48 CFR 923.7001 - Nuclear safety.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Nuclear safety. 923.7001 Section 923.7001 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS... Programs 923.7001 Nuclear safety. The DOE regulates the nuclear safety of its major facilities under its...

48 CFR 923.7001 - Nuclear safety.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Nuclear safety. 923.7001 Section 923.7001 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS... Programs 923.7001 Nuclear safety. The DOE regulates the nuclear safety of its major facilities under its...

48 CFR 923.7001 - Nuclear safety.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Nuclear safety. 923.7001 Section 923.7001 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS... Programs 923.7001 Nuclear safety. The DOE regulates the nuclear safety of its major facilities under its...

48 CFR 923.7001 - Nuclear safety.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Nuclear safety. 923.7001 Section 923.7001 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS... Programs 923.7001 Nuclear safety. The DOE regulates the nuclear safety of its major facilities under its...

Annual report to Congress: Department of Energy activities relating to the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, Calendar Year 1999

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2000-02-01

This is the tenth Annual Report to the Congress describing Department of Energy activities in response to formal recommendations and other interactions with the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (Board). The Board, an independent executive-branch agency established in 1988, provides advice and recommendations to the Secretary of Energy regarding public health and safety issues at the Department's defense nuclear facilities. The Board also reviews and evaluates the content and implementation of health and safety standards, as well as other requirements, relating to the design, construction, operation, and decommissioning of the Department's defense nuclear facilities. During 1999, Departmental activities resulted inmore » the closure of nine Board recommendations. In addition, the Department has completed all implementation plan milestones associated with three Board recommendations. One new Board recommendation was received and accepted by the Department in 1999, and a new implementation plan is being developed to address this recommendation. The Department has also made significant progress with a number of broad-based initiatives to improve safety. These include expanded implementation of integrated safety management at field sites, opening of a repository for long-term storage of transuranic wastes, and continued progress on stabilizing excess nuclear materials to achieve significant risk reduction.« less

Manned space flight nuclear system safety. Volume 1: base nuclear system safety

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

The mission and terrestrial nuclear safety aspects of future long duration manned space missions in low earth orbit are discussed. Nuclear hazards of a typical low earth orbit Space Base mission (from natural sources and on-board nuclear hardware) have been identified and evaluated. Some of the principal nuclear safety design and procedural considerations involved in launch, orbital, and end of mission operations are presented. Areas of investigation include radiation interactions with the crew, subsystems, facilities, experiments, film, interfacing vehicles, nuclear hardware and the terrestrial populace. Results of the analysis indicate: (1) the natural space environment can be the dominant radiation source in a low earth orbit where reactors are effectively shielded, (2) with implementation of safety guidelines the reactor can present a low risk to the crew, support personnel, the terrestrial populace, flight hardware and the mission, (3) ten year missions are feasible without exceeding integrated radiation limits assigned to flight hardware, and (4) crew stay-times up to one year are feasible without storm shelter provisions.

Space nuclear safety from a user's viewpoint

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Campbell, R. W.

1985-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) launched the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's (JPL) two Voyager spacecraft to Jupiter in 1977, each using three radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs) supplied by the Department of Energy (DOE) for onboard electric power. In 1986 NASA will launch JPL's Galileo spacecraft to Jupiter equipped with two DOE supplied RTGs of an improved design. NASA and JPL are also responsible for obtaining a single RTG of this type from DOE and supplying it to the European Space Agency as part of its participation in the International Solar Polar Mission. As a result of these missions, JPL has been deeply involved in space nuclear safety as a user. This paper will give a brief review of the user contributions by JPL - and NASA in general - to the nuclear safety processes and relate them to the overall nuclear safety program necessary for the launch of an RTG. The two major safety areas requiring user support are the ground operations involving RTGs at the launch site and the failure modes and probabilities associated with launch accidents.

Advanced research workshop: nuclear materials safety

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jardine, L J; Moshkov, M M

The Advanced Research Workshop (ARW) on Nuclear Materials Safety held June 8-10, 1998, in St. Petersburg, Russia, was attended by 27 Russian experts from 14 different Russian organizations, seven European experts from six different organizations, and 14 U.S. experts from seven different organizations. The ARW was conducted at the State Education Center (SEC), a former Minatom nuclear training center in St. Petersburg. Thirty-three technical presentations were made using simultaneous translations. These presentations are reprinted in this volume as a formal ARW Proceedings in the NATO Science Series. The representative technical papers contained here cover nuclear material safety topics on themore » storage and disposition of excess plutonium and high enriched uranium (HEU) fissile materials, including vitrification, mixed oxide (MOX) fuel fabrication, plutonium ceramics, reprocessing, geologic disposal, transportation, and Russian regulatory processes. This ARW completed discussions by experts of the nuclear materials safety topics that were not covered in the previous, companion ARW on Nuclear Materials Safety held in Amarillo, Texas, in March 1997. These two workshops, when viewed together as a set, have addressed most nuclear material aspects of the storage and disposition operations required for excess HEU and plutonium. As a result, specific experts in nuclear materials safety have been identified, know each other from their participation in t he two ARW interactions, and have developed a partial consensus and dialogue on the most urgent nuclear materials safety topics to be addressed in a formal bilateral program on t he subject. A strong basis now exists for maintaining and developing a continuing dialogue between Russian, European, and U.S. experts in nuclear materials safety that will improve the safety of future nuclear materials operations in all the countries involved because of t he positive synergistic effects of focusing these diverse backgrounds

Annual report to Congress: Department of Energy activities relating to the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, calendar year 1998

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1999-02-01

This is the ninth Annual Report to the Congress describing Department of Energy (Department) activities in response to formal recommendations and other interactions with the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (Board). The Board, an independent executive-branch agency established in 1988, provides advice and recommendations to the Secretary of energy regarding public health and safety issues at the Department`s defense nuclear facilities. The Board also reviews and evaluates the content and implementation of health and safety standards, as well as other requirements, relating to the design, construction, operation, and decommissioning of the Department`s defense nuclear facilities. The locations of the majormore » Department facilities are provided. During 1998, Departmental activities resulted in the proposed closure of one Board recommendation. In addition, the Department has completed all implementation plan milestones associated with four other Board recommendations. Two new Board recommendations were received and accepted by the Department in 1998, and two new implementation plans are being developed to address these recommendations. The Department has also made significant progress with a number of broad-based initiatives to improve safety. These include expanded implementation of integrated safety management at field sites, a renewed effort to increase the technical capabilities of the federal workforce, and a revised plan for stabilizing excess nuclear materials to achieve significant risk reduction.« less

10 CFR 72.124 - Criteria for nuclear criticality safety.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Criteria for nuclear criticality safety. 72.124 Section 72.124 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE INDEPENDENT STORAGE OF SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL, HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND REACTOR-RELATED GREATER THAN CLASS C...

10 CFR 72.124 - Criteria for nuclear criticality safety.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Criteria for nuclear criticality safety. 72.124 Section 72.124 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE INDEPENDENT STORAGE OF SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL, HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND REACTOR-RELATED GREATER THAN CLASS C...

10 CFR 72.124 - Criteria for nuclear criticality safety.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Criteria for nuclear criticality safety. 72.124 Section 72.124 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE INDEPENDENT STORAGE OF SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL, HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND REACTOR-RELATED GREATER THAN CLASS C...

10 CFR 72.124 - Criteria for nuclear criticality safety.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Criteria for nuclear criticality safety. 72.124 Section 72.124 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE INDEPENDENT STORAGE OF SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL, HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND REACTOR-RELATED GREATER THAN CLASS C...

10 CFR 72.124 - Criteria for nuclear criticality safety.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Criteria for nuclear criticality safety. 72.124 Section 72.124 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE INDEPENDENT STORAGE OF SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL, HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND REACTOR-RELATED GREATER THAN CLASS C...

Nuclear criticality safety: 5-day training course

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schlesser, J.A.

1992-11-01

This compilation of notes is presented as a source reference for the criticality safety course. It represents the contributions of many people, particularly Tom McLaughlin, the course's primary instructor. At the completion of this training course, the attendee will: be able to define terms commonly used in nuclear criticality safety; be able to appreciate the fundamentals of nuclear criticality safety; be able to identify factors which affect nuclear criticality safety; be able to identify examples of criticality controls as used at Los Alamos; be able to identify examples of circumstances present during criticality accidents; be able to identify examples ofmore » computer codes used by the nuclear criticality safety specialist; be able to identify examples of safety consciousness required in nuclear criticality safety.« less

Radiation Safety in Nuclear Medicine Procedures.

PubMed

Cho, Sang-Geon; Kim, Jahae; Song, Ho-Chun

2017-03-01

Since the nuclear disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in 2011, radiation safety has become an important issue in nuclear medicine. Many structured guidelines or recommendations of various academic societies or international campaigns demonstrate important issues of radiation safety in nuclear medicine procedures. There are ongoing efforts to fulfill the basic principles of radiation protection in daily nuclear medicine practice. This article reviews important principles of radiation protection in nuclear medicine procedures. Useful references, important issues, future perspectives of the optimization of nuclear medicine procedures, and diagnostic reference level are also discussed.

The Interagency Nuclear Safety Review Panel's Galileo safety evaluation report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nelson, R.C.; Gray, L.B.; Huff, D.A.

The safety evaluation report (SER) for Galileo was prepared by the Interagency Nuclear Safety Review Panel (INSRP) coordinators in accordance with Presidential directive/National Security Council memorandum 25. The INSRP consists of three coordinators appointed by their respective agencies, the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy (DOE), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). These individuals are independent of the program being evaluated and depend on independent experts drawn from the national technical community to serve on the five INSRP subpanels. The Galileo SER is based on input provided by the NASA Galileo Program Office, review and assessment ofmore » the final safety analysis report prepared by the Office of Special Applications of the DOE under a memorandum of understanding between NASA and the DOE, as well as other related data and analyses. The SER was prepared for use by the agencies and the Office of Science and Technology Policy, Executive Office of the Present for use in their launch decision-making process. Although more than 20 nuclear-powered space missions have been previously reviewed via the INSRP process, the Galileo review constituted the first review of a nuclear power source associated with launch aboard the Space Transportation System.« less

Guideline for the utilization of commercial grade items in nuclear safety related applications: Final report. [Contains Glossary

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tulay, M.P.; Yurich, F.J.; Schremser, F.M. Jr.

1988-06-01

This guideline provides direction for the procurement and use of Commercial Grade Items (CGI)in safety-related applications. It is divided into five major sections. A glossary of terms and definitions, an acronym listing, and seven appendices have been included. The glossary defines terms used in this guideline. In certain instances, the definitions may be unique to this guideline. Identification of acronyms utilized in this guideline is also provided. Section 1 provides a background of the commercial grade item issues facing the nuclear industry. It provides a historical perspective of commercial grade item issues. Section 2 discusses the generic process for themore » acceptance of a commercial grade item for safety-related use. Section 3 defines the four distinct methods used to accept commercial grade items for safety-related applications. Section 4 lists specific references that are identified in this guideline. Section 5 is a bibliography of documents that were considered in developed this guideline, but were not directly referenced in the document.« less

NASA safety program activities in support of the Space Exploration Initiatives Nuclear Propulsion program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sawyer, J. C., Jr.

1993-01-01

The activities of the joint NASA/DOE/DOD Nuclear Propulsion Program Technical Panels have been used as the basis for the current development of safety policies and requirements for the Space Exploration Initiatives (SEI) Nuclear Propulsion Technology development program. The Safety Division of the NASA Office of Safety and Mission Quality has initiated efforts to develop policies for the safe use of nuclear propulsion in space through involvement in the joint agency Nuclear Safety Policy Working Group (NSPWG), encouraged expansion of the initial policy development into proposed programmatic requirements, and suggested further expansion into the overall risk assessment and risk management process for the NASA Exploration Program. Similar efforts are underway within the Department of Energy to ensure the safe development and testing of nuclear propulsion systems on Earth. This paper describes the NASA safety policy related to requirements for the design of systems that may operate where Earth re-entry is a possibility. The expected plan of action is to support and oversee activities related to the technology development of nuclear propulsion in space, and support the overall safety and risk management program being developed for the NASA Exploration Program.

Nuclear Data Activities in Support of the DOE Nuclear Criticality Safety Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Westfall, R. M.; McKnight, R. D.

2005-05-01

The DOE Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP) provides the technical infrastructure maintenance for those technologies applied in the evaluation and performance of safe fissionable-material operations in the DOE complex. These technologies include an Analytical Methods element for neutron transport as well as the development of sensitivity/uncertainty methods, the performance of Critical Experiments, evaluation and qualification of experiments as Benchmarks, and a comprehensive Nuclear Data program coordinated by the NCSP Nuclear Data Advisory Group (NDAG). The NDAG gathers and evaluates differential and integral nuclear data, identifies deficiencies, and recommends priorities on meeting DOE criticality safety needs to the NCSP Criticality Safety Support Group (CSSG). Then the NDAG identifies the required resources and unique capabilities for meeting these needs, not only for performing measurements but also for data evaluation with nuclear model codes as well as for data processing for criticality safety applications. The NDAG coordinates effort with the leadership of the National Nuclear Data Center, the Cross Section Evaluation Working Group (CSEWG), and the Working Party on International Evaluation Cooperation (WPEC) of the OECD/NEA Nuclear Science Committee. The overall objective is to expedite the issuance of new data and methods to the DOE criticality safety user. This paper describes these activities in detail, with examples based upon special studies being performed in support of criticality safety for a variety of DOE operations.

IDNS: The Illinois Nuclear Safety Agency

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gallina, C.O.

The Illinois Department of Nuclear Safety (IDNS) is one of only two cabinet-level state agencies in the United States devoted exclusively to nuclear and radiation safety. It was established in 1980 by then Gov. James Thompson in response to the 1979 accident at Three Mile Island-2, so the state would be prepared in case of a similar accident at an Illinois nuclear power facility. There are 13 commercial nuclear reactors at seven sites in Illinois, more than in any other state. If Illinois were a country, it would be seventh in the world in the amount of nuclear-generated electricity, andmore » second in the percentage of electricity produced by nuclear power. The state also has several major nonreactor nuclear facilities. 9 refs.« less

Nuclear Powerplant Safety: Design and Planning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Department of Energy, Washington, DC. Nuclear Energy Office.

The most important concern in the design, construction and operation of nuclear powerplants is safety. Nuclear power is one of the major contributors to the nation's supply of electricity; therefore, it is important to assure its safe use. Each different type of powerplant has special design features and systems to protect health and safety. One…

Manned space flight nuclear system safety. Volume 3: Reactor system preliminary nuclear safety analysis. Part 3: Nuclear Safety Analysis Document (NSAD)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

Nuclear safety analysis as applied to a space base mission is presented. The nuclear safety analysis document summarizes the mission and the credible accidents/events which may lead to nuclear hazards to the general public. The radiological effects and associated consequences of the hazards are discussed in detail. The probability of occurrence is combined with the potential number of individuals exposed to or above guideline values to provide a measure of accident and total mission risk. The overall mission risk has been determined to be low with the potential exposure to or above 25 rem limited to less than 4 individuals per every 1000 missions performed. No radiological risk to the general public occurs during the prelaunch phase at KSC. The most significant risks occur from prolonged exposure to reactor debris following land impact generally associated with the disposal phase of the mission where fission product inventories can be high.

The Department of Energy Nuclear Criticality Safety Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Felty, James R.

2005-05-01

This paper broadly covers key events and activities from which the Department of Energy Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP) evolved. The NCSP maintains fundamental infrastructure that supports operational criticality safety programs. This infrastructure includes continued development and maintenance of key calculational tools, differential and integral data measurements, benchmark compilation, development of training resources, hands-on training, and web-based systems to enhance information preservation and dissemination. The NCSP was initiated in response to Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board Recommendation 97-2, Criticality Safety, and evolved from a predecessor program, the Nuclear Criticality Predictability Program, that was initiated in response to Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board Recommendation 93-2, The Need for Critical Experiment Capability. This paper also discusses the role Dr. Sol Pearlstein played in helping the Department of Energy lay the foundation for a robust and enduring criticality safety infrastructure.

NSPWG-recommended safety requirements and guidelines for SEI nuclear propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marshall, Albert C.; Sawyer, J. C., Jr.; Bari, Robert A.; Brown, Neil W.; Cullingford, Hatice S.; Hardy, Alva C.; Lee, James H.; Mcculloch, William H.; Niederauer, George F.; Remp, Kerry

1992-01-01

An interagency Nuclear Safety Policy Working Group (NSPWG) was chartered to recommend nuclear safety policy, requirements, and guidelines for the Space Exploration Initiative (SEI) nuclear propulsion program to facilitate the implementation of mission planning and conceptual design studies. The NSPWG developed a top-level policy to provide the guiding principles for the development and implementation of the nuclear propulsion safety program and the development of safety functional requirements. In addition, the NSPWG reviewed safety issues for nuclear propulsion and recommended top-level safety requirements and guidelines to address these issues. Safety requirements were developed for reactor start-up, inadvertent criticality, radiological release and exposure, disposal, entry, and safeguards. Guidelines were recommended for risk/reliability, operational safety, flight trajectory and mission abort, space debris and meteoroids, and ground test safety. In this paper the specific requirements and guidelines will be discussed.

Annual report to Congress. Department of Energy activities relating to the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, calendar year 2000

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2001-03-01

This Annual Report to the Congress describes the Department of Energy's activities in response to formal recommendations and other interactions with the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board. During 2000, the Department completed its implementation and proposed closure of one Board recommendation and completed all implementation plan milestones associated with two additional Board recommendations. Also in 2000, the Department formally accepted two new Board recommendations and developed implementation plans in response to those recommendations. The Department also made significant progress with a number of broad-based safety initiatives. These include initial implementation of integrated safety management at field sites and within headquartersmore » program offices, issuance of a nuclear safety rule, and continued progress on stabilizing excess nuclear materials to achieve significant risk reduction.« less

A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS BETWEEN FRANCE AND JAPAN ON LOCAL GOVERNMENTS' INVOLVEMENT IN NUCLEAR SAFETY GOVERNANCE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sugawara, Shin-Etsu; Shiroyama, Hideaki

This paper shows a comparative analysis between France and Japan on the way of the local governments' involvement in nuclear safety governance through some interviews. In France, a law came into force that requires related local governments to establish "Commision Locale d'Information" (CLI), which means the local governments officially involve in nuclear regulatory activity. Meanwhile, in Japan, related local governments substantially involve in the operation of nuclear facilities through the "safety agreements" in spite of the lack of legal authority. As a result of comparative analysis, we can point out some institutional input from French cases as follows: to clarify the local governments' roles in the nuclear regulation system, to establish the official channels of communication among nuclear utilities, national regulatory authorities and local governments, and to stipulate explicitly the transparency as a purpose of safety regulation.

