Normalization of deviance is best described as accepting small deviations that gradually become the norm.

• A. False
• B. True
• C. Not related to safety
• D. Only applicable to procedures

Answer: (B)

Normalization of deviance describes how small deviations from safe practices are tolerated, and over time those tolerated variances become the new normal. That makes the answer true because the concept is exactly about how creeping acceptance of shortcuts or minor irregularities erodes safety margins and increases the likelihood of a serious incident later on. When a workaround saves time or effort and no adverse outcomes are seen, people begin to treat it as acceptable, and the practice spreads throughout the organization. With enough drift, the organization operates with reduced safety barriers, so a real fault or a new failure becomes more dangerous.

This concept is squarely related to safety, not unrelated to it, and it can apply beyond just procedures—habits, equipment practices, and even decision-making processes can drift in the same way.