If deficient plants have been operated successfully for this long, the implication to me is that their operators have proven responsible enough to handle it.
A lack of air bags is not noticable until your car crashes.
A lack of air bags is not noticable until your car crashes.
The question is if we nevertheless deem them 'safe enough'.
It is, because it is also a tautology. To me it has no bearing over the point we're discussing.