Discussing the challenges of Operational Experience Feedback processes from the perspective of Psychodynamics of Work

Learning from operational experience and applying this knowledge promptly and intelligently is one of the ways to improve the safety of Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). Recent reviews of the effectiveness of Operational Experience Feedback (OEF) systems have pointed to the need for further improvement, with importance being placed on tailoring the information to the needs of the regulators. In 2007, at the request of a number of nuclear safety regulatory authorities in Europe, the Institute for Energy of the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (EC JRC) initiated a project on Nuclear Power Plant operational experience feedback, which adopts an integrated approach to the research needed to strengthen the European capabilities for assessment of NPP operational events and to promote the development of tools and mechanisms for the improved application of the lessons learned. Consequently, a so-called “European Clearinghouse” on NPP OEF was established, which includes scientific officers from the EC JRC, a number of European nuclear safety regulatory authorities and some of their Technical Support Organizations (TSOs). The paper discusses the activities implemented in 2008 within the framework of the European Clearinghouse on NPP OEF (hereinafter called the European NPP Clearinghouse) and provides an overview of the main conclusions drawn from the safety studies performed. Outlook of the activities carried out in 2009 are given.

European clearinghouse: Contributing factors to incidents related to reactivity management

Operational experience feedback in the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO)

Operational experience feedback in JET Remote Handling

Safety experience on EDF's PWRs

Since 2018, the AFCEN association for Design, Construction and In-Service Inspection Rules for Nuclear Island Components, defines and updates a strategic roadmap to better serve the project’s needs, for new constructions as well as for existing plants in France and abroad. In line with the strategic roadmap, the AFCEN Editorial Committee defines an editorial program covering all AFCEN Codes (RCC-CW, RCC-M, RCC-E, RCC-F, RCC-C, RSE-M, RCC-MRx), that is updated on a regular basis. The editorial program is developed along five axes: users’ needs, operational experience feedback, innovative practices, alignment with standards and regulations, and editorial improvement. Since 2018, a new edition of the RCC-M Code [1], “Design and Construction Rules for Mechanical Components of PWR Nuclear Islands” has been published every two years, to integrate the results of the editorial program. While the 2018 Edition of the RCC-M constituted a major revision of the Code for the compliance with French regulations for Nuclear Pressure Equipment, an extensive work has been carried out by the Working groups and Task groups to prepare the 2022 and 2024 editions, mainly to integrate the experience feedback from recent projects, including Flamanville 3 EPR. This paper presents the main evolutions introduced in the 2024 Edition, and the ongoing developments for the next edition. All fields covered by the Code are concerned: design and analysis rules, material procurement, fabrication, nondestructive testing, and qualification of active mechanical equipment.

Summary Report: Analysis of Maintenance Related Events - European Clearinghouse on Operational Experience Feedback

Flooding hazard is highly significant for nuclear power plant safety because of its potential for common cause impact on safety related systems, and because operating experience reviews regularly identify flooding as a cause of concern. Source of the flooding could be external (location) or internal (plant design). The amount of flooding water could vary but even small amount might suffice to affect redundant trains of safety related systems for power supply and cooling. The protection from the flooding is related to the design-basis flood level (DBFL) and it consists of three elements: structural, organizational and accessibility. Determination of the DBFL is critical, as Fukushima Daiichi accident terribly proved. However, as the topic of flooding is very broad, the scope of this paper is focused only on the issues related to the missing flood barriers. Structural measures are physically preventing flooding water to reach or damage safety related system, and they could be permanent or temporary. For temporary measures it is important to have necessary material, equipment and organizational capacity for the timely implementation. Maintenance is important for permanent protection and periodical review is important for assuring readiness and feasibility of temporary flooding protection. Final flooding protection element is assured accessibility to safety related systems during the flooding. Appropriate flooding protection is based on the right implementation of design requirements, proper maintenance and periodic reviews. Operating experience is constantly proving how numerous water sources and systems interactions make flooding protection challenging. This paper is presenting recent related operating experience feedback involving equipment, procedures and analysis. Most frequent deficiencies are: inadequate, degraded or missing seals that would allow floodwaters into safety related spaces. Procedures are inadequate typically because they underestimate necessary time or they do not provide sufficient instructions. Most of the events are related to deficiencies discovered during walk-down, review, maintenance and sometimes to incidents. Perhaps these lessons learned from recent events could help filling the missing gap to have most complete flooding protection. This paper presents results from the most recent activity related to the operational experience feedback for the nuclear power plant safety in the EC JRC Clearinghouse

