The urgency of the action is in large part dependent upon the consequences: if you don’t take precautions against the weather and only get wet; that’s one thing — if you die; that’s another matter.
While many countries believe that efforts should be undertaken to prove an action or process is safe beforehand; in America, we are frequently in the position of having to prove something is unsafe after the fact.
And with powerful, rich, and well-connected interests: that can take a lot of proving.