Resilience engineering (RE) is the inherent capacity of a plant to cope with complex and unexpected events. The real challenge for RE is to recognize that complex systems are dynamic and that dynamic systems may sometimes change from a state of dynamic stability into a state of dynamic instability. This article explores RE based on safety culture indicators and managerial factors. In a plant survey we measured seven safety culture indicators and four management factors that are known to influence RE. We describe a simple survey method that can be used to identify deficiencies related to RE. For example, we found three major problems; that is, (a) poor safety training, (b) poor management of change, and (c) poor attitudes (looking for scapegoats and placing production ahead of safety). (C) 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog, 2012