The main mission of this group is to improve the understanding and treatment of human and organisational factors within the nuclear industry in order to support the continued safety performance of nuclear installations and improve the effectiveness of regulatory practices in member countries. In order to advance these aims, the group:
The main mission of the NEA Working Group on Human and Organisational Factors (WGHOF) is to improve the understanding and treatment of human and organisational factors within the nuclear industry in order to support the continued safety performance of nuclear installations and improve the effectiveness of regulatory practices in member countries.
The working group shall report to the Committee on the Safety of Nuclear Installations (CSNI) and assist that committee with its work. The working group shall prepare an integrated plan for its activities consistent with the mandate as well as proposed CSNI safety issues and shall update this at regular intervals. The group will also collaborate with, and respond to requests from, the Committee for Nuclear Regulatory Activities (CNRA) and other CSNI working groups. The WGHOF programme of work will be approved by CSNI.
In delivering its mission, the WGHOF will seek to address the challenges identified in the joint CSNI/CNRA Strategic Plan and to implement the CSNI Operating Plan. The WGHOF will:
Constitute a forum for exchange of information and experience about safety-relevant human and organisational issues in member countries, thereby promoting co-operation and maintaining an effective and efficient network of experts.
Identify and prioritise current and emerging human and organisational safety issues.
Identify human and organisational factors methodologies and practices where further work and research are needed.
Identify those issues which appear most suitable to be addressed by the WGHOF in a co-ordinated way across the international community.
Facilitate international convergence on safety issues related to human and organisational factors and, where practicable, seek to develop a shared understanding and common positions on important issues.
Compare, and where possible, benchmark, practices and methodologies currently applied by member countries in the assessment of safety-relevant human and organisational issues.
Prepare technical reviews of human and organisational factors work where such reports are needed for further development and to assist the application of human and organisational factor methods in member countries.
Collaborate with, and support cross-cutting initiatives proposed by, other CSNI/CNRA groups. Ensure that CSNI, CNRA and other organisations are consulted as appropriate when potential cross-cutting work on human and organisational factors is proposed by the WGHOF.
Sponsor specialist meetings, workshops and other means of fostering international collaboration with nuclear and other industries, where appropriate, to further its objectives.
Andrew White