Human Factors Research and Nuclear Safety (1988) / Chapter Skim
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3. Research Methodology and Management
3. Research Methodology and Management
Pages 30-40
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From page 30... ...
can have important implications for incremental improvements on significant problems in the applied world. This means that one kind of applied research is the collection and synthesis of existing research results applicable to the nuclear power plant context.
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From page 31... ...
This does not necessarily mean sponsoring nuclearspecific research, but fostering through various means research on the sociobehavioral issues that are seen to have relevance to nuclear power plants. For example, the research base on measuring the quality of computer-based displays is thin.
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From page 32... ...
Timely research is always assisted by improvement in the quality of research archives. At our request the panel was supplied with a complete list of NRC human factors reports.
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From page 33... ...
Barriers to sociotechnical research applicable to the nuclear power plant world have as much to do with getting good researchers to address behavioral science problems with relevance to nuclear power plants as with having adequate funds for research. Part of taking the interaction between the human and technical systems seriously in nuclear power plant safety means that this access to realistic settings, to facilities such as simulators, and to people such as experienced operators must be greatly enhanced.
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From page 34... ...
If mechanisms to enhance researchers' access to facilities and people are put in place, the nuclear power plant will become an application world that offers exciting research possibilities from a scientific perspective that can at the same time produce results that will contribute to enhanced safety. Several important general problems arise when conducting research on complex human-machine systems.
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From page 35... ...
To summarize these points: the NRC and the nuclear industry should try to stimulate research activity in relevant areas of behavioral science, to use outside experts to track and synthesize this research with an eye to opportunities to apply the results to nuclear power plants, to use outside experts to maintain a coherent strategy for research needs on human-related issues, to improve the technical review of programs, to provide researchers access to nuclear power plant personnel and facilities, to sponsor the best people in the relevant behavioral areas, and to emphasize continuity and long-term progress in important areas. SOURCES AND USE OF EXISTING KNOWLEDGE Two major sources of knowledge contain information that is applicable to the problems of improving the human side of nuclear safety.
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From page 36... ...
on human factors standards are not systematically covered by current abstracting and indexing services or readily available from most libraries. Even less available is work on performance indicators developed by the Institute for Nuclear Power Operations (INPO)
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From page 37... ...
The development of the knowledge access and review mechanisms suggested here, if jointly undertaken by the NRC, DOE, EPRI, and INPO, represents an ideal opportunity for these institutions to cooperate with one another in an undertaking which does not threaten the integrity of any participant. Ongoing Programs Another major source of applicable information can be derived from a knowledge of the ongoing research programs and expertise of the institutions concerned with the human side of nuclear power safety.
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From page 38... ...
The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers has, through its Nuclear Power Engineering Committee (NPEC) , worked for several years on guidelines and standards activities.
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From page 39... ...
Given the work of DOE on inherently safe reactor designs and its role in identifying candidate systems for the next generation of nuclear power plants, there should be close and continuing cooperation between DOE and the NRC during the development of this program. For example, the panel learned at one of its briefings of a proposal for a small, inherently safe reactor that might allow one operator to control several units at a single site.
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