Information Services at the Nuclear Safety Analysis Center.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simard, Ronald

This paper describes the operations of the Nuclear Safety Analysis Center. Established soon after an accident at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, its efforts were initially directed towards a detailed analysis of the accident. Continuing functions include: (1) the analysis of generic nuclear safety issues,…

Manned space flight nuclear system safety. Volume 6: Space base nuclear system safety plan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

A qualitative identification of the steps required to assure the incorporation of radiological system safety principles and objectives into all phases of a manned space base program are presented. Specific areas of emphasis include: (1) radiological program management, (2) nuclear system safety plan implementation, (3) impact on program, and (4) summary of the key operation and design guidelines and requirements. The plan clearly indicates the necessity of considering and implementing radiological system safety recommendations as early as possible in the development cycle to assure maximum safety and minimize the impact on design and mission plans.

Major safety provisions in nuclear-powered ships

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Khlopkin, N.S.; Belyaev, V.M.; Dubrovin, A.M.

1984-12-01

Considerable experience has been accumulated in the Soviet Union on the design, construction and operation of nuclear-powered civilian ships: the icebreakers Lenin, Leonid Brezhnev and Sibir. The nuclear steam plants (NSP) used on these as the main energy source have been found to be highly reliable and safe, and it is desirable to use them in the future not only in icebreakers but also in transport ships for use in ice fields. The Soviet program for building and developing nuclear-powered ships has involved careful attention to safety in ships containing NSP. The experience with the design and operation of nuclearmore » icebreakers in recent years has led to the revision of safety standards for the nuclear ships and correspondingly ship NSP and international guidelines have been developed. If one meets the requirements as set forth in these documents, one has a safe basis for future Soviet nuclear-powered ships. The primary safety provisions for NSP are presented in this paper.« less

The Demands of Nuclear Safety: Mishaps and USSTRATCOM

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-01

maintenance operation—the unexpected will occur. Scott D. Sagan On 30 August 2007 the unexpected occurred. Ironically, the safety problem did... Sagan , The Limits of Safety: Organizations, Accidents, and Nuclear Weapons (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1993), 14, 48. 39 Sagan , Limits...1 Scott D. Sagan , The Limits of Safety: Organizations, Accidents, and Nuclear Weapons (Princeton, NJ: Princeton

Safety Oversight of Decommissioning Activities at DOE Nuclear Sites

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zull, Lawrence M.; Yeniscavich, William

2008-01-15

The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (Board) is an independent federal agency established by Congress in 1988 to provide nuclear safety oversight of activities at U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) defense nuclear facilities. The activities under the Board's jurisdiction include the design, construction, startup, operation, and decommissioning of defense nuclear facilities at DOE sites. This paper reviews the Board's safety oversight of decommissioning activities at DOE sites, identifies the safety problems observed, and discusses Board initiatives to improve the safety of decommissioning activities at DOE sites. The decommissioning of former defense nuclear facilities has reduced the risk of radioactive materialmore » contamination and exposure to the public and site workers. In general, efforts to perform decommissioning work at DOE defense nuclear sites have been successful, and contractors performing decommissioning work have a good safety record. Decommissioning activities have recently been completed at sites identified for closure, including the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site, the Fernald Closure Project, and the Miamisburg Closure Project (the Mound site). The Rocky Flats and Fernald sites, which produced plutonium parts and uranium materials for defense needs (respectively), have been turned into wildlife refuges. The Mound site, which performed R and D activities on nuclear materials, has been converted into an industrial and technology park called the Mound Advanced Technology Center. The DOE Office of Legacy Management is responsible for the long term stewardship of these former EM sites. The Board has reviewed many decommissioning activities, and noted that there are valuable lessons learned that can benefit both DOE and the contractor. As part of its ongoing safety oversight responsibilities, the Board and its staff will continue to review the safety of DOE and contractor decommissioning activities at DOE defense nuclear sites.« less

76 FR 42686 - DOE Response to Recommendation 2011-1 of the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, Safety...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-19

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY DOE Response to Recommendation 2011-1 of the Defense Nuclear Facilities... Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, Office of Health, Safety and Security, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000... Department of Energy (DOE) acknowledges receipt of Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (Board...

NUCLEAR NONPROLIFERATION AND SAFETY: Challenges Facing the International Atomic Energy Agency.

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-09-01

safeguards), and the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident have focused greater attention on nuclear proliferation and the safety of nuclear power... Chernobyl , IAEA has placed increasing emphasis on assisting member states in improving the safety of nuclear power plants. Despite funding shortfalls...report language, GAO has incorporated their comments where appropriate. 2Nuclear Power Safety: Chernobyl Accident Prompted Worldwide Actions but

Nuclear power: levels of safety.

PubMed

Lidsky, L M

1988-02-01

The rise and fall of the nuclear power industry in the United States is a well-documented story with enough socio-technological conflict to fill dozens of scholarly, and not so scholarly, books. Whatever the reasons for the situation we are now in, and no matter how we apportion the blame, the ultimate choice of whether to use nuclear power in this country is made by the utilities and by the public. Their choices are, finally, based on some form of risk-benefit analysis. Such analysis is done in well-documented and apparently logical form by the utilities and in a rather more inchoate but not necessarily less accurate form by the public. Nuclear power has failed in the United States because both the real and perceived risks outweigh the potential benefits. The national decision not to rely upon nuclear power in its present form is not an irrational one. A wide ranging public balancing of risk and benefit requires a classification of risk which is clear and believable for the public to be able to assess the risks associated with given technological structures. The qualitative four-level safety ladder provides such a framework. Nuclear reactors have been designed which fit clearly and demonstrably into each of the possible qualitative safety levels. Surprisingly, it appears that safer may also mean cheaper. The intellectual and technical prerequisites are in hand for an important national decision. Deployment of a qualitatively different second generation of nuclear reactors can have important benefits for the United States. Surprisingly, it may well be the "nuclear establishment" itself, with enormous investments of money and pride in the existing nuclear systems, that rejects second generation reactors. It may be that we will not have a second generation of reactors until the first generation of nuclear engineers and nuclear power advocates has retired.

Safety aspects of nuclear waste disposal in space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rice, E. E.; Edgecombe, D. S.; Compton, P. R.

1981-01-01

Safety issues involved in the disposal of nuclear wastes in space as a complement to mined geologic repositories are examined as part of an assessment of the feasibility of nuclear waste disposal in space. General safety guidelines for space disposal developed in the areas of radiation exposure and shielding, containment, accident environments, criticality, post-accident recovery, monitoring systems and isolation are presented for a nuclear waste disposal in space mission employing conventional space technology such as the Space Shuttle. The current reference concept under consideration by NASA and DOE is then examined in detail, with attention given to the waste source and mix, the waste form, waste processing and payload fabrication, shipping casks and ground transport vehicles, launch site operations and facilities, Shuttle-derived launch vehicle, orbit transfer vehicle, orbital operations and space destination, and the system safety aspects of the concept are discussed for each component. It is pointed out that future work remains in the development of an improved basis for the safety guidelines and the determination of the possible benefits and costs of the space disposal option for nuclear wastes.

An interagency space nuclear propulsion safety policy for SEI - Issues and discussion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marshall, A. C.; Sawyer, J. C., Jr.

1991-01-01

An interagency Nuclear Safety Policy Working Group (NSPWG) was chartered to recommend nuclear safety policy, requirements, and guidelines for the Space Exploration Initiative nuclear propulsion program to facilitate the implementation of mission planning and conceptual design studies. The NSPWG developed a top level policy to provide the guiding principles for the development and implementation of the nuclear propulsion safety program and the development of Safety Functional Requirements. In addition, the NSPWG reviewed safety issues for nuclear propulsion and recommended top level safety requirements and guidelines to address these issues. Safety topics include reactor start-up, inadvertent criticality, radiological release and exposure, disposal, entry, safeguards, risk/reliability, operational safety, ground testing, and other considerations. In this paper the emphasis is placed on the safety policy and the issues and considerations that are addressed by the NSPWG recommendations.

Estimation of Inherent Safety Margins in Loaded Commercial Spent Nuclear Fuel Casks

DOE PAGES

Banerjee, Kaushik; Robb, Kevin R.; Radulescu, Georgeta; ...

2016-06-15

We completed a novel assessment to determine the unquantified and uncredited safety margins (i.e., the difference between the licensing basis and as-loaded calculations) available in as-loaded spent nuclear fuel (SNF) casks. This assessment was performed as part of a broader effort to assess issues and uncertainties related to the continued safety of casks during extended storage and transportability following extended storage periods. Detailed analyses crediting the actual as-loaded cask inventory were performed for each of the casks at three decommissioned pressurized water reactor (PWR) sites to determine their characteristics relative to regulatory safety criteria for criticality, thermal, and shielding performance.more » These detailed analyses were performed in an automated fashion by employing a comprehensive and integrated data and analysis tool—Used Nuclear Fuel-Storage, Transportation & Disposal Analysis Resource and Data System (UNF-ST&DARDS). Calculated uncredited criticality margins from 0.07 to almost 0.30 Δk eff were observed; calculated decay heat margins ranged from 4 to almost 22 kW (as of 2014); and significant uncredited transportation dose rate margins were also observed. The results demonstrate that, at least for the casks analyzed here, significant uncredited safety margins are available that could potentially be used to compensate for SNF assembly and canister structural performance related uncertainties associated with long-term storage and subsequent transportation. The results also suggest that these inherent margins associated with how casks are loaded could support future changes in cask licensing to directly or indirectly credit the margins. Work continues to quantify the uncredited safety margins in the SNF casks loaded at other nuclear reactor sites.« less

Study Gives Good Odds on Nuclear Reactor Safety

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russell, Cristine

1974-01-01

Summarized is data from a recent study on nuclear reactor safety completed by Norman C. Rasmussen and others. Non-nuclear events are about 10,000 times more likely to produce large accidents than nuclear plants. (RH)

Seismic performance assessment of base-isolated safety-related nuclear structures

USGS Publications Warehouse

Huang, Y.-N.; Whittaker, A.S.; Luco, N.

2010-01-01

Seismic or base isolation is a proven technology for reducing the effects of earthquake shaking on buildings, bridges and infrastructure. The benefit of base isolation has been presented in terms of reduced accelerations and drifts on superstructure components but never quantified in terms of either a percentage reduction in seismic loss (or percentage increase in safety) or the probability of an unacceptable performance. Herein, we quantify the benefits of base isolation in terms of increased safety (or smaller loss) by comparing the safety of a sample conventional and base-isolated nuclear power plant (NPP) located in the Eastern U.S. Scenario- and time-based assessments are performed using a new methodology. Three base isolation systems are considered, namely, (1) Friction Pendulum??? bearings, (2) lead-rubber bearings and (3) low-damping rubber bearings together with linear viscous dampers. Unacceptable performance is defined by the failure of key secondary systems because these systems represent much of the investment in a new build power plant and ensure the safe operation of the plant. For the scenario-based assessments, the probability of unacceptable performance is computed for an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.3 at a distance 7.5 km from the plant. For the time-based assessments, the annual frequency of unacceptable performance is computed considering all potential earthquakes that may occur. For both assessments, the implementation of base isolation reduces the probability of unacceptable performance by approximately four orders of magnitude for the same NPP superstructure and secondary systems. The increase in NPP construction cost associated with the installation of seismic isolators can be offset by substantially reducing the required seismic strength of secondary components and systems and potentially eliminating the need to seismically qualify many secondary components and systems. ?? 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Psychology in nuclear power plants: an integrative approach to safety - general statement

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shikiar, R.

Since the accident at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant on March 28, 1979, the commercial nuclear industry in the United States has paid increasing attention to the role of humans in overall plant safety. As the regulatory body with primary responsibility for ensuring public health and safety involving nuclear operations, the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has also become increasingly involved with the ''human'' side of nuclear operations. The purpose of this symposium is to describe a major program of research and technical assistance that the Pacific Northwest Laboratory is performing for the NRC that deals withmore » the issues of safety at nuclear power plants (NPPs). This program addresses safety from several different levels of analysis, which are all important within the context of an integrative approach to system safety.« less

Safety system augmentation at Russian nuclear power plants

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Scerbo, J.A.; Satpute, S.N.; Donkin, J.Y.

1996-12-31

This paper describes the design and procurement of a Class IE DC power supply system to upgrade plant safety at the Kola Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). Kola NPP is located above the Arctic circle at Polyarnie Zorie, Murmansk, Russia. Kola NPP consists of four units. Units 1 and 2 have VVER-440/230 type reactors: Units 3 and 4 have VVER-440/213 type reactors. The VVER-440 reactor design is similar to the pressurized water reactor design used in the US. This project provided redundant, Class 1E DC station batteries and DC switchboards for Kola NPP, Units 1 and 2. The new DC powermore » supply system was designed and procured in compliance with current nuclear design practices and requirements. Technical issues that needed to be addressed included reconciling the requirements in both US and Russian codes and satisfying the requirements of the Russian nuclear regulatory authority. Close interface with ATOMENERGOPROEKT (AEP), the Russian design organization, KOLA NPP plant personnel, and GOSATOMNADZOR (GAN), the Russian version of US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, was necessary to develop a design that would assure compliance with current Russian design requirements. Hence, this project was expected to serve as an example for plant upgrades at other similar VVER-440 nuclear plants. In addition to technical issues, the project needed to address language barriers and the logistics of shipping equipment to a remote section of the Former Soviet Union (FSU). This project was executed by Burns and Roe under the sponsorship of the US DOE as part of the International Safety Program (INSP). The INSP is a comprehensive effort, in cooperation with partners in other countries, to improve nuclear safety worldwide. A major element within the INSP is the improvement of the safety of Soviet-designed nuclear reactors.« less

New reactor technology: safety improvements in nuclear power systems.

PubMed

Corradini, M L

2007-11-01

Almost 450 nuclear power plants are currently operating throughout the world and supplying about 17% of the world's electricity. These plants perform safely, reliably, and have no free-release of byproducts to the environment. Given the current rate of growth in electricity demand and the ever growing concerns for the environment, nuclear power can only satisfy the need for electricity and other energy-intensive products if it can demonstrate (1) enhanced safety and system reliability, (2) minimal environmental impact via sustainable system designs, and (3) competitive economics. The U.S. Department of Energy with the international community has begun research on the next generation of nuclear energy systems that can be made available to the market by 2030 or earlier, and that can offer significant advances toward these challenging goals; in particular, six candidate reactor system designs have been identified. These future nuclear power systems will require advances in materials, reactor physics, as well as thermal-hydraulics to realize their full potential. However, all of these designs must demonstrate enhanced safety above and beyond current light water reactor systems if the next generation of nuclear power plants is to grow in number far beyond the current population. This paper reviews the advanced Generation-IV reactor systems and the key safety phenomena that must be considered to guarantee that enhanced safety can be assured in future nuclear reactor systems.

Initial empirical analysis of nuclear power plant organization and its effect on safety performance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Olson, J.; McLaughlin, S.D.; Osborn, R.N.

This report contains an analysis of the relationship between selected aspects of organizational structure and the safety-related performance of nuclear power plants. The report starts by identifying and operationalizing certain key dimensions of organizational structure that may be expected to be related to plant safety performance. Next, indicators of plant safety performance are created by combining existing performance measures into more reliable indicators. Finally, the indicators of plant safety performance using correlational and discriminant analysis. The overall results show that plants with better developed coordination mechanisms, shorter vertical hierarchies, and a greater number of departments tend to perform more safely.

One in a Million Given the Accident: Assuring Nuclear Weapon Safety

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Weaver, Jason

2015-08-25

Since the introduction of nuclear weapons, there has not been a single instance of accidental or unauthorized nuclear detonation, but there have been numerous accidents and “close calls.” As the understanding of these environments has increased, the need for a robust nuclear weapon safety philosophy has grown. This paper describes some of the methods used by the Nuclear Weapon Complex today to assure nuclear weapon safety, including testing, modeling, analysis, and design features. Lastly, it also reviews safety’s continued role in the future and examines how nuclear safety’s present maturity can play a role in strengthening security and other areasmore » and how increased coordination can improve safety and reduce long-term cost.« less

Integrated Response Time Evaluation Methodology for the Nuclear Safety Instrumentation System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Chang Jae; Yun, Jae Hee

2017-06-01

Safety analysis for a nuclear power plant establishes not only an analytical limit (AL) in terms of a measured or calculated variable but also an analytical response time (ART) required to complete protective action after the AL is reached. If the two constraints are met, the safety limit selected to maintain the integrity of physical barriers used for preventing uncontrolled radioactivity release will not be exceeded during anticipated operational occurrences and postulated accidents. Setpoint determination methodologies have actively been developed to ensure that the protective action is initiated before the process conditions reach the AL. However, regarding the ART for a nuclear safety instrumentation system, an integrated evaluation methodology considering the whole design process has not been systematically studied. In order to assure the safety of nuclear power plants, this paper proposes a systematic and integrated response time evaluation methodology that covers safety analyses, system designs, response time analyses, and response time tests. This methodology is applied to safety instrumentation systems for the advanced power reactor 1400 and the optimized power reactor 1000 nuclear power plants in South Korea. The quantitative evaluation results are provided herein. The evaluation results using the proposed methodology demonstrate that the nuclear safety instrumentation systems fully satisfy corresponding requirements of the ART.

Nuclear Safety. Technical progress journal, April--June 1996: Volume 37, No. 2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Muhlheim, M D

1996-01-01

This journal covers significant issues in the field of nuclear safety. Its primary scope is safety in the design, construction, operation, and decommissioning of nuclear power reactors worldwide and the research and analysis activities that promote this goal, but it also encompasses the safety aspects of the entire nuclear fuel cycle, including fuel fabrication, spent-fuel processing and handling, nuclear waste disposal, the handling of fissionable materials and radioisotopes, and the environmental effects of all these activities.

Nuclear reactor safety device

DOEpatents

Hutter, E.

1983-08-15

A safety device is described for use in a nuclear reactor for axially repositioning a control rod with respect to the reactor core in the event of a thermal excursion. It comprises a laminated strip helically configured to form a tube, said tube being in operative relation to said control rod. The laminated strip is formed of at least two materials having different thermal coefficients of expansion, and is helically configured such that the material forming the outer lamina of the tube has a greater thermal coefficient of expansion than the material forming the inner lamina of said tube. In the event of a thermal excursion the laminated strip will tend to curl inwardly so that said tube will increase in length, whereby as said tube increases in length it exerts a force on said control rod to axially reposition said control rod with respect to said core.

