Nuclear safety

This diagram demonstrates the defense in depth quality of nuclear power plants.
1st layer of defense is the inert, ceramic quality of the uranium oxide itself.
2nd layer is the air tight zirconium alloy of the fuel rod.
3rd layer is the reactor pressure vessel made of steel more than a dozen centimeters thick.
4th layer is the pressure resistant, air tight containment building.
5th layer is the reactor building or in newer powerplants a second outer containment building.

Nuclear safety covers the actions taken to prevent nuclear and radiation accidents or to limit their consequences.

Many nations utilizing nuclear power have special institutions overseeing and regulating nuclear safety.

Internationally the International Atomic Energy Agency "works for the safe, secure and peaceful uses of nuclear science and technology."

International Nuclear Events Scale
Probabilistic risk assessment
- Severe Accident Risks: An Assessment for Five U.S. Nuclear Power Plants NUREG-1150 1991
- Calculation of Reactor Accident Consequences CRAC-II 1982
- Rasmussen Report: Reactor Safety Study WASH-1400 1975
- The Brookhaven Report: Theoretical Possibilities and Consequences of Major Accidents in Large Nuclear Power Plants WASH-740 1957

v • d • e Nuclear technology
Nuclear engineering	Nuclear physics • Nuclear fission • Nuclear fusion • Radiation • Ionizing radiation • Atomic nucleus • Nuclear reactor • Nuclear safety • Nuclear chemistry
Nuclear material	Nuclear fuel • Fertile material • Thorium • Uranium • Enriched uranium • Depleted uranium • Plutonium
Nuclear power	Nuclear power plant • Radioactive waste • Fusion power • Future energy development • Inertial fusion power plant • Pressurized water reactor • Boiling water reactor • Generation IV reactor • Fast breeder reactor • Fast neutron reactor • Magnox reactor • Advanced gas-cooled reactor • Gas-cooled fast reactor • Molten salt reactor • Liquid-metal-cooled reactor • Lead-cooled fast reactor • Sodium-cooled fast reactor • Supercritical water reactor • Very high temperature reactor • Pebble bed reactor • Integral Fast Reactor • Nuclear propulsion • Nuclear thermal rocket • Radioisotope thermoelectric generator
Nuclear medicine	PET • Radiation therapy • Tomotherapy • Proton therapy • Brachytherapy
Nuclear weapons	History of nuclear weapons • Nuclear warfare • Nuclear arms race • Nuclear weapon design • Effects of nuclear explosions • Nuclear testing • Nuclear delivery • Nuclear proliferation • List of states with nuclear weapons • List of nuclear tests