improving safety culture through knowledge management in nuclear organizations · 2016-02-26 ·...

International Atomic Energy Agency

“Atoms for Peace” 2012“Improving Safety Culture through Knowledge

Management in Nuclear Organizations”

18 April 2012, Rome, Italy

Tatiana KARSEKANuclear Knowledge Management Section

Department of Nuclear Energy, IAEA


Contents:1. Knowledge Management (KM) and Safety

Culture (SC) Overview2.Interfaces between KM and SC3.Knowledge Issues that Challenge SC4.Interfaces between KM and SC5.KM Solutions for a Strong SC6.Good Practices 7.IAEA Examples

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Nuclear Safety Culture

• In nuclear organisations Safety Culture is usually defined as organization’s values and behaviours—modelled by its leaders and internalized by its members—that serve to make the safe operation of the nuclear installation the overriding priority (See INSAG 4, IAEA, 1991)

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Knowledge Management• The IAEA defines KM as an integrated,

systematic approach to identifying, acquiring, transforming, developing, disseminating, using, sharing, and preserving knowledge, relevant to achieving specified objectives.

• Safe and sustainable operation of a nuclear organization is one of the main objectives of KM initiatives in nuclear sector.

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EVOLUTION OF CONCEPTS

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DEFENCE IN DEPTH

SAFETY CULTURE

Knowledge Management

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IAEA Reference Model for Knowledge Management

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IAEA Reference Model for Safety Culture

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Other Reference Models:INPO Principles Cross-Cutting Areas

of NRCJANTI Principles

1. Everyone is personally responsible for nuclear safety.2. Leaders demonstrate commitment to safety.3. Trust permeates the organization.4. Decision-making reflects safety first.5. Nuclear technology is recognized as special and unique.6. A questioning attitude is cultivated.7. Organizational learning is embraced.8. Nuclear safety undergoes constant examination

Human Performance (4)Problem Identification and Resolution (3)Safety Conscious Work Environment (2) Accountability Continuous Learning Environment Organizational Change Management Safety Policies

First priority is safetyCommitment and Leadership of Top ManagementFramework to ensure SafetyEffective CommunicationsA questioning and Learning AttitudeRecognition of Potential RiskBlame tolerant Work Environment

And others…

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Interfaces between NKM and Safety Culture

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Technical Aspect

Social Aspect



• Organizational Culture (Trust, communication, motivation, ownership, willingness to share, Learning organization, Knowledge Focus in Organizational Culture)

• Integrated Management Systems (Policy, Recourse Management, Process Management , Review and Assessment, Improvement)


Knowledge Issues that Challenge Safety

• Poor quality of communications between the site staff and top management

• Formal attitude of top management towards safety culture• Degradation of Job-Site Knowledge• Declining Human Resources in Younger Generations• Maintenance and Upgrading of aging technology and

equipment, as well as challenges related to knowledge and experience transfer.

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• Sustainability of SC depends on competency and knowledge of the people.

• KM is critically important for SC.

• E.g. if a good team changes, it has impacts on operations.


Systematic Knowledge Management improves Safety Culture and Safety!

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KM for a Strong Safety Culture

• 1. Formal and informal information exchange – communication

• knowledge databases, content/document management systems, search engines, portals/intranet, wikis/blogs, skill/competency databases, expert yellow pages, Enterprise Resource Planning (EPR), other IT supporting systems, informal meetings…



• 2. Establishment of well-identified rules, procedures and/or standardized methods for routine activities and unusual occurrences –formalization

• corporative methodology that addresses learning from experience; conducting regular self-assessment, external benchmarking for adopting good industry practices; establishing internal and external feedback



• 3. Overall understanding, acknowledgement and follow of the stated organizational goals by personnel – goal prioritization

• KM policy is usually implemented to ensure succession of technical knowledge within an organization which is the key requirement for understanding safety risks and, as a result, reducing preconditions for an accident.



• 4. Personnel competence and extent to which plant personnel use their knowledge to identify potential problems – problem identification

• simulators, Computer-Based Training (CBT), multi-media simulations, etc., to capture/transfer critical knowledge; regular competence evaluation, refresher training, introduction of a formal human performance improvement programme, if applicable; use of coaching and mentoring approaches, informal meetings…



• 5. Clear definition of work activities and degree to which plant personnel carry out these work activities – role and responsibilities

• One of the main areas in KM is review and reformulation of organizational processes



• 7. Plant personnel understanding of plant design and systems, and the phenomena and events that bear on the safe and reliable operation of the plant – technical knowledge

• manage the risk of losing critical knowledge


Good Practices

• Regulator requirements on Safety Culture (NRC)


Good Practices

• Regular Knowledge Loss Risk Assessment (Slovenske Elektrarne)


Good Practices

• Systematic Knowledge Preservation Activities (South Texas Project)

24.04.2012


IAEA examples

• The IAEA Methodology and guidance for introducing systematic KM


IAEA examples

• Preserving Unique Knowledge (FRKOS, Knowledge Package on WWER RPV Embrittlement)


IAEA examples

• IAEA Advisory Services on NKM (Assist Visits)


Looking ahead• Nuclear Power requires very

specific competences, based on knowledge and understanding as well as on skills and behavior.

• Common nuclear safety culture is necessary world-wide in a variety of sectors, ranging from nuclear power and fuel-cycle industries to medical applications of ionising radiations.

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To take away:

• Safety is a condition for producing electricity; knowledge is a prerequisite for producing electricity safely

• KM is the practical and visible implementation of Safety Culture in a Nuclear Organization


THANK YOU

Questions?

“Atoms for Peace” 2012, Rome , April 16-18 24.04.2012

improving safety culture through knowledge management in nuclear organizations · 2016-02-26 ·...

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