Safety Regulation of Nuclear Power Plant License Renewal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Qiaoe; Liu, Ting; Qi, Yuan; Yang, LiLi

2018-01-01

China’s regulations stipulate that a nuclear power plant license is valid for a design life period (generally 30 or 40 years). Whether the nuclear power plant’s license is renewed after the expiration of the license is to be determined based on the safety and economy of the nuclear power plant..

Nuclear Criticality Safety Data Book

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hollenbach, D. F.

The objective of this document is to support the revision of criticality safety process studies (CSPSs) for the Uranium Processing Facility (UPF) at the Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12). This design analysis and calculation (DAC) document contains development and justification for generic inputs typically used in Nuclear Criticality Safety (NCS) DACs to model both normal and abnormal conditions of processes at UPF to support CSPSs. This will provide consistency between NCS DACs and efficiency in preparation and review of DACs, as frequently used data are provided in one reference source.

78 FR 29392 - Embedded Digital Devices in Safety-Related Systems, Systems Important to Safety, and Items Relied...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-20

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC-2013-0098] Embedded Digital Devices in Safety-Related Systems... (NRC) is issuing for public comment Draft Regulatory Issue Summary (RIS) 2013-XX, ``Embedded Digital... requirements for the quality and reliability of basic components with embedded digital devices. DATES: Submit...

Nuclear Safety. Technical progress journal, January--March 1994: Volume 35, No. 1

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Silver, E G

1994-01-01

This is a journal that covers significant issues in the field of nuclear safety. Its primary scope is safety in the design, construction, operation, and decommissioning of nuclear power reactors worldwide and the research and analysis activities that promote this goal, but it also encompasses the safety aspects of the entire nuclear fuel cycle, including fuel fabrication, spent-fuel processing and handling, and nuclear waste disposal, the handling of fissionable materials and radioisotopes, and the environmental effects of all these activities.

Providing Nuclear Criticality Safety Analysis Education through Benchmark Experiment Evaluation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

John D. Bess; J. Blair Briggs; David W. Nigg

2009-11-01

One of the challenges that today's new workforce of nuclear criticality safety engineers face is the opportunity to provide assessment of nuclear systems and establish safety guidelines without having received significant experience or hands-on training prior to graduation. Participation in the International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation Project (ICSBEP) and/or the International Reactor Physics Experiment Evaluation Project (IRPhEP) provides students and young professionals the opportunity to gain experience and enhance critical engineering skills.

IMPLEMENTATION OF DEFENSE NUCLEAR FACILITY SAFETY BOARD RECOMMENDATION 2000-2 AT WIPP

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jackson, K.; Wu, C.

2002-02-26

The Defense Nuclear Safeties Board (DNFSB) issued Recommendation 2000-2 on March 8, 2000, concerning the degrading conditions of vital safety systems, or systems important to nuclear safety, at DOE sites across the nation. The Board recommended that the DOE take action to assess the condition of its nuclear systems to ensure continued operational readiness of vital safety systems that are important for safely accomplishing the DOE's mission. To verify the readiness of vital safety systems, a two-phased approach was established. Phase I consisted of a qualitative assessment to approved criteria of the defined vital safety systems by operating contractor personnel,more » overseen by Federal field office personnel. Based on Phase I Assessment results, vital safety systems with significant deficiencies would be further assessed in Phase II, a more extensive quantitative assessment, by a contractor and Federal team, using a second set of criteria. In addition, Defense Nuclear Facility Safety Board Recommendation 2000-2 concluded that the degradation of confinement ventilation systems was of major concern, and issued a separate set of criteria to perform a Phase II Assessment on confinement ventilation systems.« less

Nuclear safety considerations in the conceptual design of a fast reactor for space electric power and propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hsieh, T.-M.; Koenig, D. R.

1977-01-01

Some nuclear safety aspects of a 3.2 mWt heat pipe cooled fast reactor with out-of-core thermionic converters are discussed. Safety related characteristics of the design including a thin layer of B4C surrounding the core, the use of heat pipes and BeO reflector assembly, the elimination of fuel element bowing, etc., are highlighted. Potential supercriticality hazards and countermeasures are considered. Impacts of some safety guidelines of space transportation system are also briefly discussed, since the currently developing space shuttle would be used as the primary launch vehicle for the nuclear electric propulsion spacecraft.

ASME Nuclear Crane Standards for Enhanced Crane Safety and Increased Profit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parkhurst, Stephen N.

2000-01-01

The ASME NOG-1 standard, 'Rules for Construction of Overhead and Gantry Cranes', covers top running cranes for nuclear facilities; with the ASME NUM-1 standard, 'Rules for Construction of Cranes, Monorails, and Hoists', covering the single girder, underhung, wall and jib cranes, as well as the monorails and hoists. These two ASME nuclear crane standards provide criteria for designing, inspecting and testing overhead handling equipment with enhanced safety to meet the 'defense-in-depth' approach of the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC) documents NUREG 0554 and NUREG 0612. In addition to providing designs for enhanced safety, the ASME nuclear crane standards provide a basis for purchasing overhead handling equipment with standard safety features, based upon accepted engineering principles, and including performance and environmental parameters specific to nuclear facilities. The ASME NOG-1 and ASME NUM-1 standards not only provide enhanced safety for handling a critical load, but also increase profit by minimizing the possibility of load drops, by reducing cumbersome operating restrictions, and by providing the foundation for a sound licensing position. The ASME nuclear crane standards can also increase profit by providing the designs and information to help ensure that the right standard equipment is purchased. Additionally, the ASME nuclear crane standards can increase profit by providing designs and information to help address current issues, such as the qualification of nuclear plant cranes for making 'planned engineered lifts' for steam generator replacement and decommissioning.

Integrated deterministic and probabilistic safety analysis for safety assessment of nuclear power plants

DOE PAGES

Di Maio, Francesco; Zio, Enrico; Smith, Curtis; ...

2015-07-06

The present special issue contains an overview of the research in the field of Integrated Deterministic and Probabilistic Safety Assessment (IDPSA) of Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs). Traditionally, safety regulation for NPPs design and operation has been based on Deterministic Safety Assessment (DSA) methods to verify criteria that assure plant safety in a number of postulated Design Basis Accident (DBA) scenarios. Referring to such criteria, it is also possible to identify those plant Structures, Systems, and Components (SSCs) and activities that are most important for safety within those postulated scenarios. Then, the design, operation, and maintenance of these “safety-related” SSCs andmore » activities are controlled through regulatory requirements and supported by Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA).« less

PRELIMINARY NUCLEAR CRITICALITY NUCLEAR SAFETY EVLAUATION FOR THE CONTAINER SURVEILLANCE AND STORAGE CAPABILITY PROJECT

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Low, M; Matthew02 Miller, M; Thomas Reilly, T

2007-04-30

Washington Safety Management Solutions (WSMS) provides criticality safety services to Washington Savannah River Company (WSRC) at the Savannah River Site. One activity at SRS is the Container Surveillance and Storage Capability (CSSC) Project, which will perform surveillances on 3013 containers (hereafter referred to as 3013s) to verify that they meet the Department of Energy (DOE) Standard (STD) 3013 for plutonium storage. The project will handle quantities of material that are greater than ANS/ANSI-8.1 single parameter mass limits, and thus required a Nuclear Criticality Safety Evaluation (NCSE). The WSMS methodology for conducting an NCSE is outlined in the WSMS methods manual.more » The WSMS methods manual currently follows the requirements of DOE-O-420.1B, DOE-STD-3007-2007, and the Washington Savannah River Company (WSRC) SCD-3 manual. DOE-STD-3007-2007 describes how a NCSE should be performed, while DOE-O-420.1B outlines the requirements for a Criticality Safety Program (CSP). The WSRC SCD-3 manual implements DOE requirements and ANS standards. NCSEs do not address the Nuclear Criticality Safety (NCS) of non-reactor nuclear facilities that may be affected by overt or covert activities of sabotage, espionage, terrorism or other security malevolence. Events which are beyond the Design Basis Accidents (DBAs) are outside the scope of a double contingency analysis.« less

Renovated Korean nuclear safety and security system: A review and suggestions to successful settlement

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chung, W. S.; Yun, S. W.; Lee, D. S.

2012-07-01

Questions of whether past nuclear regulatory body of Korea is not a proper system to monitor and check the country's nuclear energy policy and utilization have been raised. Moreover, a feeling of insecurity regarding nuclear safety after the nuclear accident in Japan has spread across the public. This has stimulated a renovation of the nuclear safety regime in Korea. The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC) was launched on October 26, 2011 as a regulatory body directly under the President in charge of strengthening independence and nuclear safety. This was a meaningful event as the NSSC it is a muchmore » more independent regulatory system for Korea. However, the NSSC itself does not guarantee an enhanced public acceptance of the nuclear policy and stable use nuclear energy. This study introduces the new NSSC system and its details in terms of organization structure, appropriateness of specialty, budget stability, and management system. (authors)« less

Nuclear and chemical safety analysis: Purex Plant 1970 thorium campaign

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Boldt, A.L.; Oberg, G.C.

The purpose of this document is to discuss the flowsheet and the related processing equipment with respect to nuclear and chemical safety. The analyses presented are based on equipment utilization and revised piping as outlined in the design criteria. Processing of thorium and uranium-233 in the Purex Plant can be accomplished within currently accepted levels of risk with respect to chemical and nuclear safety if minor instrumentation changes are made. Uranium-233 processing is limited to a rate of about 670 grams per hour by equipment capacities and criticality safety considerations. The major criticality prevention problems result from the potential accumulationmore » of uranium-233 in a solvent phase in E-H4 (ICU concentrator), TK-J1 (IUC receiver), and TK-J21 (2AF pump tank). The same potential problems exist in TK-J5 (3AF pump tank) and TK-N1 (3BU receiver), but the probabilities of reaching a critical condition are not as great. In order to prevent the excessive accumulation of uranium-233 in any of these vessels by an extraction mechanism, it is necessary to maintain the uranium-233 and salting agent concentrations below the point at which a critical concentration of uranium-233 could be reached in a solvent phase.« less

Proceedings of the Nuclear Criticality Technology Safety Workshop

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rene G. Sanchez

1998-04-01

This document contains summaries of most of the papers presented at the 1995 Nuclear Criticality Technology Safety Project (NCTSP) meeting, which was held May 16 and 17 at San Diego, Ca. The meeting was broken up into seven sessions, which covered the following topics: (1) Criticality Safety of Project Sapphire; (2) Relevant Experiments For Criticality Safety; (3) Interactions with the Former Soviet Union; (4) Misapplications and Limitations of Monte Carlo Methods Directed Toward Criticality Safety Analyses; (5) Monte Carlo Vulnerabilities of Execution and Interpretation; (6) Monte Carlo Vulnerabilities of Representation; and (7) Benchmark Comparisons.

77 FR 7139 - Public Availability of Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board; FY 2010 Service Contract...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-10

... DEFENSE NUCLEAR FACILITIES SAFETY BOARD Public Availability of Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board; FY 2010 Service Contract Inventory Analysis/FY 2011 Service Contract Inventory AGENCY: Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB). ACTION: Notice of Public Availability of FY 2010 Service Contract...

Radiation safety issues related to radiolabeled antibodies. [Contains glossary

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barber, D.E.; Baum, J.W.; Meinhold, C. B.

1991-03-01

Techniques related to the use of radiolabeled antibodies in humans are reviewed and evaluated in this report. It is intended as an informational resource for the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and NRC licensees. Descriptions of techniques and health and safety issues are provided. Principal methods for labeling antibodies are summarized to help identify related radiation safety problems in the preparation of dosages for administration to patients. The descriptions are derived from an extensive literature review and consultations with experts in the field. A glossary of terms and acronyms is also included. An assessment was made of the extent ofmore » the involvement of organizations (other than the NRC) with safety issues related to radiolabeled antibodies, in order to identify regulatory issues which require attention. Federal regulations and guides were also reviewed for their relevance. A few (but significant) differences between the use of common radiopharmaceuticals and radiolabeled antibodies were observed. The clearance rate of whole, radiolabeled immunoglobulin is somewhat slower than common radiopharmaceuticals, and new methods of administration are being used. New nuclides are being used or considered (e.g., Re-186 and At-211) for labeling antibodies. Some of these nuclides present new dosimetry, instrument calibration, and patient management problems. Subjects related to radiation safety that require additional research are identified. 149 refs., 3 figs., 20 tabs.« less

Materials-related issues in the safety and licensing of nuclear fusion facilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, N.; Merrill, B.; Cadwallader, L.; Di Pace, L.; El-Guebaly, L.; Humrickhouse, P.; Panayotov, D.; Pinna, T.; Porfiri, M.-T.; Reyes, S.; Shimada, M.; Willms, S.

2017-09-01

Fusion power holds the promise of electricity production with a high degree of safety and low environmental impact. Favourable characteristics of fusion as an energy source provide the potential for this very good safety and environmental performance. But to fully realize the potential, attention must be paid in the design of a demonstration fusion power plant (DEMO) or a commercial power plant to minimize the radiological hazards. These hazards arise principally from the inventory of tritium and from materials that become activated by neutrons from the plasma. The confinement of these radioactive substances, and prevention of radiation exposure, are the primary goals of the safety approach for fusion, in order to minimize the potential for harm to personnel, the public, and the environment. The safety functions that are implemented in the design to achieve these goals are dependent on the performance of a range of materials. Degradation of the properties of materials can lead to challenges to key safety functions such as confinement. In this paper the principal types of material that have some role in safety are recalled. These either represent a potential source of hazard or contribute to the amelioration of hazards; in each case the related issues are reviewed. The resolution of these issues lead, in some instances, to requirements on materials specifications or to limits on their performance.

What You Should Know About Pediatric Nuclear Medicine and Radiation Safety

MedlinePlus

What You Should Know About Pediatric Nuclear Medicine and Radiation Safety www.imagegently.org What is nuclear medicine? Nuclear medicine uses radioactive isotopes to create pictures of the human body. These pictures ...

Assessment of radiation safety awareness among nuclear medicine nurses: a pilot study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yunus, N. A.; Abdullah, M. H. R. O.; Said, M. A.; Ch'ng, P. E.

2014-11-01

All nuclear medicine nurses need to have some knowledge and awareness on radiation safety. At present, there is no study to address this issue in Malaysia. The aims of this study were (1) to determine the level of knowledge and awareness on radiation safety among nuclear medicine nurses at Putrajaya Hospital in Malaysia and (2) to assess the effectiveness of a training program provided by the hospital to increase the knowledge and awareness of the nuclear medicine nurses. A total of 27 respondents attending a training program on radiation safety were asked to complete a questionnaire. The questionnaire consists 16 items and were categorized into two main areas, namely general radiation knowledge and radiation safety. Survey data were collected before and after the training and were analyzed using descriptive statistics and paired sample t-test. Respondents were scored out of a total of 16 marks with 8 marks for each area. The findings showed that the range of total scores obtained by the nuclear medicine nurses before and after the training were 6-14 (with a mean score of 11.19) and 13-16 marks (with a mean score of 14.85), respectively. Findings also revealed that the mean score for the area of general radiation knowledge (7.59) was higher than that of the radiation safety (7.26). Currently, the knowledge and awareness on radiation safety among the nuclear medicine nurses are at the moderate level. It is recommended that a national study be conducted to assess and increase the level of knowledge and awareness among all nuclear medicine nurses in Malaysia.

Manned space flight nuclear system safety. Volume 7: Literature review. Part 1: Literature search and evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

A review of the literature used in conducting the manned space flight nuclear system safety study is presented. The objectives of the presentation are to identify and evaluate for potential application to study the existing related literature and to provide the information required to include the related literature in the NASA Aerospace Safety Research and Data Institute. More than 15,000 documents were evaluated and identification forms were prepared for 850 reports.

Natural Disasters and Safety Risks at Nuclear Power Stations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tutnova, T.

2012-04-01

In the aftermath of Fukushima natural-technological disaster the global opinion on nuclear energy divided even deeper. While Germany, Italy and the USA are currently reevaluating their previous plans on nuclear growth, many states are committed to expand nuclear energy output. In China and France, where the industry is widely supported by policymakers, there is little talk about abandoning further development of nuclear energy. Moreover, China displays the most remarkable pace of nuclear development in the world: it is responsible for 40% of worldwide reactors under construction, and aims at least to quadruple its nuclear capacity by 2020. In these states the consequences of Fukushima natural-technological accident will probably result in safety checks and advancement of new reactor technologies. Thus, China is buying newer reactor design from the USA which relies on "passive safety systems". It means that emergency power generators, crucial for reactor cooling in case of an accident, won't depend on electricity, so that tsunami won't disable them like it happened in the case of Fukushima. Nuclear energy managed to draw lessons from previous nuclear accidents where technological and human factors played crucial role. But the Fukushima lesson shows that the natural hazards, nevertheless, were undervalued. Though the ongoing technological advancements make it possible to increase the safety of nuclear power plants with consideration of natural risks, it is not just a question of technology improvement. A necessary action that must be taken is the reevaluation of the character and sources of the potential hazards which natural disasters can bring to nuclear industry. One of the examples is a devastating impact of more than one natural disaster happening at the same time. This subject, in fact, was not taken into account before, while it must be a significant point in planning sites for new nuclear power plants. Another important lesson unveiled is that world nuclear

Perspectives of The Interagency Nuclear Safety Review Panel (INSRP) on future nuclear powered space missions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gray, L.B.; Pyatt, D.W.; Sholtis, J.A.

1993-01-10

The Interagency Nuclear Safety Review Panel (INSRP) has provided reviews of all nuclear powered spacecraft launched by the United States. The two most recent launches were Ulysses in 1990 and Galileo in 1989. One reactor was launched in 1965 (SNAP-10A). All other U.S. space missions have utilized radioisotopic thermoelectric generators (RTGs). There are several missions in the next few years that are to be nuclear powered, including one that would utilize the Topaz II reactor purchased from Russia. INSRP must realign itself to perform parallel safety assessments of a reactor powered space mission, which has not been done in aboutmore » thirty years, and RTG powered missions.« less

Digital Signal Processing Methods for Safety Systems Employed in Nuclear Power Industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Popescu, George

Some of the major safety concerns in the nuclear power industry focus on the readiness of nuclear power plant safety systems to respond to an abnormal event, the security of special nuclear materials in used nuclear fuels, and the need for physical security to protect personnel and reactor safety systems from an act of terror. Routine maintenance and tests of all nuclear reactor safety systems are performed on a regular basis to confirm the ability of these systems to operate as expected. However, these tests do not determine the reliability of these safety systems and whether the systems will perform for the duration of an accident and whether they will perform their tasks without failure after being engaged. This research has investigated the progression of spindle asynchronous error motion determined from spindle accelerations to predict bearings failure onset. This method could be applied to coolant pumps that are essential components of emergency core cooling systems at all nuclear power plants. Recent security upgrades mandated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Department of Homeland Security have resulted in implementation of multiple physical security barriers around all of the commercial and research nuclear reactors in the United States. A second part of this research attempts to address an increased concern about illegal trafficking of Special Nuclear Materials (SNM). This research describes a multi element scintillation detector system designed for non - invasive (passive) gamma ray surveillance for concealed SNM that may be within an area or sealed in a package, vehicle or shipping container. Detection capabilities of the system were greatly enhanced through digital signal processing, which allows the combination of two very powerful techniques: 1) Compton Suppression (CS) and 2) Pulse Shape Discrimination (PSD) with less reliance on complicated analog instrumentation.

