IAEA Training Course @ Argonne

Training Course on Integrated Management Systems and Developing of the Safety Culture

23 September - 4 October 2013

PROSPECTUS

Purpose

The purpose of the training course is to help current or future owners/operators, regulators, suppliers and other organisations connected to nuclear facilities and activities establish management systems that meet IAEA requirements. The course should help Member States embarking on, or expanding, a nuclear energy programme, develop, implement, assess and continually improve management systems that incorporate international best practices, enhance safety and improve quality management and quality assurance in all the phases of developing a nuclear power plant, from feasibility studies, to siting, design, construction, commissioning, operation, and decommissioning.

Expected Output(s)

The expected outputs are:
CD ROM of PowerPoint presentations and other workshop documents sharing information on challenges or issues and good practices or solutions from around the world, relating to establishing management systems for nuclear energy programmes and nuclear power plant (NPP) projects.
Meeting participants with enhanced understanding of management system design and implementation for NPP project management to enhance safety.
Meeting participants with greater knowledge and comprehension of what safety-focused management systems are, how they work, their value and importance, and how they function or operate in the real world. Feedback to help the Agency improve the guidance it provides through its publications and other services to Member States.

Scope and Nature

The training course will consist of lectures, presentations, discussions and practical implementation exercises in work groups organized along the following themes:

The basic processes for nuclear power programme management and the role of management systems

Using the milestone approach to develop the national infrastructure for nuclear power
Principles of project management and key success factors
The roles and responsibilities of senior management and other stakeholders or interested parties

Establishing a management system

The benefits of management systems
Establishing or identifying management system requirements for the different phases of the developing a national infrastructure for nuclear power
Integration of requirements; including managing codes, standards and regulatory requirements, including licences (authorizations and permits), and matters relating to safeguards and physical protection
Using a graded approach

Leadership and organisational culture

Management commitment
Roles, functions and competencies of leaders and managers
Identifying and resolving issues before construction starts
Using the management system to establish, support and promote a strong safety culture throughout all the phases of a nuclear power plant project

Stakeholder communication and management

Internal and external project communications
Interface with regulatory bodies and local authorities
Maintaining contractual communications
Using the management system to assure effective interface arrangements between interested parties:

Resource management

Managing long, global, supply chains
Human resource management and workforce planning for NPP construction
Human performance improvement
Providing a safe working environment
Knowledge management for the design and construction of a NPP fleet
Using equipment, work and material resource optimization (MRO), document, design change and materials/supply chain information systems to assure quality in NPP projects

Process management

Building quality into NPP project processes
Effective process management – challenges and solutions or best practices
Establishing robust procurement processes

Establishing procurement criteria;
Procurement planning;
Supplier qualification and selection (see also below under monitoring, measurement, assessment and improvement);
Bidding and bid evaluation;
Contracting;
Contract monitoring and enforcement;
Expediting of equipment and materials; and
Handling of warranty claims.

Using the management system to assure robust equipment and component manufacturing processes
Using the management system to assure robust plant construction, erection and installation processes

Monitoring, Measurement, Assessment and Improvement

Using the management system to monitor, measure, assess and improve the organisation, its processes, work and outcomes during all the phases of NPP projects, including:

Supervising the administration and execution of contracts
Supervising component manufacturing
Ensuring control and proper construction supervision at the plant site
Evaluating main contractor or subcontractors claims
Verifying compliance of design and manufacture with the established project requirements
Assessing the effectiveness of the equipment qualification programme
Establishing and using performance indicators for NPP projects

Conducting self-assessments, independent assessments, and management system reviews
Using the management system to learn lessons and improve safety and performance, particularly in the light of recent events in Japan

The training course also will discuss opportunities for participants to network and continue sharing information and good practices beyond the training event, as well as other potential future follow-up tasks and coordinated activities relating to management systems and improving quality management and quality assurance in nuclear power programmes and NPP project activities.

Background Information

A number of countries are either embarking on a new nuclear power programme and building their first nuclear power plant or expanding existing programmes. It is anticipated that, in spite of recent events in Fukushima, there will be a number of new nuclear power plants constructed around the world.

Many countries embarking on their first nuclear power programme do not fully appreciate the scope and complexity of such an undertaking. Furthermore, recent experience shows successfully managing nuclear power plant projects is a very challenging task, even for countries with existing nuclear power programmes and previous experience constructing and operating nuclear power plants.

There is a need to provide a forum for exchange of ideas, information, best practices, lessons learned, etc., on establishing effective, safety-focused management systems for nuclear power plant projects among the various interested parties in a given region and the world at large. Such exchanges or sharing offer Member States opportunities to learn from others, to enhance their capabilities, and hence to foster better and more successful nuclear power programmes and NPP projects that result in safe, operating nuclear power plants.

References

IAEA Safety Standards Series No. GS-R-3: The Management System for Facilities and Activities, IAEA, Vienna (2006)
IAEA Safety Standards Series No. GS-G-3.1: Application of the Management System for Facilities and Activities, IAEA, Vienna (2006).
IAEA Safety Standards Series No. GS-G-3.5: The Management System for Nuclear Installations, IAEA, Vienna (2009)
IAEA TECDOC 1555 Managing the First Nuclear Power Plant Project, IAEA, Vienna (2007)
IAEA Nuclear Energy Series Guide NG-G-2.1, Managing Human Resources in the Field of Nuclear Energy, Vienna (2009)
IAEA Draft Nuclear Energy Series Report NG-T-2.x, Improving Human Performance in Nuclear Facilities
IAEA Nuclear Energy Series, No. NG-G-3.1, Milestone in the Development of a National Infrastructure for Nuclear Power, IAEA, Vienna (2007)
IAEA TECDOC 1226, Managing Change in Nuclear Utilities, IAEA, Vienna (2001)
IAEA TECDOC 1321, Safety Culture in Nuclear Installations – Guidance for use in the enhancement of safety culture, IAEA, Vienna (2002)
IAEA Safety Report Series No. 69: Management System Standards: Comparison between IAEA GS-R-3 and ISO 9001:2000 [and ISO 9001:2008]
IAEA Safety Report Series No.70: Management System Standards: Comparison between IAEA GS-R-3 and ASME NQA-1-2008, 2009a Requirements
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS (ASME), Quality Assurance Requirements for Nuclear Facility Applications, ASME NQA-1-2008, 2009a, ASME, New York (2009)
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR STANDARDIZATION (ISO), Quality Management Systems: Requirements, ISO 9001:2000, ISO, Geneva (2000)
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR STANDARDIZATION (ISO), Quality Management Systems: Requirements, ISO 9001:2008 ISO, Geneva (2008)
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR STANDARDIZATION (ISO) Environmental Management Systems: Requirements with Guidance for Use, ISO 14001:2004, ISO, Geneva (2004)
BRITISH STANDARDS INSTITUTION (BSI), Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems: Requirements, OHSAS 18001:2007, BSI, London (2007)