptions of the superior’s style of decision-making and of colleagues’ fear to disagree with superiors, and with the type of decision-making which subordinates prefer in their boss’.