Nuclear space power safety and facility guidelines study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mehlman, W.F.

1995-09-11

This report addresses safety guidelines for space nuclear reactor power missions and was prepared by The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL) under a Department of Energy grant, DE-FG01-94NE32180 dated 27 September 1994. This grant was based on a proposal submitted by the JHU/APL in response to an {open_quotes}Invitation for Proposals Designed to Support Federal Agencies and Commercial Interests in Meeting Special Power and Propulsion Needs for Future Space Missions{close_quotes}. The United States has not launched a nuclear reactor since SNAP 10A in April 1965 although many Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs) have been launched. An RTG powered system ismore » planned for launch as part of the Cassini mission to Saturn in 1997. Recently the Ballistic Missile Defense Office (BMDO) sponsored the Nuclear Electric Propulsion Space Test Program (NEPSTP) which was to demonstrate and evaluate the Russian-built TOPAZ II nuclear reactor as a power source in space. As of late 1993 the flight portion of this program was canceled but work to investigate the attributes of the reactor were continued but at a reduced level. While the future of space nuclear power systems is uncertain there are potential space missions which would require space nuclear power systems. The differences between space nuclear power systems and RTG devices are sufficient that safety and facility requirements warrant a review in the context of the unique features of a space nuclear reactor power system.« less

Proceedings of the international meeting on thermal nuclear reactor safety. Vol. 1

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

Separate abstracts are included for each of the papers presented concerning current issues in nuclear power plant safety; national programs in nuclear power plant safety; radiological source terms; probabilistic risk assessment methods and techniques; non LOCA and small-break-LOCA transients; safety goals; pressurized thermal shocks; applications of reliability and risk methods to probabilistic risk assessment; human factors and man-machine interface; and data bases and special applications.

77 FR 36015 - Atomic Safety and Licensing Board; Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. (Indian Point Nuclear...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-15

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket Nos. 50-247-LR and 50-286-LR; ASLBP No. 07-858-03-LR-BD01] Atomic Safety and Licensing Board; Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. (Indian Point Nuclear Generating Units 2 and 3); Notice of Hearing (Application for License Renewal) June 8, 2012. Before Administrative Judges: Lawrence G. McDade, Chairman, Dr....

The development of regulatory expectations for computer-based safety systems for the UK nuclear programme

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hughes, P. J.; Westwood, R.N; Mark, R. T.

2006-07-01

The Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII) of the UK's Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has completed a review of their Safety Assessment Principles (SAPs) for Nuclear Installations recently. During the period of the SAPs review in 2004-2005 the designers of future UK naval reactor plant were optioneering the control and protection systems that might be implemented. Because there was insufficient regulatory guidance available in the naval sector to support this activity the Defence Nuclear Safety Regulator (DNSR) invited the NII to collaborate with the production of a guidance document that provides clarity of regulatory expectations for the production of safety casesmore » for computer based safety systems. A key part of producing regulatory expectations was identifying the relevant extant standards and sector guidance that reflect good practice. The three principal sources of such good practice were: IAEA Safety Guide NS-G-1.1 (Software for Computer Based Systems Important to Safety in Nuclear Power Plants), European Commission consensus document (Common Position of European Nuclear Regulators for the Licensing of Safety Critical Software for Nuclear Reactors) and IEC nuclear sector standards such as IEC60880. A common understanding has been achieved between the NII and DNSR and regulatory guidance developed which will be used by both NII and DNSR in the assessment of computer-based safety systems and in the further development of more detailed joint technical assessment guidance for both regulatory organisations. (authors)« less

Nuclear reactor fuel containment safety structure

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rosewell, M.P.

A nuclear reactor fuel containment safety structure is disclosed and is shown to include an atomic reactor fuel shield with a fuel containment chamber and exhaust passage means, and a deactivating containment base attached beneath the fuel reactor shield and having exhaust passages, manifold, and fluxing and control material and vessels. 1 claim, 8 figures.

78 FR 12042 - Public Availability of Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board FY 2011 Service Contract Inventory...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-21

... DEFENSE NUCLEAR FACILITIES SAFETY BOARD Public Availability of Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board FY 2011 Service Contract Inventory Analysis/FY 2012 Service Contract Inventory AGENCY: Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB). ACTION: Notice of Public Availability of FY 2011 Service Contract...

76 FR 5354 - Public Availability of Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board FY 2010 Service Contract Inventory

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-31

... DEFENSE NUCLEAR FACILITIES SAFETY BOARD Public Availability of Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board FY 2010 Service Contract Inventory AGENCY: Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (Board). ACTION: Notice of public availability of FY 2010 Service Contract Inventories. SUMMARY: In accordance with...

Nuclear reactor safety device

DOEpatents

Hutter, Ernest

1986-01-01

A safety device is disclosed for use in a nuclear reactor for axially repositioning a control rod with respect to the reactor core in the event of an upward thermal excursion. Such safety device comprises a laminated helical ribbon configured as a tube-like helical coil having contiguous helical turns with slidably abutting edges. The helical coil is disclosed as a portion of a drive member connected axially to the control rod. The laminated ribbon is formed of outer and inner laminae. The material of the outer lamina has a greater thermal coefficient of expansion than the material of the inner lamina. In the event of an upward thermal excursion, the laminated helical coil curls inwardly to a smaller diameter. Such inward curling causes the total length of the helical coil to increase by a substantial increment, so that the control rod is axially repositioned by a corresponding amount to reduce the power output of the reactor.

Government: Nuclear Safety in Doubt a Year after Accident.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ember, Lois R.

1980-01-01

A year after the accident at Three Mile Island (TMI), the signals transmitted to the public are still confused. Industry says that nuclear power is safe and that the aftermath of TMI ushers in a new era of safety. Antinuclear activists say TMI sounded nuclear power's death knell. (Author/RE)

Activities of the DOE Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP) at the Oak Ridge Electron Linear Accelerator (ORELA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valentine, Timothy E.; Leal, Luiz C.; Guber, Klaus H.

2002-12-01

The Department of Energy established the Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP) in response to the Recommendation 97-2 by the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board. The NCSP consists of seven elements of which nuclear data measurements and evaluations is a key component. The intent of the nuclear data activities is to provide high resolution nuclear data measurements that are evaluated, validated, and formatted for use by the nuclear criticality safety community to provide improved and reliable calculations for nuclear criticality safety evaluations. High resolution capture, fission, and transmission measurements are performed at the Oak Ridge Electron Linear Accelerator (ORELA) to address the needs of the criticality safety community and to address known deficiencies in nuclear data evaluations. The activities at ORELA include measurements on both light and heavy nuclei and have been used to identify improvements in measurement techniques that greatly improve the measurement of small capture cross sections. The measurement activities at ORELA provide precise and reliable high-resolution nuclear data for the nuclear criticality safety community.

Organizational Culture for Safety, Security, and Safeguards in New Nuclear Power Countries

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kovacic, Donald N

2015-01-01

This chapter will contain the following sections: Existing international norms and standards for developing the infrastructure to support new nuclear power programs The role of organizational culture and how it supports the safe, secure, and peaceful application of nuclear power Identifying effective and efficient strategies for implementing safety, security and safeguards in nuclear operations Challenges identified in the implementation of safety, security and safeguards Potential areas for future collaboration between countries in order to support nonproliferation culture

Total safety management: An approach to improving safety culture

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Blush, S.M.

A little over 4 yr ago, Admiral James D. Watkins became Secretary of Energy. President Bush, who had appointed him, informed Watkins that his principal task would be to clean up the nuclear weapons complex and put the US Department of Energy (DOE) back in the business of producing tritium for the nation's nuclear deterrent. Watkins recognized that in order to achieve these objectives, he would have to substantially improve the DOE's safety culture. Safety culture is a relatively new term. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) used it in a 1986 report on the root causes of the Chernobylmore » nuclear accident. In 1990, the IAEA's International Nuclear Safety Advisory Group issued a document focusing directly on safety culture. It provides guidelines to the international nuclear community for measuring the effectiveness of safety culture in nuclear organizations. Safety culture has two principal aspects: an organizational framework conducive to safety and the necessary organizational and individual attitudes that promote safety. These obviously go hand in hand. An organization must create the right framework to foster the right attitudes, but individuals must have the right attitudes to create the organizational framework that will support a good safety culture. The difficulty in developing such a synergistic relationship suggests that achieving and sustaining a strong safety culture is not easy, particularly in an organization whose safety culture is in serious disrepair.« less

Hazards and hazard combinations relevant for the safety of nuclear power plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Decker, Kurt; Brinkman, Hans; Raimond, Emmanuel

2017-04-01

The potential of the contemporaneous impact of different, yet causally related, hazardous events and event cascades on nuclear power plants is a major contributor to the overall risk of nuclear installations. In the aftermath of the Fukushima accident, which was caused by a combination of severe ground shaking by an earthquake, an earthquake-triggered tsunami and the disruption of the plants from the electrical grid by a seismically induced landslide, hazard combinations and hazard cascades moved into the focus of nuclear safety research. We therefore developed an exhaustive list of external hazards and hazard combinations which pose potential threats to nuclear installations in the framework of the European project ASAMPSAE (Advanced Safety Assessment: Extended PSA). The project gathers 31 partners from Europe, North Amerika and Japan. The list comprises of exhaustive lists of natural hazards, external man-made hazards, and a cross-correlation matrix of these hazards. The hazard list is regarded comprehensive by including all types of hazards that were previously cited in documents by IAEA, the Western European Nuclear Regulators Association (WENRA), and others. 73 natural hazards and 24 man-made external hazards are included. Natural hazards are grouped into seismotectonic hazards, flooding and hydrological hazards, extreme values of meteorological phenomena, rare meteorological phenomena, biological hazards / infestation, geological hazards, and forest fire / wild fire. The list of external man-made hazards includes industry accidents, military accidents, transportation accidents, pipeline accidents and other man-made external events. The large number of different hazards results in the extremely large number of 5.151 theoretically possible hazard combinations (not considering hazard cascades). In principle all of these combinations are possible to occur by random coincidence except for 82 hazard combinations that - depending on the time scale - are mutually

Research on the management and endorsement of nuclear safety standards in the United States and its revelation for China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Ting; Tian, Yu; Yang, Lili; Gao, Siyi; Song, Dahu

2018-01-01

This paper introduces the American standard system, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)’s responsibility, NRC nuclear safety regulations and standards system, studies on NRC’s standards management and endorsement mode, analyzes the characteristics of NRC standards endorsement management, and points out its disadvantages. This paper draws revelation from the standard management and endorsement model of NRC and points suggestion to China’s nuclear and radiation safety standards management.The issue of the “Nuclear Safety Law”plays an important role in China’s nuclear and radiation safety supervision. Nuclear and radiation safety regulations and standards are strong grips on the implementation of “Nuclear Safety Law”. This paper refers on the experience of international advanced countriy, will effectively promote the improvement of the endorsed management of China’s nuclear and radiation safety standards.

10 CFR 73.58 - Safety/security interface requirements for nuclear power reactors.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Safety/security interface requirements for nuclear power reactors. 73.58 Section 73.58 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) PHYSICAL PROTECTION OF... requirements for nuclear power reactors. (a) Each operating nuclear power reactor licensee with a license...

10 CFR 73.58 - Safety/security interface requirements for nuclear power reactors.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Safety/security interface requirements for nuclear power reactors. 73.58 Section 73.58 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) PHYSICAL PROTECTION OF... requirements for nuclear power reactors. (a) Each operating nuclear power reactor licensee with a license...

10 CFR 73.58 - Safety/security interface requirements for nuclear power reactors.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Safety/security interface requirements for nuclear power reactors. 73.58 Section 73.58 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) PHYSICAL PROTECTION OF... requirements for nuclear power reactors. (a) Each operating nuclear power reactor licensee with a license...

10 CFR 73.58 - Safety/security interface requirements for nuclear power reactors.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Safety/security interface requirements for nuclear power reactors. 73.58 Section 73.58 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) PHYSICAL PROTECTION OF... requirements for nuclear power reactors. (a) Each operating nuclear power reactor licensee with a license...

10 CFR 73.58 - Safety/security interface requirements for nuclear power reactors.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Safety/security interface requirements for nuclear power reactors. 73.58 Section 73.58 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) PHYSICAL PROTECTION OF... requirements for nuclear power reactors. (a) Each operating nuclear power reactor licensee with a license...

Tank waste remediation system nuclear criticality safety program management review

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

BRADY RAAP, M.C.

1999-06-24

This document provides the results of an internal management review of the Tank Waste Remediation System (TWRS) criticality safety program, performed in advance of the DOE/RL assessment for closure of the TWRS Nuclear Criticality Safety Issue, March 1994. Resolution of the safety issue was identified as Hanford Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order (Tri-Party Agreement) Milestone M-40-12, due September 1999.

Strengthening safety compliance in nuclear power operations: a role-based approach.

PubMed

Martínez-Córcoles, Mario; Gracia, Francisco J; Tomás, Inés; Peiró, José M

2014-07-01

Safety compliance is of paramount importance in guaranteeing the safe running of nuclear power plants. However, it depends mostly on procedures that do not always involve the safest outcomes. This article introduces an empirical model based on the organizational role theory to analyze the influence of legitimate sources of expectations (procedures formalization and leadership) on workers' compliance behaviors. The sample was composed of 495 employees from two Spanish nuclear power plants. Structural equation analysis showed that, in spite of some problematic effects of proceduralization (such as role conflict and role ambiguity), procedure formalization along with an empowering leadership style lead to safety compliance by clarifying a worker's role in safety. Implications of these findings for safety research are outlined, as well as their practical implications. © 2014 Society for Risk Analysis.

Impact of nuclear data uncertainty on safety calculations for spent nuclear fuel geological disposal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herrero, J. J.; Rochman, D.; Leray, O.; Vasiliev, A.; Pecchia, M.; Ferroukhi, H.; Caruso, S.

2017-09-01

In the design of a spent nuclear fuel disposal system, one necessary condition is to show that the configuration remains subcritical at time of emplacement but also during long periods covering up to 1,000,000 years. In the context of criticality safety applying burn-up credit, k-eff eigenvalue calculations are affected by nuclear data uncertainty mainly in the burnup calculations simulating reactor operation and in the criticality calculation for the disposal canister loaded with the spent fuel assemblies. The impact of nuclear data uncertainty should be included in the k-eff value estimation to enforce safety. Estimations of the uncertainty in the discharge compositions from the CASMO5 burn-up calculation phase are employed in the final MCNP6 criticality computations for the intact canister configuration; in between, SERPENT2 is employed to get the spent fuel composition along the decay periods. In this paper, nuclear data uncertainty was propagated by Monte Carlo sampling in the burn-up, decay and criticality calculation phases and representative values for fuel operated in a Swiss PWR plant will be presented as an estimation of its impact.

HSE's safety assessment principles for criticality safety.

PubMed

Simister, D N; Finnerty, M D; Warburton, S J; Thomas, E A; Macphail, M R

2008-06-01

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) published its revised Safety Assessment Principles for Nuclear Facilities (SAPs) in December 2006. The SAPs are primarily intended for use by HSE's inspectors when judging the adequacy of safety cases for nuclear facilities. The revised SAPs relate to all aspects of safety in nuclear facilities including the technical discipline of criticality safety. The purpose of this paper is to set out for the benefit of a wider audience some of the thinking behind the final published words and to provide an insight into the development of UK regulatory guidance. The paper notes that it is HSE's intention that the Safety Assessment Principles should be viewed as a reflection of good practice in the context of interpreting primary legislation such as the requirements under site licence conditions for arrangements for producing an adequate safety case and for producing a suitable and sufficient risk assessment under the Ionising Radiations Regulations 1999 (SI1999/3232 www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1999/uksi_19993232_en.pdf).

Validation of the group nuclear safety climate questionnaire.

PubMed

Navarro, M Felisa Latorre; Gracia Lerín, Francisco J; Tomás, Inés; Peiró Silla, José María

2013-09-01

Group safety climate is a leading indicator of safety performance in high reliability organizations. Zohar and Luria (2005) developed a Group Safety Climate scale (ZGSC) and found it to have a single factor. The ZGSC scale was used as a basis in this study with the researchers rewording almost half of the items on this scale, changing the referents from the leader to the group, and trying to validate a two-factor scale. The sample was composed of 566 employees in 50 groups from a Spanish nuclear power plant. Item analysis, reliability, correlations, aggregation indexes and CFA were performed. Results revealed that the construct was shared by each unit, and our reworded Group Safety Climate (GSC) scale showed a one-factor structure and correlated to organizational safety climate, formalized procedures, safety behavior, and time pressure. This validation of the one-factor structure of the Zohar and Luria (2005) scale could strengthen and spread this scale and measure group safety climate more effectively. Copyright © 2013 National Safety Council and Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

76 FR 3678 - FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company; Establishment of Atomic Safety and Licensing Board

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-20

... Nuclear Operating Company; Establishment of Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Pursuant to delegation by... hereby given that an Atomic Safety and Licensing Board (Board) is being established to preside over the... administrative judges: William J. Froehlich, Chair, Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel, U.S. Nuclear...

