What can we learn about “engineering thinking in extreme situations” from the testimony by the Fukushima Dai Ichi plant manager?

Abstract : The concept of engineering thinking in emergency situations addresses an epistemological gap in the field of safety sciences, following the accident at Fukushima Dai Ichi. Institutional bodies have not grasped the need to study the conditions in which the plant’s teams had to work to maintain the integrity of the facilities. However, an understanding of the situation as it unfolded is crucial to understanding the deci-sions taken by the actors during the crisis. It is clear that the description of the accident and its representa-tion, as it is presented in reports prepared by various official agencies fails in this respect. The testimony of Masao Yoshida, director of the plant, helps to fill in some gaps. Transcripts of his testimony provide detailed information that is key to understanding the sequence of events triggered by the earthquake and tsunami of 11 March, 2011. This article shows the importance of the study of his testimony and highlights the relationship between the management of the nuclear accident and the concept of engineering thinking in emergency situations.