The human contribution: unsafe acts, accidents and heroic recoveries

interference? Several alternative ways forward are outlined in terms of the answers that can be given to these questions. In the final chapter, managers responsible for running complex systems are offered a staged approach to building just culture in their organization and beyond. The proposal of immunity for certain types of unsafe act may raise a concern in some that just culture is about exonerating practitioners who fail. Much of the book is an argument against that position, but the most important observation in this connection is that a just culture leads to fewer failures. The perceived perspective of victims can also lead to reservations about just culture. This important issue could have been addressed with greater focus in the book. However, Dekker notes that just culture supports two priorities of victims: getting the story out following a failure and facilitating meaningful (organizational) change to prevent future accidents. Just Culture addresses a key dilemma in risk management in an authoritative and highly readable way. Central in Dekker’s approach is a move away from notions of objectivity and value-free truth in responding to the failures of practitioners to the recognition that decisions made in the aftermath of accidents are judgements reached through social processes. Also of great importance is the improvement-orientated perspective on accountability. These and other departures from current mainstream thinking about just culture do not lead to easy answers but avoid some of the weaknesses and criticisms associated with existing approaches. From this perspective, Dekker is able to lay out the beginnings of a credible path towards justice for practitioners and improved safety for everyone.