Educating Next Generation Nuclear Criticality Safety Engineers at the Idaho National Laboratory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

J. D. Bess; J. B. Briggs; A. S. Garcia

2011-09-01

One of the challenges in educating our next generation of nuclear safety engineers is the limitation of opportunities to receive significant experience or hands-on training prior to graduation. Such training is generally restricted to on-the-job-training before this new engineering workforce can adequately provide assessment of nuclear systems and establish safety guidelines. Participation in the International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation Project (ICSBEP) and the International Reactor Physics Experiment Evaluation Project (IRPhEP) can provide students and young professionals the opportunity to gain experience and enhance critical engineering skills. The ICSBEP and IRPhEP publish annual handbooks that contain evaluations of experiments along withmore » summarized experimental data and peer-reviewed benchmark specifications to support the validation of neutronics codes, nuclear cross-section data, and the validation of reactor designs. Participation in the benchmark process not only benefits those who use these Handbooks within the international community, but provides the individual with opportunities for professional development, networking with an international community of experts, and valuable experience to be used in future employment. Traditionally students have participated in benchmarking activities via internships at national laboratories, universities, or companies involved with the ICSBEP and IRPhEP programs. Additional programs have been developed to facilitate the nuclear education of students while participating in the benchmark projects. These programs include coordination with the Center for Space Nuclear Research (CSNR) Next Degree Program, the Collaboration with the Department of Energy Idaho Operations Office to train nuclear and criticality safety engineers, and student evaluations as the basis for their Master's thesis in nuclear engineering.« less

Double-clad nuclear fuel safety rod

DOEpatents

McCarthy, William H.; Atcheson, Donald B.; Vaidyanathan, Swaminathan

1984-01-01

A device for shutting down a nuclear reactor during an undercooling or overpower event, whether or not the reactor's scram system operates properly. This is accomplished by double-clad fuel safety rods positioned at various locations throughout the reactor core, wherein melting of a secondary internal cladding of the rod allows the fuel column therein to shift from the reactor core to place the reactor in a subcritical condition.

Double-clad nuclear-fuel safety rod

DOEpatents

McCarthy, W.H.; Atcheson, D.B.

1981-12-30

A device for shutting down a nuclear reactor during an undercooling or overpower event, whether or not the reactor's scram system operates properly. This is accomplished by double-clad fuel safety rods positioned at various locations throughout the reactor core, wherein melting of a secondary internal cladding of the rod allows the fuel column therein to shift from the reactor core to place the reactor in a subcritical condition.

78 FR 33449 - FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company; Establishment of Atomic Safety and Licensing Board

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-04

... Nuclear Operating Company; Establishment of Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Pursuant to delegation by... 2.104, 2.105, 2.300, 2.309, 2.313, 2.318, and 2.321, notice is hereby given that an Atomic Safety... administrative judges: Paul S. Ryerson, Chairman, Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel, U.S. Nuclear...

The Effects of Safety Discrimination Training and Frequent Safety Observations on Safety-Related Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Matthew A.; Alvero, Alicia M.

2012-01-01

The intent of the present study was to assess the effects of discrimination training only and in combination with frequent safety observations on five participants' safety-related behavior in a simulated office setting. The study used a multiple-baseline design across safety-related behaviors. Across all participants and behavior, safety improved…

78 FR 47014 - Configuration Management Plans for Digital Computer Software Used in Safety Systems of Nuclear...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-02

... Software Used in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power Plants AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION... Computer Software Used in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power Plants.'' This RG endorses, with clarifications... Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) Standard 828-2005, ``IEEE Standard for Software Configuration...

33 CFR 165.115 - Safety and Security Zones; Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant, Plymouth, Massachusetts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Safety and Security Zones; Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant, Plymouth, Massachusetts. 165.115 Section 165.115 Navigation and Navigable... Coast Guard District § 165.115 Safety and Security Zones; Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant, Plymouth...

33 CFR 165.115 - Safety and Security Zones; Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant, Plymouth, Massachusetts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Safety and Security Zones; Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant, Plymouth, Massachusetts. 165.115 Section 165.115 Navigation and Navigable... Coast Guard District § 165.115 Safety and Security Zones; Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant, Plymouth...

33 CFR 165.115 - Safety and Security Zones; Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant, Plymouth, Massachusetts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Safety and Security Zones; Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant, Plymouth, Massachusetts. 165.115 Section 165.115 Navigation and Navigable... Coast Guard District § 165.115 Safety and Security Zones; Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant, Plymouth...

33 CFR 165.115 - Safety and Security Zones; Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant, Plymouth, Massachusetts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Safety and Security Zones; Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant, Plymouth, Massachusetts. 165.115 Section 165.115 Navigation and Navigable... Coast Guard District § 165.115 Safety and Security Zones; Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant, Plymouth...

33 CFR 165.115 - Safety and Security Zones; Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant, Plymouth, Massachusetts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Safety and Security Zones; Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant, Plymouth, Massachusetts. 165.115 Section 165.115 Navigation and Navigable... Coast Guard District § 165.115 Safety and Security Zones; Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant, Plymouth...

Nuclear criticality safety staff training and qualifications at Los Alamos National Laboratory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Monahan, S.P.; McLaughlin, T.P.

1997-05-01

Operations involving significant quantities of fissile material have been conducted at Los Alamos National Laboratory continuously since 1943. Until the advent of the Laboratory`s Nuclear Criticality Safety Committee (NCSC) in 1957, line management had sole responsibility for controlling criticality risks. From 1957 until 1961, the NCSC was the Laboratory body which promulgated policy guidance as well as some technical guidance for specific operations. In 1961 the Laboratory created the position of Nuclear Criticality Safety Office (in addition to the NCSC). In 1980, Laboratory management moved the Criticality Safety Officer (and one other LACEF staff member who, by that time, wasmore » also working nearly full-time on criticality safety issues) into the Health Division office. Later that same year the Criticality Safety Group, H-6 (at that time) was created within H-Division, and staffed by these two individuals. The training and education of these individuals in the art of criticality safety was almost entirely self-regulated, depending heavily on technical interactions between each other, as well as NCSC, LACEF, operations, other facility, and broader criticality safety community personnel. Although the Los Alamos criticality safety group has grown both in size and formality of operations since 1980, the basic philosophy that a criticality specialist must be developed through mentoring and self motivation remains the same. Formally, this philosophy has been captured in an internal policy, document ``Conduct of Business in the Nuclear Criticality Safety Group.`` There are no short cuts or substitutes in the development of a criticality safety specialist. A person must have a self-motivated personality, excellent communications skills, a thorough understanding of the principals of neutron physics, a safety-conscious and helpful attitude, a good perspective of real risk, as well as a detailed understanding of process operations and credible upsets.« less

Safety evaluation report on Tennessee Valley Authority: Browns Ferry nuclear performance plan

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1989-10-01

This safety evaluation report (SER) on the information submitted by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) in its Nuclear Performance Plan, through Revision 2, for the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant and in supporting documents has been prepared by the US Nuclear Regulatory commission staff. The Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant consists of three boiling-water reactors at a site in Limestone County, Alabama. The plan addresses the plant-specific concerns requiring resolution before the startup of Unit 2. The staff will inspect implementation of those TVA programs that address these concerns. Where systems are common to Units 1 and 2 or to Units 2more » and 3, the staff safety evaluations of those systems are included herein. 85 refs.« less

78 FR 4477 - Review of Safety Analysis Reports for Nuclear Power Plants, Introduction

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-22

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC-2012-0268] Review of Safety Analysis Reports for Nuclear Power... Analysis Reports for Nuclear Power Plants: LWR Edition.'' The new subsection is the Standard Review Plan... Nuclear Power Plants: Integral Pressurized Water Reactor (iPWR) Edition.'' DATES: Comments must be filed...

WNA's worldwide overview on front-end nuclear fuel cycle growth and health, safety and environmental issues.

PubMed

Saint-Pierre, Sylvain; Kidd, Steve

2011-01-01

This paper presents the WNA's worldwide nuclear industry overview on the anticipated growth of the front-end nuclear fuel cycle from uranium mining to conversion and enrichment, and on the related key health, safety, and environmental (HSE) issues and challenges. It also puts an emphasis on uranium mining in new producing countries with insufficiently developed regulatory regimes that pose greater HSE concerns. It introduces the new WNA policy on uranium mining: Sustaining Global Best Practices in Uranium Mining and Processing-Principles for Managing Radiation, Health and Safety and the Environment, which is an outgrowth of an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) cooperation project that closely involved industry and governmental experts in uranium mining from around the world. Copyright © 2010 Health Physics Society

76 FR 17460 - South Texas Project Nuclear Operating Company; Establishment of Atomic Safety and Licensing Board

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-29

...] South Texas Project Nuclear Operating Company; Establishment of Atomic Safety and Licensing Board..., 2.318, and 2.321, notice is hereby given that an Atomic Safety and Licensing Board (Board) is being...: Ronald M. Spritzer, Chair, Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission...

Safety evaluation report on Tennessee Valley Authority: Browns Ferry Nuclear Performance Plan

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1991-01-01

This safety evaluation report (SER) was prepared by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff and represents the second and last supplement (SSER 2) to the staff's original SER published as Volume 3 of NUREG-1232 in April 1989. Supplement 1 of Volume 3 of NUREG-1232 (SSER 1) was published in October 1989. Like its predecessors, SSER 2 is composed of numerous safety evaluations by the staff regarding specific elements contained in the Browns Ferry Nuclear Performance Plan (BFNPP), Volume 3 (up to and including Revision 2), submitted by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) for the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant (BFN).more » The Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant consists of three boiling-water reactors (BWRs) at a site in Limestone County, Alabama. The BFNPP describes the corrective action plans and commitments made by TVA to resolve deficiencies with its nuclear programs before the startup of Unit 2. The staff has inspected and will continue to inspect TVA's implementation of these BFNPP corrective action plans that address staff concerns about TVA's nuclear program. SSER 2 documents the NRC staff's safety evaluations and conclusions for those elements of the BFNPP that were not previously addressed by the staff or that remained open as a result of unresolved issues identified by the staff in previous SERs and inspections.« less

Index to Nuclear Safety: a technical progress review by chronology, permuted title, and author, Volume 18 (1) through Volume 22 (6)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cottrell, W.B.; Passiakos, M.

This index to Nuclear Safety covers articles published in Nuclear Safety, Volume 18, Number 1 (January-February 1977) through Volume 22, Number 6 (November-December 1981). The index is divided into three section: a chronological list of articles (including abstracts), a permuted-title (KWIC) index, and an author index. Nuclear Safety, a bimonthly technical progress review prepared by the Nuclear Safety Information Center, covers all safety aspects of nuclear power reactors and associated facilities. Over 300 technical articles published in Nuclear Safety in the last 5 years are listed in this index.

[Recommendations for inspections of the French nuclear safety authority].

PubMed

Rousse, C; Chauvet, B

2015-10-01

The French nuclear safety authority is responsible for the control of radiation protection in radiotherapy since 2002. Controls are based on the public health and the labour codes and on the procedures defined by the controlled health care facility for its quality and safety management system according to ASN decision No. 2008-DC-0103. Inspectors verify the adequacy of the quality and safety management procedures and their implementation, and select process steps on the basis of feedback from events notified to ASN. Topics of the inspection are communicated to the facility at the launch of a campaign, which enables them to anticipate the inspectors' expectations. In cases where they are not physicians, inspectors are not allowed to access information covered by medical confidentiality. The consulted documents must therefore be expunged of any patient-identifying information. Exchanges before the inspection are intended to facilitate the provision of documents that may be consulted. Finally, exchange slots between inspectors and the local professionals must be organized. Based on improvements achieved by the health care centres and on recommendations from a joint working group of radiotherapy professionals and the nuclear safety authority, changes will be made in the control procedure that will be implemented when developing the inspection program for 2016-2019. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier SAS.

Vulnerability, safety and response of nuclear power plants to the hydroclimatic hazards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

János Katona, Tamás; Vilimi, András

2016-04-01

The Great Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami, and the severe accident at Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant 2011 alerted the nuclear industry to danger of extreme rare natural hazards. The subsequent "stress tests" performed by the nuclear industry in Europe and all over the world identifies the nuclear power plant (NPP) vulnerabilities and define the measures for increasing the plant safety. According to the international practice of nuclear safety regulations, the cumulative core damage frequency for NPPs has to be 10-5/a, and the cumulative frequency of early large release has to be 10-6/a. In case of operating plants these annual probabilities can be little higher, but the licensees are obliged to implement all reasonable practicable measures for increasing the plant safety. For achieving the required level of safety, design basis of NPPs for natural hazards has to be defined at the 10-4/a ⎯10-5/a levels of annual exceedance probability. Tornado hazard is some kind of exception, e.g., the design basis annual probability for tornado in the US is equal to 10-7/a. Design of the NPPs shall provide for an adequate margin to protect items ultimately necessary to prevent large or early radioactive releases in the event of levels of natural hazards exceeding those to be considered for design. The plant safety has to be reviewed for accounting the changes of the environmental conditions and natural hazards in case of necessity, but as minimum every ten years in the frame of periodic safety reviews. Long-term forecast of environmental conditions and hazards has to be accounted for in the design basis of the new plants. Changes in hydroclimatic variables, e.g., storms, tornadoes, river floods, flash floods, extreme temperatures, droughts affect the operability and efficiency as well as the safety the NPPs. Low flow rates and high water temperature in the rivers may force to operate at reduced power level or shutdown the plant (Cernavoda NPP, Romania, August 2009). The

The International Safety Framework for nuclear power source applications in outer space-Useful and substantial guidance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Summerer, L.; Wilcox, R. E.; Bechtel, R.; Harbison, S.

2015-06-01

In 2009, the International Safety Framework for Nuclear Power Source Applications in Outer Space was adopted, following a multi-year process that involved all major space faring nations under the auspices of a partnership between the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space and the International Atomic Energy Agency. The Safety Framework reflects an international consensus on best practices to achieve safety. Following the 1992 UN Principles Relevant to the Use of Nuclear Power Sources in Outer Space, it is the second attempt by the international community to draft guidance promoting the safety of applications of nuclear power sources in space missions. NPS applications in space have unique safety considerations compared with terrestrial applications. Mission launch and outer space operational requirements impose size, mass and other space environment limitations not present for many terrestrial nuclear facilities. Potential accident conditions could expose nuclear power sources to extreme physical conditions. The Safety Framework is structured to provide guidance for both the programmatic and technical aspects of safety. In addition to sections containing specific guidance for governments and for management, it contains technical guidance pertinent to the design, development and all mission phases of space NPS applications. All sections of the Safety Framework contain elements directly relevant to engineers and space mission designers for missions involving space nuclear power sources. The challenge for organisations and engineers involved in the design and development processes of space nuclear power sources and applications is to implement the guidance provided in the Safety Framework by integrating it into the existing standard space mission infrastructure of design, development and operational requirements, practices and processes. This adds complexity to the standard space mission and launch approval processes. The Safety Framework is deliberately

78 FR 4404 - DOE Response to Recommendation 2012-2 of the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, Hanford...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-22

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY DOE Response to Recommendation 2012-2 of the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, Hanford Tank Farms Flammable Gas Safety Strategy AGENCY: Department of Energy. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: On September 28, 2012 the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board submitted...

Nuclear safety, Volume 38, Number 1, January--March 1997

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

1997-03-01

This journal contains nine articles which fall under the following categories: (1) general safety considerations; (2) control and instrumentation; (3) design features (4) environmental effects; (5) US Nuclear Regulatory Commission information and analyses; and (6) recent developments.

Linking empowering leadership to safety participation in nuclear power plants: a structural equation model.

PubMed

Martínez-Córcoles, Mario; Schöbel, Markus; Gracia, Francisco J; Tomás, Inés; Peiró, José M

2012-07-01

Safety participation is of paramount importance in guaranteeing the safe running of nuclear power plants. The present study examined the effects of empowering leadership on safety participation. Based on a sample of 495 employees from two Spanish nuclear power plants, structural equation modeling showed that empowering leadership has a significant relationship with safety participation, which is mediated by collaborative team learning. In addition, the results revealed that the relationship between empowering leadership and collaborative learning is partially mediated by the promotion of dialogue and open communication. The implications of these findings for safety research and their practical applications are outlined. An empowering leadership style enhances workers' safety performance, particularly safety participation behaviors. Safety participation is recommended to detect possible rule inconsistencies or misunderstood procedures and make workers aware of critical safety information and issues. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

77 FR 43583 - DOE Response to Recommendation 2012-1 of the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, Savannah...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-25

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY DOE Response to Recommendation 2012-1 of the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, Savannah River Site Building 235-F Safety AGENCY: Department of Energy. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: On May 8, 2012, the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board submitted Recommendation 2012-1...

SRTC criticality safety technical review: Nuclear Criticality Safety Evaluation 93-04 enriched uranium receipt

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rathbun, R.

Review of NMP-NCS-930087, {open_quotes}Nuclear Criticality Safety Evaluation 93-04 Enriched Uranium Receipt (U), July 30, 1993, {close_quotes} was requested of SRTC (Savannah River Technology Center) Applied Physics Group. The NCSE is a criticality assessment to determine the mass limit for Engineered Low Level Trench (ELLT) waste uranium burial. The intent is to bury uranium in pits that would be separated by a specified amount of undisturbed soil. The scope of the technical review, documented in this report, consisted of (1) an independent check of the methods and models employed, (2) independent HRXN/KENO-V.a calculations of alternate configurations, (3) application of ANSI/ANS 8.1,more » and (4) verification of WSRC Nuclear Criticality Safety Manual procedures. The NCSE under review concludes that a 500 gram limit per burial position is acceptable to ensure the burial site remains in a critically safe configuration for all normal and single credible abnormal conditions. This reviewer agrees with that conclusion.« less

78 FR 47805 - Test Documentation for Digital Computer Software Used in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power Plants

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-06

... Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS): You may access publicly available documents online in the... Management Plans for Digital Computer Software used in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power Plants,'' issued for... Used in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power Plants AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Revision...

Current global and Korean issues in radiation safety of nuclear medicine procedures.

PubMed

Song, H C

2016-06-01

In recent years, the management of patient doses in medical imaging has evolved as concern about radiation exposure has increased. Efforts and techniques to reduce radiation doses are focussed not only on the basis of patient safety, but also on the fundamentals of justification and optimisation in cooperation with international organisations such as the International Commission on Radiological Protection, the International Atomic Energy Agency, and the World Health Organization. The Image Gently campaign in children and Image Wisely campaign in adults to lower radiation doses have been initiated in the USA. The European Association of Nuclear Medicine paediatric dosage card, North American consensus guidelines, and Nuclear Medicine Global Initiative have recommended the activities of radiopharmaceuticals that should be administered in children. Diagnostic reference levels (DRLs), developed predominantly in Europe, may be an important tool to manage patient doses. In Korea, overexposure to radiation, even from the use of medical imaging, has become a public issue, particularly since the accident at the Fukushima nuclear power plant. As a result, the Korean Nuclear Safety and Security Commission revised the technical standards for radiation safety management in medical fields. In parallel, DRLs for nuclear medicine procedures have been collected on a nationwide scale. Notice of total effective dose from positron emission tomography-computed tomography for cancer screening has been mandatory since mid-November 2014. © The International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics.

On the Seismic Safety of Nuclear Power Plant Sites in South Korea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, H.; Park, S.; Yang, J.; Shim, T.; Im, C. B.

