ABSTRACT
Since nothing is perfect in our constructed world, risks will always be with us. I am particularly concerned with those systems that can do a great deal of harm if they have accidents. Since people who build and run risky systems do not always play safe, governmental authorities seek to regulate risky systems. I will assume that practices that affect safety are the responsibility of management. If there is inadequate training of personnel, that is due to management; if corners are cut and safety provisions are ignored, that too is management’s responsibility. If there are insufficient resources to play safe, organizations with catastrophic potential should be shut down by top management. If safety regulations demanded by government are ignored, that too is the responsibility of management. At the end of this essay, I will examine the present concern with “self-regulation” and the strenuous effort of the Trump administration to do away with many regulations.
