It surprises me too, but I actually think that's fine. Lots of people have different skills and not everyone has to be the tech expert, as long as everyone acknowledges that it is an expertise and that that expertise deserves weight. But, most technical mistakes in an office setting don't result in serious injury or death, and that happens a lot in mechanics shops. People who decide whether dangerous machines are safe enough would need to have a higher level of technical professionalism than your average desk jockey.

I think that attitude is pretty common among people who make software that can get people killed (e.g. medical) but my experience is limited to a few secondhand conversations so I don't know how well-established that culture is. I've only ever worked on software that, if it failed, meant that a few people would get very upset and a bunch of people would get mildly upset, then we'd fix it and everyone would move on pretty quickly.