2016-12-01

The Korean Peninsula is located at the far eastern part of Eurasian Plate, and within the intra-plate region several hundred km away from the nearest plate boundary. The earthquakes around the Korean Peninsula show the typical characteristics of intra-plate earthquakes. So to speak, those are low seismicity, relatively smaller magnitude than that of inter-plate earthquakes, and spatially irregular epicenters. There are 24 nuclear power plants (NPPs) in operation, 4 NPPs in completion of construction, and 4 NPPs in preparation of construction in South Korea. Even though the seismicity of the Korean Peninsula is known as relatively low, but because there are more than 30 NPPs within not so large territory, thorough the preparedness of NPPs' safety against earthquakes is required. The earthquake preparedness of NPPs in South Korea is composed of 4 stages: site election, design, construction and operation. Since regulatory codes and standards are strictly applied in each stage, the NPPs in South Korea are believed to be safe enough against the maximum potential earthquake ground motion. Through data analysis on geological and seismological characteristics of the region within a radius of 320 km from the site and the detailed geological survey of the area within a radius of 8 km from the site, the design earthquake ground motion of NPPs in South Korea is determined to be 0.2g (in case of newly constructed NPPs is 0.3g) considering the maximum potential earthquake ground motion and some safety margin. The ground motions and surface deformation caused by capable faults are also considered in the seismic design of NPPs. In addition, the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety as a regulatory technical expert organization, has been operating independent real time earthquake monitoring network as a part of securing the seismic safety of NPP sites in South Korea since late 1990's. If earthquakes with more than magnitude 3.0 are occurred in the Korean Peninsula or the peak ground

Time-related degradation, a key issue in nuclear plant safety evaluations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bonzon, L.L.; Bustard, L.D.; Clough, R.L.

1982-01-01

Sandia National Laboratories is conducting a number of programs under NRC sponsorship which deal with safety-related equipment qualification issues, including the important aspect of aging. Among these is the Qualification Testing Evaluation (QTE) program which was probably the first to devote significant effort towards aging research and was one of the primary motivators leading to the Workshop. The thrust of the QTE aging efforts has been on elastomeric materials, typically used in electrical cables, seals, gaskets, and the like; currently, efforts are being pursued on plant ambient environments measurements, aging of electronics, and aging of motors. A brief status reportmore » is presented in this paper.« less

Investigation of criticality safety control infraction data at a nuclear facility

DOE PAGES

Cournoyer, Michael E.; Merhege, James F.; Costa, David A.; ...

2014-10-27

Chemical and metallurgical operations involving plutonium and other nuclear materials account for most activities performed at the LANL's Plutonium Facility (PF-4). The presence of large quantities of fissile materials in numerous forms at PF-4 makes it necessary to maintain an active criticality safety program. The LANL Nuclear Criticality Safety (NCS) Program provides guidance to enable efficient operations while ensuring prevention of criticality accidents in the handling, storing, processing and transportation of fissionable material at PF-4. In order to achieve and sustain lower criticality safety control infraction (CSCI) rates, PF-4 operations are continuously improved, through the use of Lean Manufacturing andmore » Six Sigma (LSS) business practices. Employing LSS, statistically significant variations (trends) can be identified in PF-4 CSCI reports. In this study, trends have been identified in the NCS Program using the NCS Database. An output metric has been developed that measures ADPSM Management progress toward meeting its NCS objectives and goals. Using a Pareto Chart, the primary CSCI attributes have been determined in order of those requiring the most management support. Data generated from analysis of CSCI data help identify and reduce number of corresponding attributes. In-field monitoring of CSCI's contribute to an organization's scientific and technological excellence by providing information that can be used to improve criticality safety operation safety. This increases technical knowledge and augments operational safety.« less

Index to Nuclear Safety. A technical progress review by chronology, permuted title, and author. Vol. 11, No. 1--Vol. 17, No. 6

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cottrell, W.B.; Klein, A.

1977-02-23

This index to Nuclear Safety covers articles in Nuclear Safety Vol. 11, No. 1 (Jan.-Feb. 1970), through Vol. 17, No. 6 (Nov.-Dec. 1976). The index includes a chronological list of articles (including abstract) followed by KWIC and Author Indexes. Nuclear Safety, a bimonthly technical progress review prepared by the Nuclear Safety Information Center, covers all safety aspects of nuclear power reactors and associated facilities. The index lists over 350 technical articles in the last six years of publication.

77 FR 24538 - Fukushima-Related Orders Modifying Licenses; Establishment of Atomic Safety and Licensing Board

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-24

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket Nos. EA-12-050, EA-12-051; ASLBP No. 12-918-01-EA-BD01] Fukushima-Related Orders Modifying Licenses; Establishment of Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Pursuant to delegation by the Commission dated December 29, 1972, published in the Federal Register, 37 FR 28,710 (1972...

Nuclear health and safety

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Glenn, J.

1991-02-01

There has been concern over the Department of Energy's (DOE) dual role of producing nuclear weapons and assessing the potential health hazards associated with operating its facilities has raised questions about DOE's ability to effectively manage its health and health effects (epidemiology) research programs. In March 1990, the secrecy of Energy announced several initiatives to address these concerns. These initiatives include, among others, the development of an occupational health and epidemiology program, the transfer of long-term health effects' studies to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the establishment of an advisory committee to oversee DOE's environmental, safety, andmore » health activities, and the design of a data base to store and retrieve health data. This paper provides a brief description of DOE's initiatives, including their status as of December 1990 and general observations of these initiatives.« less

77 FR 20853 - Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.; Establishment of Atomic Safety and Licensing Board

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-06

... Operations, Inc.; Establishment of Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Pursuant to delegation by the Commission... Atomic Safety and Licensing Board (Board) is being established to preside over the following proceeding... administrative judges: Ann Marshall Young, Chair, Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel, U.S. Nuclear...

HFE safety reviews of advanced nuclear power plant control rooms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ohara, John

1994-01-01

Advanced control rooms (ACR's) will utilize human-system interface (HSI) technologies that may have significant implications for plant safety in that they will affect the operator's overall role and means of interacting with the system. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) reviews the human factors engineering (HFE) aspects of HSI's to ensure that they are designed to good HFE principles and support performance and reliability in order to protect public health and safety. However, the only available NRC guidance was developed more than ten years ago, and does not adequately address the human performance issues and technology changes associated with ACR's. Accordingly, a new approach to ACR safety reviews was developed based upon the concept of 'convergent validity'. This approach to ACR safety reviews is described.

A survey of nuclear-related agreements and possibilities for nuclear cooperation in South Asia: Cooperative Monitoring Center Occasional Paper/15

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

RAJEN,GAURAV

2000-04-01

Several existing nuclear-related agreements already require India and Pakistan, as members, to share information. The agreements are bilateral, regional, and international. Greater nuclear transparency between India and Pakistan could be promoted by first understanding the information flows required by existing agreements. This understanding is an essential step for developing projects that can incrementally advance the sensitivity of the information being shared. This paper provides a survey of existing nuclear-related agreements involving India and Pakistan, and suggests future confidence-building projects using the frameworks provided by these agreements. The Bilateral Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Reactors and Nuclear Facilitiesmore » is discussed as a basis for creating further agreements on restricting the use and deployment of nuclear weapons. The author suggests options for enhancing the value of the list of nuclear facilities exchanged annually as a part of this agreement. The International Atomic Energy Agency's regional cooperation agreement among countries in the Asia-Pacific region is an opportunity for greater subregional nuclear cooperation in South Asia. Linking the regional agreement with South Asian environmental cooperation and marine pollution protection efforts could provide a framework for projects involving Indian and Pakistani coastal nuclear facilities. Programs of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations that use nuclear techniques to increase food and crop production and optimize water management in arid areas also provide similar opportunities for nuclear cooperation. Other frameworks for nuclear cooperation originate from international conventions related to nuclear safety, transportation of nuclear wastes, worker protection against ionizing radiation, and the nondeployment of nuclear weapons in certain areas. The information shared by existing frameworks includes: laws and regulations

Deep Time Iterations: Familiarity, Horizons, and Pattern among Finland's Nuclear Waste Safety Experts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ialenti, Vincent Francis

This ethnography reconsiders nuclear waste risk's deep time horizons' often-sensationalized aesthetics of horror, sublimity, and awe. It does so by tracking how Finland's nuclear energy and waste experts made visions of distant future Finlands appear more intelligible through mundane corporate, regulatory, financial, and technoscientific practices. Each chapter unpacks how informants iterated and reiterated traces of the very familiar to establish shared grounds of continuity for moving forward in time. Chapter 1 explores how Finland's energy sector's "mankala" cooperative corporate form was iterated and reiterated to give shape to political and financial time horizons. Chapter 2 explores how workplace role distinctions between recruit/retiree and junior/senior were iterated and reiterated to reckon nuclear personnel successions' intergenerational horizons. Chapter 3 explores how input/output and part/whole distinctions were iterated and reiterated to help model distant future worlds in a portfolio of "Safety Case" evidence made to demonstrate the Olkiluoto repository's safety to Finnish nuclear regulator STUK. Chapter 4 explores how Safety Case experts iterated and reiterated memories of a deceased predecessor figure in everyday engagements with deep time. What emerges are three insights about how futures attain discernible features--insights about the "continuity," "thinkability," and "extensibility" of expert thought--that, I argue, can help twenty-first century experts better navigate not only deep time, but also unknown futures of nuclear technologies, planetary environment, and expertise itself.

Lessons Learned for Space Safety from the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Accident

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nogami, Manami; Miki, Masami; Mitsui, Masami; Kawada, Ysuhiro; Takeuchi, Nobuo

2013-09-01

On March 11 2011, Tohoku Region Pacific Coast Earthquake hit Japan and caused the devastating damage. The Fukushima Nuclear Power Station (NPS) was also severely damaged.The Japanese NPSs are designed based on the detailed safety requirements and have multiple-folds of hazard controls to the catastrophic hazards as in space system. However, according to the initial information from the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) and the Japanese government, the larger-than-expected tsunami and subsequent events lost the all hazard controls to the release of radioactive materials.At the 5th IAASS, Lessons Learned from this disaster was reported [1] mainly based on the "Report of the Japanese Government to the IAEA Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Safety" [2] published by Nuclear Emergency Response Headquarters in June 2011, three months after the earthquake.Up to 2012 summer, the major investigation boards, including the Japanese Diet, the Japanese Cabinet and TEPCO, published their final reports, in which detailed causes of this accident and several recommendations are assessed from each perspective.In this paper, the authors examine to introduce the lessons learned to be applied to the space safety as findings from these reports.

Fault tree applications within the safety program of Idaho Nuclear Corporation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vesely, W. E.

1971-01-01

Computerized fault tree analyses are used to obtain both qualitative and quantitative information about the safety and reliability of an electrical control system that shuts the reactor down when certain safety criteria are exceeded, in the design of a nuclear plant protection system, and in an investigation of a backup emergency system for reactor shutdown. The fault tree yields the modes by which the system failure or accident will occur, the most critical failure or accident causing areas, detailed failure probabilities, and the response of safety or reliability to design modifications and maintenance schemes.

Technical Issues Related to the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garwin, Richard L.

2003-04-01

The National Academy of Sciences recently published a detailed study of technical factors related to the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), with emphasis on those issues that arose when the Senate declined to ratify the Treaty in 1999. The study considered (1) the capacity of the United States to maintain confidence in the safety and reliability of its nuclear weapons without nuclear testing; (2) the capabilities of the international nuclear-test monitoring system; and (3) the advances in nuclear weapons capabilities that other countries might make through low-yield testing that might escape detection. Excluding political factors, the committee considered three possible future worlds: (1) a world without a CTBT; (2) a world in which the signatories comply with a CTBT; and (3) a world in the signatories evade its strictures within the limits set by the detection system. The talk and ensuing discussion will elaborate on the study. The principal conclusion of the report, based solely on technical reasons, is that the national security of the United States is better served with a CTBT in force than without it, whether or not other signatories conduct low level but undetected tests in violation of the treaty. Moreover, the study finds that nuclear testing would not add substantially to the US Stockpile Stewardship Program in allowing the United States to maintain confidence in the assessment of its existing nuclear weapons.

Technical Issues Related to the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2003-03-01

The National Academy of Sciences recently completed a detailed study of the technical factors related to the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), with emphasis on those issues that arose when the Senate declined to ratify the Treaty in 1999. The study considered (1) the capacity of the United States to maintain confidence in the safety and reliability of its nuclear weapons without nuclear testing; (2) the capabilities of the international nuclear-test monitoring system; and (3) the advances in nuclear weapons capabilities that other countries might make through low-yield testing that might escape detection. While political factors were excluded, the committee considered three possible future worlds: (1) a world without a CTBT; (2) a world in which the signatories comply with a CTBT; and (3) a world in the signatories evade its strictures within the limits set by the detection system. The talk will elaborate on the study. The primary conclusion, based solely on technical reasons, is that the national security of the United States is better served with a CTBT in force than without it, whether or not other signatories conduct low level but undetected tests in violation of the treaty. Moreover, the study finds that nuclear testing would not add substantially to the US Stockpile Stewardship Program in allowing the United States to maintain confidence in the assessment of its existing nuclear weapons."

49 CFR 191.23 - Reporting safety-related conditions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 49 Transportation 3 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Reporting safety-related conditions. 191.23... HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (CONTINUED) PIPELINE SAFETY TRANSPORTATION OF NATURAL AND OTHER GAS BY PIPELINE; ANNUAL REPORTS, INCIDENT REPORTS, AND SAFETY-RELATED...

Nuclear power and probabilistic safety assessment (PSA): past through future applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stamatelatos, M. G.; Moieni, P.; Everline, C. J.

1995-03-01

Nuclear power reactor safety in the United States is about to enter a new era -- an era of risk- based management and risk-based regulation. First, there was the age of `prescribed safety assessment,' during which a series of design-basis accidents in eight categories of severity, or classes, were postulated and analyzed. Toward the end of that era, it was recognized that `Class 9,' or `beyond design basis,' accidents would need special attention because of the potentially severe health and financial consequences of these accidents. The accident at Three Mile Island showed that sequences of low-consequence, high-frequency events and human errors can be much more risk dominant than the Class 9 accidents. A different form of safety assessment, PSA, emerged and began to gain ground against the deterministic safety establishment. Eventually, this led to the current regulatory requirements for individual plant examinations (IPEs). The IPEs can serve as a basis for risk-based regulation and management, a concept that may ultimately transform the U.S. regulatory process from its traditional deterministic foundations to a process predicated upon PSA. Beyond the possibility of a regulatory environment predicated upon PSA lies the possibility of using PSA as the foundation for managing daily nuclear power plant operations.

Nuclear reactor safety research since three mile island.

PubMed

Mynatt, F R

1982-04-09

The Three Mile Island nuclear power plant accident has resulted in redirection of reactor safety research priorities. The small release to the environment of radioactive iodine-13 to 17 curies in a total radioactivity release of 2.4 million to 13 million curies-has led to a new emphasis on the physical chemistry of fission product behavior in accidents; the fact that the nuclear core was severely damaged but did not melt down has opened a new accident regime-that of the degraded core; the role of the operators in the progression and severity of the accident has shifted emphasis from equipment reliability to human reliability. As research progresses in these areas, the technical base for regulation and risk analysis will change substantially.

Results of operation and current safety performance of nuclear facilities located in the Russian Federation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuznetsov, V. M.; Khvostova, M. S.

2016-12-01

After the NPP radiation accidents in Russia and Japan, a safety statu of Russian nuclear power plants causes concern. A repeated life time extension of power unit reactor plants, designed at the dawn of the nuclear power engineering in the Soviet Union, power augmentation of the plants to 104-109%, operation of power units in a daily power mode in the range of 100-70-100%, the use of untypical for NPP remixed nuclear fuel without a careful study of the results of its application (at least after two operating periods of the research nuclear installations), the aging of operating personnel, and many other management actions of the State Corporation "Rosatom", should attract the attention of the Federal Service for Ecological, Technical and Atomic Supervision (RosTekhNadzor), but this doesn't happen. The paper considers safety issues of nuclear power plants operating in the Russian Federation. The authors collected statistical information on violations in NPP operation over the past 25 years, which shows that even after repeated relaxation over this period of time of safety regulation requirements in nuclear industry and highly expensive NPP modernization, the latter have not become more safe, and the statistics confirms this. At a lower utilization factor high-power pressure-tube reactors RBMK-1000, compared to light water reactors VVER-440 and 1000, have a greater number of violations and that after annual overhauls. A number of direct and root causes of NPP mulfunctions is still high and remains stable for decades. The paper reveals bottlenecks in ensuring nuclear and radiation safety of nuclear facilities. Main outstanding issues on the storage of spent nuclear fuel are defined. Information on emissions and discharges of radioactive substances, as well as fullness of storages of solid and liquid radioactive waste, located at the NPP sites are presented. Russian NPPs stress test results are submitted, as well as data on the coming removal from operation of NPP

The role of PRA in the safety assessment of VVER Nuclear Power Plants in Ukraine.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kot, C.

1999-05-10

Ukraine operates thirteen (13) Soviet-designed pressurized water reactors, VVERS. All Ukrainian plants are currently operating with annually renewable permits until they update their safety analysis reports (SARs), in accordance with new SAR content requirements issued in September 1995, by the Nuclear Regulatory Authority and the Government Nuclear Power Coordinating Committee of Ukraine. The requirements are in three major areas: design basis accident (DBA) analysis, probabilistic risk assessment (PRA), and beyond design-basis accident (BDBA) analysis. The last two requirements, on PRA and BDBA, are new, and the DBA requirements are an expanded version of the older SAR requirements. The US Departmentmore » of Energy (USDOE), as part of its Soviet-Designed Reactor Safety activities, is providing assistance and technology transfer to Ukraine to support their nuclear power plants (NPPs) in developing a Western-type technical basis for the new SARs. USDOE sponsored In-Depth Safety Assessments (ISAs) are in progress at three pilot nuclear reactor units in Ukraine, South Ukraine Unit 1, Zaporizhzhya Unit 5, and Rivne Unit 1, and a follow-on study has been initiated at Khmenytskyy Unit 1. The ISA projects encompass most areas of plant safety evaluation, but the initial emphasis is on performing a detailed, plant-specific Level 1 Internal Events PRA. This allows the early definition of the plant risk profile, the identification of risk significant accident sequences and plant vulnerabilities and provides guidance for the remainder of the safety assessments.« less

Nuclear energy technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buden, David

1992-01-01

An overview of space nuclear energy technologies is presented. The development and characteristics of radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTG's) and space nuclear power reactors are discussed. In addition, the policy and issues related to public safety and the use of nuclear power sources in space are addressed.

Summary of the Forty-Fifth NCRP annual meeting on "the future of nuclear power worldwide: safety, health and the environment".