The capitalisation of the know-how and experiences becomes a major issue of the industrial world, especially in large companies. Lesson learned techniques and experience capitalisation are possible methods for allowing the companies to increase their knowledge on their internal processes. This paper aims at presenting a study carried out with Alstom Transport on the “Experience Feedback” and “Lesson Learned” problems. We show how an Experience Feedback (EF) process, mainly aiming at transforming data into information, then information into knowledge, can benefit from an explicit modelling of concepts like role, competence and knowledge of the actors. We also show how these concepts may help to better identify the needs and potentialities of the actors, with a twofold goal: increasing the efficiency and acceptability of the EF system to be implemented on one hand, and improving the implication of the human resources in the technical processes on the other hand.Key wordsExperience feed-backRoleCompetenceKnowledge

Knowledge formalization in experience feedback processes: An ontology-based approach

Purpose: The primary aim of this study was to provide empirical evidence on how reward can trigger employees to act in a way that is in tandem with an organisation’s performance evaluation criteria in the service delivery sector. In addition, it examines how organisations can use reward to influence organisational commitment. Design/methodology/approach: A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was adopted. Primary data were collected using a structured questionnaire targeting the employees in the Nigerian public service sector. To test its hypotheses, the study used the data collected from 522 respondents in Nigeria Local Government (LG). Data were analysed on SPSS (version 20) using regression. Findings/results: The analysis of this study identifies reward to influence performance evaluation criteria and organisational commitment in the public service sector. The results obtained demonstrate that reward has a significant influence on organisational commitment. In addition, the reward system of an organisation was found to be a significant channel to reinforce the desired behaviours that inform performance criteria. Practical Implications: With the findings of this study it is concluded that reward is a key variable that can help the public service sector to become more effective and efficient. However, the use of reward by managers can make performance evaluation criteria worthy of appreciation by the employees, thereby increasing organisational commitment. Originality/value: This study revealed the dual role reward can play to influence employees’ organisational commitment, and the behaviours that organisations desire to reinforce in performance evaluation criteria. This is the first study that examined this relationship.

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to seek to provide support and extend work-family Border Theory (BT) in order to investigate organizational and individual factors that determine the complex nature of work-family balance (WFB).Design/methodology/approach– Qualitative research was conducted in a company in Greece. In total, 20 in-depth interviews were conducted. Data analysis was guided by interpretative phenomenological analysis.Findings– The key findings illustrate that strong borders protect the investigated, powerful, work domain and expand only to accommodate its’ needs. In congruence with BT, employees choose to be central participants in the powerful, highly impermeable and inflexibly bordered, work domain. The deeply entrenched organizational culture, as well as leaders’ behavior and leadership style, support the development of an array of positive work attitudes which boost central participation in the work domain. Due to the strongly bordered work setting, employees were found to choose segmentation as a WFB cope strategy; however, shifts in the participants’ life phase, as well as unfulfilled expectations, lead them to reset priorities and reevaluate their central participation in the dominant work domain.Practical implications– The present study has implications for HR practitioners. Communication and open discussions on work-family themes reveal issues that can positively contribute to WFB. Further to this, organizations need to consider individual differences when they deal with WFB issues and frame interventions to facilitate this process.Originality/value– This paper adds to current thinking in BT by illustrating that organizational culture, leadership and work attitudes have a strong impact on the nature of the work domain and its borders, as well as on employees’ central participation in the work setting and the attained WFB.

Management and assessment of performance risks for bioclimatic buildings

Experience modeling with graphs encoded knowledge for construction industry

Experience feedback for risk assessment in aeronautic buildings