PubMed

Corradini, Michael

2011-01-01

The role of nuclear power as a major resource in meeting the projected growth of electric power requirements in the United States and worldwide during the 21st century is a subject of great contemporary interest. The goal of the 2009 NCRP Annual Meeting was to provide a forum for an in-depth discussion of issues related to the safety, health and environmental protection aspects of new nuclear power reactor systems and related fuel-cycle facilities such as fuel production and reprocessing strategies. The meeting was an international conference with participation of almost 400 representatives from many nations, scientific organizations, nuclear industries, and governmental agencies engaged in the development and regulatory control of advanced nuclear reactor systems and fuel-cycle operations. Highlights of the meeting are summarized in this report. Copyright © 2010 Health Physics Society

Manned space flight nuclear system safety. Volume 3: Reactor system preliminary nuclear safety analysis. Part 1: Reference Design Document (RDD)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

The Reference Design Document, of the Preliminary Safety Analysis Report (PSAR) - Reactor System provides the basic design and operations data used in the nuclear safety analysis of the Rector Power Module as applied to a Space Base program. A description of the power module systems, facilities, launch vehicle and mission operations, as defined in NASA Phase A Space Base studies is included. Each of two Zirconium Hydride Reactor Brayton power modules provides 50 kWe for the nominal 50 man Space Base. The INT-21 is the prime launch vehicle. Resupply to the 500 km orbit over the ten year mission is provided by the Space Shuttle. At the end of the power module lifetime (nominally five years), a reactor disposal system is deployed for boost into a 990 km high altitude (long decay time) earth orbit.

Safety engineering: KTA code of practice. Lifting mechanisms in nuclear plant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lifting mechanisms safety requirements are discussed in accordance with the present state of development of science and engineering for the protection of life, health, and assets against the dangers of nuclear energy and the ill effects of ionizing radiation.

Information Scanning and Processing at the Nuclear Safety Information Center.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parks, Celia; Julian, Carol

This report is a detailed manual of the information specialist's duties at the Nuclear Safety Information Center. Information specialists scan the literature for documents to be reviewed, procure the documents (books, journal articles, reports, etc.), keep the document location records, and return the documents to the plant library or other…

75 FR 53985 - Southern Nuclear Operating Company Establishment of Atomic Safety And Licensing Board

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-02

...] Southern Nuclear Operating Company Establishment of Atomic Safety And Licensing Board Pursuant to..., notice is hereby given that an Atomic Safety and Licensing Board (Board) is being established to preside...). The Board is comprised of the following administrative judges: G. Paul Bollwerk, III, Chairman, Atomic...

78 FR 9902 - DOE Response to Recommendation 2012-2 of the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, Hanford...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-12

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY DOE Response to Recommendation 2012-2 of the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, Hanford Tank Farms Flammable Gas Safety Strategy; Correction AGENCY: Department of Energy... Facilities Safety Board, Hanford Tank Farms Flammable Gas Safety Strategy. This document corrects an error in...

Sensitivity-Uncertainty Based Nuclear Criticality Safety Validation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brown, Forrest B.

2016-09-20

These are slides from a seminar given to the University of Mexico Nuclear Engineering Department. Whisper is a statistical analysis package developed to support nuclear criticality safety validation. It uses the sensitivity profile data for an application as computed by MCNP6 along with covariance files for the nuclear data to determine a baseline upper-subcritical-limit for the application. Whisper and its associated benchmark files are developed and maintained as part of MCNP6, and will be distributed with all future releases of MCNP6. Although sensitivity-uncertainty methods for NCS validation have been under development for 20 years, continuous-energy Monte Carlo codes such asmore » MCNP could not determine the required adjoint-weighted tallies for sensitivity profiles. The recent introduction of the iterated fission probability method into MCNP led to the rapid development of sensitivity analysis capabilities for MCNP6 and the development of Whisper. Sensitivity-uncertainty based methods represent the future for NCS validation – making full use of today’s computer power to codify past approaches based largely on expert judgment. Validation results are defensible, auditable, and repeatable as needed with different assumptions and process models. The new methods can supplement, support, and extend traditional validation approaches.« less

75 FR 52046 - Development of U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Safety Culture Policy Statement: Public Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-24

... focuses on the unique aspects of nuclear safety and security and highlights the Commission's expectations... safety culture and (2) high level descriptions or traits of areas important to safety culture. The... NRC headquarters. Please allow time at both locations to register with building security upon entering...

Implementing Stakeholders' Access to Expertise: Experimenting on Nuclear Installations' Safety Cases - 12160

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gilli, Ludivine; Charron, Sylvie

2012-07-01

In 2009 and 2010, the Institute for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection (IRSN) led two pilot actions dealing with nuclear installations' safety cases. One concerned the periodical review of the French 900 MWe nuclear reactors, the other concerned the decommissioning of a workshop located on the site of Areva's La Hague fuel-reprocessing plant site in Northwestern France. The purpose of both these programs was to test ways for IRSN and a small number of stakeholders (Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) members, local elected officials, etc.) to engage in technical discussions. The discussions were intended to enable the stakeholders to review future applicationsmore » and provide valuable input. The test cases confirmed there is a definite challenge in successfully opening a meaningful dialogue to discuss technical issues, in particular the fact that most expertise reports were not public and the conflict that exists between the contrary demands of transparency and confidentiality of information. The test case also confirmed there are ways to further improvement of stakeholders' involvement. (authors)« less

Development of Safety Assessment Code for Decommissioning of Nuclear Facilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shimada, Taro; Ohshima, Soichiro; Sukegawa, Takenori

A safety assessment code, DecDose, for decommissioning of nuclear facilities has been developed, based on the experiences of the decommissioning project of Japan Power Demonstration Reactor (JPDR) at Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (currently JAEA). DecDose evaluates the annual exposure dose of the public and workers according to the progress of decommissioning, and also evaluates the public dose at accidental situations including fire and explosion. As for the public, both the internal and the external doses are calculated by considering inhalation, ingestion, direct radiation from radioactive aerosols and radioactive depositions, and skyshine radiation from waste containers. For external dose for workers, the dose rate from contaminated components and structures to be dismantled is calculated. Internal dose for workers is calculated by considering dismantling conditions, e.g. cutting speed, cutting length of the components and exhaust velocity. Estimation models for dose rate and staying time were verified by comparison with the actual external dose of workers which were acquired during JPDR decommissioning project. DecDose code is expected to contribute the safety assessment for decommissioning of nuclear facilities.

Engineering thinking in emergency situations: A new nuclear safety concept.

PubMed

Guarnieri, Franck; Travadel, Sébastien

2014-11-01

The lessons learned from the Fukushima Daiichi accident have focused on preventive measures designed to protect nuclear reactors, and crisis management plans. Although there is still no end in sight to the accident that occurred on March 11, 2011, how engineers have handled the aftermath offers new insight into the capacity of organizations to adapt in situations that far exceed the scope of safety standards based on probabilistic risk assessment and on the comprehensive identification of disaster scenarios. Ongoing crises in which conventional resources are lacking, but societal expectations are high, call for "engineering thinking in emergency situations." This is a new concept that emphasizes adaptability and resilience within organizations-such as the ability to create temporary new organizational structures; to quickly switch from a normal state to an innovative mode; and to integrate a social dimension into engineering activities. In the future, nuclear safety oversight authorities should assess the ability of plant operators to create and implement effective engineering strategies on the fly, and should require that operators demonstrate the capability for resilience in the aftermath of an accident.

22 CFR 123.20 - Nuclear related controls.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Nuclear related controls. 123.20 Section 123.20... AND TEMPORARY IMPORT OF DEFENSE ARTICLES § 123.20 Nuclear related controls. (a) The provisions of this... the export control of the Department of Energy or the Nuclear Regulatory Commission pursuant to the...

Safety Evaluation Report on Tennessee Valley Authority: Browns Ferry Nuclear Performance Plan: Browns Ferry Unit 2 restart

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1989-04-01

This safety evaluation report (SER) on the information submitted by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) in its Nuclear Performance Plan, through Revision 2, for the Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Station and in supporting documents has been prepared by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff. The plan addresses the plant-specific concerns requiring resolution before startup of Unit 2. The staff will inspect implementation of those programs. Where systems are common to Units 1 and 2 or to Units 2 and 3, the staff safety evaluations of those systems are included herein. 3 refs.

Technical Guidance from the International Safety Framework for Nuclear Power Source Applications in Outer Space for Design and Development Phases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Summerer, Leopold

2014-08-01

In 2009, the International Safety Framework for Nuclear Power Source Applications in Outer Space [1] has been adopted, following a multi-year process that involved all major space faring nations in the frame of the International Atomic Energy Agency and the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. The safety framework reflects an international consensus on best practices. After the older 1992 Principles Relevant to the Use of Nuclear Power Sources in Outer Space, it is the second document at UN level dedicated entirely to space nuclear power sources.This paper analyses aspects of the safety framework relevant for the design and development phases of space nuclear power sources. While early publications have started analysing the legal aspects of the safety framework, its technical guidance has not yet been subject to scholarly articles. The present paper therefore focuses on the technical guidance provided in the safety framework, in an attempt to assist engineers and practitioners to benefit from these.

22 CFR 123.20 - Nuclear related controls.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Nuclear related controls. 123.20 Section 123.20... DEFENSE ARTICLES § 123.20 Nuclear related controls. (a) The provisions of this subchapter do not apply to... of Energy or the Nuclear Regulatory Commission pursuant to the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended...

22 CFR 123.20 - Nuclear related controls.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Nuclear related controls. 123.20 Section 123.20... DEFENSE ARTICLES § 123.20 Nuclear related controls. (a) The provisions of this subchapter do not apply to... of Energy or the Nuclear Regulatory Commission pursuant to the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended...

22 CFR 123.20 - Nuclear related controls.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Nuclear related controls. 123.20 Section 123.20... DEFENSE ARTICLES § 123.20 Nuclear related controls. (a) The provisions of this subchapter do not apply to... of Energy or the Nuclear Regulatory Commission pursuant to the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended...

22 CFR 123.20 - Nuclear related controls.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Nuclear related controls. 123.20 Section 123.20... DEFENSE ARTICLES § 123.20 Nuclear related controls. (a) The provisions of this subchapter do not apply to... of Energy or the Nuclear Regulatory Commission pursuant to the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended...

Application of Framework for Integrating Safety, Security and Safeguards (3Ss) into the Design Of Used Nuclear Fuel Storage Facility

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Badwan, Faris M.; Demuth, Scott F

Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy, Fuel Cycle Research and Development develops options to the current commercial fuel cycle management strategy to enable the safe, secure, economic, and sustainable expansion of nuclear energy while minimizing proliferation risks by conducting research and development focused on used nuclear fuel recycling and waste management to meet U.S. needs. Used nuclear fuel is currently stored onsite in either wet pools or in dry storage systems, with disposal envisioned in interim storage facility and, ultimately, in a deep-mined geologic repository. The safe management and disposition of used nuclear fuel and/or nuclear waste is amore » fundamental aspect of any nuclear fuel cycle. Integrating safety, security, and safeguards (3Ss) fully in the early stages of the design process for a new nuclear facility has the potential to effectively minimize safety, proliferation, and security risks. The 3Ss integration framework could become the new national and international norm and the standard process for designing future nuclear facilities. The purpose of this report is to develop a framework for integrating the safety, security and safeguards concept into the design of Used Nuclear Fuel Storage Facility (UNFSF). The primary focus is on integration of safeguards and security into the UNFSF based on the existing Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approach to addressing the safety/security interface (10 CFR 73.58 and Regulatory Guide 5.73) for nuclear power plants. The methodology used for adaptation of the NRC safety/security interface will be used as the basis for development of the safeguards /security interface and later will be used as the basis for development of safety and safeguards interface. Then this will complete the integration cycle of safety, security, and safeguards. The overall methodology for integration of 3Ss will be proposed, but only the integration of safeguards and security will be applied to the design

Current state of nuclear fuel cycles in nuclear engineering and trends in their development according to the environmental safety requirements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vislov, I. S.; Pischulin, V. P.; Kladiev, S. N.; Slobodyan, S. M.

2016-08-01

The state and trends in the development of nuclear fuel cycles in nuclear engineering, taking into account the ecological aspects of using nuclear power plants, are considered. An analysis of advantages and disadvantages of nuclear engineering, compared with thermal engineering based on organic fuel types, was carried out. Spent nuclear fuel (SNF) reprocessing is an important task in the nuclear industry, since fuel unloaded from modern reactors of any type contains a large amount of radioactive elements that are harmful to the environment. On the other hand, the newly generated isotopes of uranium and plutonium should be reused to fabricate new nuclear fuel. The spent nuclear fuel also includes other types of fission products. Conditions for SNF handling are determined by ecological and economic factors. When choosing a certain handling method, one should assess these factors at all stages of its implementation. There are two main methods of SNF handling: open nuclear fuel cycle, with spent nuclear fuel assemblies (NFAs) that are held in storage facilities with their consequent disposal, and closed nuclear fuel cycle, with separation of uranium and plutonium, their purification from fission products, and use for producing new fuel batches. The development of effective closed fuel cycles using mixed uranium-plutonium fuel can provide a successful development of the nuclear industry only under the conditions of implementation of novel effective technological treatment processes that meet strict requirements of environmental safety and reliability of process equipment being applied. The diversity of technological processes is determined by different types of NFA devices and construction materials being used, as well as by the composition that depends on nuclear fuel components and operational conditions for assemblies in the nuclear power reactor. This work provides an overview of technological processes of SNF treatment and methods of handling of nuclear fuel

Science and Safety: 'Acceptable' Risk

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Science News, 1976

1976-01-01

Stresses ways to answer questions related to widespread publicity - are nuclear reactors safe, will dangerous research in genetic manipulation be banned? - with emphasis on true meaning of safety as related to risks. (EB)

Request for Naval Reactors Comment on Proposed Prometheus Space Flight Nuclear Reactor High Tier Reactor Safety Requirements and for Naval Reactors Approval to Transmit These Requirements to JPL

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

D. Kokkinos

2005-04-28

The purpose of this letter is to request Naval Reactors comments on the nuclear reactor high tier requirements for the PROMETHEUS space flight reactor design, pre-launch operations, launch, ascent, operation, and disposal, and to request Naval Reactors approval to transmit these requirements to Jet Propulsion Laboratory to ensure consistency between the reactor safety requirements and the spacecraft safety requirements. The proposed PROMETHEUS nuclear reactor high tier safety requirements are consistent with the long standing safety culture of the Naval Reactors Program and its commitment to protecting the health and safety of the public and the environment. In addition, the philosophymore » on which these requirements are based is consistent with the Nuclear Safety Policy Working Group recommendations on space nuclear propulsion safety (Reference 1), DOE Nuclear Safety Criteria and Specifications for Space Nuclear Reactors (Reference 2), the Nuclear Space Power Safety and Facility Guidelines Study of the Applied Physics Laboratory.« less

Engineering thinking in emergency situations: A new nuclear safety concept

PubMed Central

Guarnieri, Franck; Travadel, Sébastien

2014-01-01

The lessons learned from the Fukushima Daiichi accident have focused on preventive measures designed to protect nuclear reactors, and crisis management plans. Although there is still no end in sight to the accident that occurred on March 11, 2011, how engineers have handled the aftermath offers new insight into the capacity of organizations to adapt in situations that far exceed the scope of safety standards based on probabilistic risk assessment and on the comprehensive identification of disaster scenarios. Ongoing crises in which conventional resources are lacking, but societal expectations are high, call for “engineering thinking in emergency situations.” This is a new concept that emphasizes adaptability and resilience within organizations—such as the ability to create temporary new organizational structures; to quickly switch from a normal state to an innovative mode; and to integrate a social dimension into engineering activities. In the future, nuclear safety oversight authorities should assess the ability of plant operators to create and implement effective engineering strategies on the fly, and should require that operators demonstrate the capability for resilience in the aftermath of an accident. PMID:25419015

Occupational Employment in Nuclear-Related Activities, 1981.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Joe G.; Olsen, Kathryn

Employment in nuclear- and nuclear energy-related activities in 1981 was examined and compared to that in previous years. Survey instruments were returned by 784 establishments. Total 1981 nuclear-related employment was estimated to be 249,500--a growth of 22,600 (10%) workers over the 1977 total. Government-owned, contractor-operated (GOCO)…

Nuclear data and related services

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuli, J. K.

1985-10-01

National Nuclear Data Center (NNDC) maintains a number of data bases containing bibliographic information and evaluated as well as experimental nuclear properties. An evaluated computer file maintained by the NNDC, called the Evaluated Nuclear Structure Data File (ENSDF), contains nuclear structure information for all known nuclides. The ENSDF is the source for the journal Nuclear Data Sheets which is produced and edited by NNDC. The Evaluated Nuclear Data File (ENDF), on the other hand is designed for storage and retrieval of such evaluated nuclear data as are used in neutronic, photonic, and decay heat calculations in a large variety of applications. Some of the publications from these data bases are the Nuclear Wallet Cards, Radioactivity Handbook, and books on neutron cross sections and resonance parameters. In addition, the NNDC maintains three bibliographic files: NSR - for nuclear structure and decay data related references, CINDA - a bibliographic file for neutron induced reactions, and CPBIB for charged particle reactions. Selected retrievals from evaluated data and bibliographic files are possible on-line or on request from NNDC.

Nuclear Powerplant Safety: Operations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Department of Energy, Washington, DC. Nuclear Energy Office.

Powerplant systems and procedures that ensure the day-to-day health and safety of people in and around the plant is referred to as operational safety. This safety is the result of careful planning, good engineering and design, strict licensing and regulation, and environmental monitoring. Procedures that assure operational safety at nuclear…

Worldwide advanced nuclear power reactors with passive and inherent safety: What, why, how, and who

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Forsberg, C.W.; Reich, W.J.

1991-09-01

The political controversy over nuclear power, the accidents at Three Mile Island (TMI) and Chernobyl, international competition, concerns about the carbon dioxide greenhouse effect and technical breakthroughs have resulted in a segment of the nuclear industry examining power reactor concepts with PRIME safety characteristics. PRIME is an acronym for Passive safety, Resilience, Inherent safety, Malevolence resistance, and Extended time after initiation of an accident for external help. The basic ideal of PRIME is to develop power reactors in which operator error, internal sabotage, or external assault do not cause a significant release of radioactivity to the environment. Several PRIME reactormore » concepts are being considered. In each case, an existing, proven power reactor technology is combined with radical innovations in selected plant components and in the safety philosophy. The Process Inherent Ultimate Safety (PIUS) reactor is a modified pressurized-water reactor, the Modular High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor (MHTGR) is a modified gas-cooled reactor, and the Advanced CANDU Project is a modified heavy-water reactor. In addition to the reactor concepts, there is parallel work on super containments. The objective is the development of a passive box'' that can contain radioactivity in the event of any type of accident. This report briefly examines: why a segment of the nuclear power community is taking this new direction, how it differs from earlier directions, and what technical options are being considered. A more detailed description of which countries and reactor vendors have undertaken activities follows. 41 refs.« less

University education and nuclear criticality safety professionals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wilson, R.E.; Stachowiak, R.V.; Knief, R.A.

1996-12-31

The problem of developing a productive criticality safety specialist at a nuclear fuel facility has long been with us. The normal practice is to hire a recent undergraduate or graduate degree recipient and invest at least a decade in on-the-job training. In the early 1980s, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) developed a model intern program in an attempt to speed up the process. The program involved working at assigned projects for extended periods at a working critical mass laboratory, a methods development group, and a fuel cycle facility. This never gained support as it involved extended time away frommore » the job. At the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site, the training method is currently the traditional one involving extensive experience. The flaw is that the criticality safety staff turnover has been such that few individuals continue for the decade some consider necessary for maturity in the discipline. To maintain quality evaluations and controls as well as interpretation decisions, extensive group review is used. This has proved costly to the site and professionally unsatisfying to the current staff. The site contractor has proposed a training program to remedy the basic problem.« less

Patterns in Safety-Related Projects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parsons, Mike; Hunter, Charles

Within Logica UK, safety-related projects are run in a variety of ways depending on the constraints imposed and how the risks and mitigations are owned and handled. A total of eight different types of project development patterns have been identified and this paper discusses each type. A simple decision tool has been developed based on the patterns which is used as an aid in deciding how to bid a safety project, allowing tradeoffs between risk ownership, development methods and cost to be assessed.

Quarterly report on Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board Recommendation 90-7 for the period ending December 31, 1992

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cash, R.J.; Dukelow, G.T.; Forbes, C.J.

1993-03-01

This is the seventh quarterly report on the progress of activities addressing safety issues associated with Hanford Site high-level radioactive waste tanks that contain ferrocyanide compounds. In the presence of oxidizing materials, such as nitrates or nitrites, ferrocyanide can be made to explode in the laboratory by heating it to high temperatures [above 285{degrees}C (545{degrees}F)]. In the mid 1950s approximately 140 metric tons of ferrocyanide were added to 24 underground high-level radioactive waste tanks. An implementation plan (Cash 1991) responding to the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board Recommendation 90-7 (FR 1990) was issued in March 1991 describing the activities thatmore » were planned and underway to address each of the six parts of Recommendation 90-7. A revision to the original plan was transmitted to US Department of Energy by Westinghouse Hanford Company in December 1992. Milestones completed this quarter are described in this report. Contents of this report include: Introduction; Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board Implementation Plan Task Activities (Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board Recommendation for enhanced temperature measurement, Recommendation for continuous temperature monitoring, Recommendation for cover gas monitoring, Recommendation for ferrocyanide waste characterization, Recommendation for chemical reaction studies, and Recommendation for emergency response planning); Schedules; and References. All actions recommended by the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board for emergency planning by Hanford Site emergency preparedness organizations have been completed.« less

76 FR 44623 - Atomic Safety and Licensing Board; In the Matter of Nuclear Innovation North America LLC (South...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-26

...] Atomic Safety and Licensing Board; In the Matter of Nuclear Innovation North America LLC (South Texas..., Dr. Gary S. Arnold, Dr. Randall J. Charbeneau. The Atomic Safety and Licensing Board hereby gives... as follows: Mail: Administrative Judge Michael M. Gibson, Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel...

Senate examines measures to improve nuclear safety following Japan disaster

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Showstack, Randy

2012-03-01

One year after Japan suffered a devastating magnitude 9.0 earthquake and the resulting tsunami and nuclear disaster, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has taken a number of measures to try to ensure that nuclear plants in the United States are safe from natural hazards. At a U.S. Senate hearing on 15 March, NRC chair Gregory Jaczko announced that the commission had issued three key orders and several requests for information on 12 March that plant licensees must follow, and that NRC also plans to take additional actions. However, the commission is not moving quickly enough in some areas, such as ensuring that all plants are safe from seismic hazards, including those in areas with low seismic activity, according to Jaczko's testimony before the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) and the Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety. The 12 March orders require licensees to have strategies to maintain or restore core cooling, containment, and spent-fuel pool cooling capabilities "following a beyond-design-basis extreme natural event" and have a reliable indication of the water level in spent-fuel storage pools.

Environment, Safety, and Health: Status of DOE’s Reorganization of it’s Safety Oversight Function

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-01-01

facilities. After deliberation, the Congress in late 1988 directed that the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board be established to provide...nuclear safety matters will be conducted by either the Advisory Committee on Nuclear Facility Safety or the recently mandated Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety...the facilities under the statutory purview of the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board once the board determines it is ready to assume independent

The effect of leader communication style on safety-conscious work environments at domestic nuclear power plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldberg, Edward Michael

Public risk from unsafe nuclear power plant operations increases when plant workers are reluctant to raise issues and concerns. The effect of leader communication style on the safety-conscious work environment (SCWE) at domestic nuclear power plants was evaluated using a descriptive quantitative research study. A sample of 379 plant employees was surveyed to determine leader communication style elements that foster SCWE. The results reveal that leader communication style significantly affects a safety-conscious work environment. Specific attributes such as wit, articulation, self-disclosure, and social composure, confirmation, and experience, were proven to directly affect worker's likelihood to raise issues and concerns. The direct effect of leader, communication style on safe plant operations and the communication actions leaders can take to improve the safety of those operations is discussed.

Contributions to nuclear safety and radiation technologies in Ukraine by the Science and Technology Center in Ukraine (STCU)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taranenko, L.; Janouch, F.; Owsiacki, L.

2001-06-01

This paper presents Science and Technology Center in Ukraine (STCU) activities devoted to furthering nuclear and radiation safety, which is a prioritized STCU area. The STCU, an intergovernmental organization with the principle objective of non-proliferation, administers financial support from the USA, Canada, and the EU to Ukrainian projects in various scientific and technological areas; coordinates projects; and promotes the integration of Ukrainian scientists into the international scientific community, including involving western collaborators. The paper focuses on STCU's largest project to date "Program Supporting Y2K Readiness at Ukrainian NPPs" initiated in April 1999 and designed to address possible Y2K readiness problems at 14 Ukrainian nuclear reactors. Other presented projects demonstrate a wide diversity of supported directions in the fields of nuclear and radiation safety, including reactor material improvement ("Improved Zirconium-Based Elements for Nuclear Reactors"), information technologies for nuclear industries ("Ukrainian Nuclear Data Bank in Slavutich"), and radiation health science ("Diagnostics and Treatment of Radiation-Induced Injuries of Human Biopolymers").

75 FR 50009 - Babcock & Wilcox Nuclear Operations Group, Inc.; Establishment of Atomic Safety and Licensing Board

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-16

... Nuclear Operations Group, Inc.; Establishment of Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Pursuant to delegation... 2.106, 2.300, 2.313(a), and 2.318, notice is hereby given that an Atomic Safety and Licensing Board..., 2010. The Board is comprised of the following administrative judges: Alan S. Rosenthal, Chair, Atomic...

Nuclear energy related capabilities at Sandia National Laboratories

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pickering, Susan Y.

2014-02-01

Sandia National Laboratories' technology solutions are depended on to solve national and global threats to peace and freedom. Through science and technology, people, infrastructure, and partnerships, part of Sandia's mission is to meet the national needs in the areas of energy, climate and infrastructure security. Within this mission to ensure clean, abundant, and affordable energy and water is the Nuclear Energy and Fuel Cycle Programs. The Nuclear Energy and Fuel Cycle Programs have a broad range of capabilities, with both physical facilities and intellectual expertise. These resources are brought to bear upon the key scientific and engineering challenges facing themore » nation and can be made available to address the research needs of others. Sandia can support the safe, secure, reliable, and sustainable use of nuclear power worldwide by incorporating state-of-the-art technologies in safety, security, nonproliferation, transportation, modeling, repository science, and system demonstrations.« less

The TACIS Nuclear Programme: Assistance in Upgrading Russian Nuclear Power Stations - An Overview of the Individual Projects in the Internet

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bieth, Michel; Schoels, Hubert

2006-07-01

The European Union' TACIS1 programme has been established for the New Independent States (NIS), among them in the Russian Federation since 1991. One priority of TACIS funding is Nuclear Safety. The European Commission has made available a total of 944 Million Euros for nuclear safety programmes covering the period 1991-2003. The TACIS nuclear safety programme is devoted to the improvement of the safety of Soviet designed nuclear installations in providing technology and safety culture transfer. JRC is carrying out works in the following areas: On-Site Assistance for TACIS operating Nuclear Power Plants; Design Safety and Dissemination of TACIS results; Reactormore » Pressure Vessel Embrittlement for VVER; Regulatory Assistance; Industrial Waste Management; Nuclear Safeguards; All TACIS projects, dealing with these areas of activity are now available in so called Project Description Sheets (PDS) or Project Results Sheets (PRS) in the Internet for everybody. JRC has created in the Internet an easy to open and to browse database which contains the result of works in relation to the above mentioned nuclear activities. This presentation gives an on-line overview of the app. 430 projects which have been implemented so far since the outset of the TACIS Nuclear Programme in the Russian Federation, which is representative to the other CIS countries, benefiting from the TACIS. The presentation will mainly consist of an on-line-demonstration of the TACIS Nuclear WEB Page, created by JRC. (authors)« less

Panel session on "safety, health and the environment: implications of nuclear power growth".

PubMed

Bilbao y León, Sama

2011-01-01

This paper summarizes the presentations and the insights offered by panelists John P. Winston, Robert Bernero, and Stephen LaMontagne during the Panel on Safety, Health and the Environment: Implications of Nuclear Power Growth that took place during the NCRP 2009 Annual Meeting. The paper describes the opportunities and the challenges faced in the areas of infrastructure development, radiation control, licensing and regulatory issues, and non-proliferation as a consequence of the forecasted growth in nuclear power capacity worldwide. Copyright © 2010 Health Physics Society

Guidelines for Reviewers and the Editor at the Nuclear Safety Information Center.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whetsel, H. B.

The main purpose of this report is to help novice reviewers accelerate their apprenticeship at the Nuclear Safety Information Center, a computerized information service sponsored by the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission. Guidelines for reviewers are presented in Part 1; Part 2 contains guidelines for the novice editor. The goal of the reviewers and…

Analysis respons to the implementation of nuclear installations safety culture using AHP-TOPSIS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Situmorang, J.; Kuntoro, I.; Santoso, S.; Subekti, M.; Sunaryo, G. R.

2018-02-01

An analysis of responses to the implementation of nuclear installations safety culture has been done using AHP (Analitic Hierarchy Process) - TOPSIS (Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution). Safety culture is considered as collective commitments of the decision-making level, management level, and individual level. Thus each level will provide a subjective perspective as an alternative approach to implementation. Furthermore safety culture is considered by the statement of five characteristics which in more detail form consist of 37 attributes, and therefore can be expressed as multi-attribute state. Those characteristics and or attributes will be a criterion and its value is difficult to determine. Those criteria of course, will determine and strongly influence the implementation of the corresponding safety culture. To determine the pattern and magnitude of the influence is done by using a TOPSIS that is based on decision matrix approach and is composed of alternatives and criteria. The weight of each criterion is determined by AHP technique. The data used are data collected through questionnaires at the workshop on safety and health in 2015. .Reliability test of data gives Cronbah Alpha value of 95.5% which according to the criteria is stated reliable. Validity test using bivariate correlation analysis technique between each attribute give Pearson correlation for all attribute is significant at level 0,01. Using confirmatory factor analysis gives Kaise-Meyer-Olkin of sampling Adequacy (KMO) is 0.719 and it is greater than the acceptance criterion 0.5 as well as the 0.000 significance level much smaller than 0.05 and stated that further analysis could be performed. As a result of the analysis it is found that responses from the level of decision maker (second echelon) dominate the best order preference rank to be the best solution in strengthening the nuclear installation safety culture, except for the first characteristics, safety is a

Are health professionals' perceptions of patient safety related to figures on safety incidents?

PubMed

Martijn, Lucie; Harmsen, Mirjam; Gaal, Sander; Mettes, Dirk; van Dulmen, Simone; Wensing, Michel

2013-10-01

The study aims to explore whether health care professionals' perceptions of patient safety in their practice were associated with the number of patient safety incidents identified in patient records. Seventy primary care practices of general practice, general dental practice, midwifery practices and allied health care practices were used in the study. A retrospective audit of 50 patient records was performed to identify patient safety incidents in each of the practices and a survey among health professionals to identify their perceptions of patient safety. All health professions felt that 'communication breakdowns inside the practice' as well as 'communication breakdowns outside the practice' and 'reporting of patient safety concerns' were a threat to patient safety in their work setting. We found little association between the perceptions of health professionals and the number of safety incidents. The only item with a significant relation to a higher number of safety incidents referred to the perception of 'communication problems outside the practice' as a threat to patient safety. This study indicates that the assessment of professionals' perceptions may be complementary to observed safety incidents, but not linked to an objective measure of patient safety. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

An analysis of electronic health record-related patient safety concerns

PubMed Central

Meeks, Derek W; Smith, Michael W; Taylor, Lesley; Sittig, Dean F; Scott, Jean M; Singh, Hardeep

2014-01-01

Objective A recent Institute of Medicine report called for attention to safety issues related to electronic health records (EHRs). We analyzed EHR-related safety concerns reported within a large, integrated healthcare system. Methods The Informatics Patient Safety Office of the Veterans Health Administration (VA) maintains a non-punitive, voluntary reporting system to collect and investigate EHR-related safety concerns (ie, adverse events, potential events, and near misses). We analyzed completed investigations using an eight-dimension sociotechnical conceptual model that accounted for both technical and non-technical dimensions of safety. Using the framework analysis approach to qualitative data, we identified emergent and recurring safety concerns common to multiple reports. Results We extracted 100 consecutive, unique, closed investigations between August 2009 and May 2013 from 344 reported incidents. Seventy-four involved unsafe technology and 25 involved unsafe use of technology. A majority (70%) involved two or more model dimensions. Most often, non-technical dimensions such as workflow, policies, and personnel interacted in a complex fashion with technical dimensions such as software/hardware, content, and user interface to produce safety concerns. Most (94%) safety concerns related to either unmet data-display needs in the EHR (ie, displayed information available to the end user failed to reduce uncertainty or led to increased potential for patient harm), software upgrades or modifications, data transmission between components of the EHR, or ‘hidden dependencies’ within the EHR. Discussion EHR-related safety concerns involving both unsafe technology and unsafe use of technology persist long after ‘go-live’ and despite the sophisticated EHR infrastructure represented in our data source. Currently, few healthcare institutions have reporting and analysis capabilities similar to the VA. Conclusions Because EHR-related safety concerns have complex

Suggestion on the safety classification of spent fuel dry storage in China’s pressurized water reactor nuclear power plant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Ting; Qu, Yunhuan; Meng, De; Zhang, Qiaoer; Lu, Xinhua

2018-01-01

China’s spent fuel storage in the pressurized water reactors(PWR) is stored with wet storage way. With the rapid development of nuclear power industry, China’s NPPs(NPPs) will not be able to meet the problem of the production of spent fuel. Currently the world’s major nuclear power countries use dry storage as a way of spent fuel storage, so in recent years, China study on additional spent fuel dry storage system mainly. Part of the PWR NPP is ready to apply for additional spent fuel dry storage system. It also need to safety classificate to spent fuel dry storage facilities in PWR, but there is no standard for safety classification of spent fuel dry storage facilities in China. Because the storage facilities of the spent fuel dry storage are not part of the NPP, the classification standard of China’s NPPs is not applicable. This paper proposes the safety classification suggestion of the spent fuel dry storage for China’s PWR NPP, through to the study on China’s safety classification principles of PWR NPP in “Classification for the items of pressurized water reactor nuclear power plants (GB/T 17569-2013)”, and safety classification about spent fuel dry storage system in NUREG/CR - 6407 in the United States.

Lessons from Fukushima for Improving the Safety of Nuclear Reactors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lyman, Edwin

2012-02-01

The March 2011 accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant has revealed serious vulnerabilities in the design, operation and regulation of nuclear power plants. While some aspects of the accident were plant- and site-specific, others have implications that are broadly applicable to the current generation of nuclear plants in operation around the world. Although many of the details of the accident progression and public health consequences are still unclear, there are a number of lessons that can already be drawn. The accident demonstrated the need at nuclear plants for robust, highly reliable backup power sources capable of functioning for many days in the event of a complete loss of primary off-site and on-site electrical power. It highlighted the importance of detailed planning for severe accident management that realistically evaluates the capabilities of personnel to carry out mitigation operations under extremely hazardous conditions. It showed how emergency plans rooted in the assumption that only one reactor at a multi-unit site would be likely to experience a crisis fail miserably in the event of an accident affecting multiple reactor units simultaneously. It revealed that alternate water injection following a severe accident could be needed for weeks or months, generating large volumes of contaminated water that must be contained. And it reinforced the grim lesson of Chernobyl: that a nuclear reactor accident could lead to widespread radioactive contamination with profound implications for public health, the economy and the environment. While many nations have re-examined their policies regarding nuclear power safety in the months following the accident, it remains to be seen to what extent the world will take the lessons of Fukushima seriously and make meaningful changes in time to avert another, and potentially even worse, nuclear catastrophe.

The Influence of Individual and Team Cognitive Ability on Operators’ Task and Safety Performance: A Multilevel Field Study in Nuclear Power Plants

PubMed Central

Zhang, Jingyu; Li, Yongjuan; Wu, Changxu

2013-01-01

While much research has investigated the predictors of operators’ performance such as personality, attitudes and motivation in high-risk industries, its cognitive antecedents and boundary conditions have not been fully investigated. Based on a multilevel investigation of 312 nuclear power plant main control room operators from 50 shift teams, the present study investigated how general mental ability (GMA) at both individual and team level can influence task and safety performance. At the individual level, operators’ GMA was predictive of their task and safety performance and this trend became more significant as they accumulated more experience. At the team level, we found team GMA had positive influences on all three performance criteria. However, we also found a “big-fish-little-pond” effect insofar as team GMA had a relatively smaller effect and inhibited the contribution of individual GMA to workers’ extra-role behaviors (safety participation) compared to its clear beneficial influence on in-role behaviors (task performance and safety compliance). The possible mechanisms related to learning and social comparison processes are discussed. PMID:24391964

Historical patterns in the types of procedures performed and radiation safety practices used in nuclear medicine from 1945–2009

PubMed Central

Van Dyke, Miriam E.; Drozdovitch, Vladimir; Doody, Michele M.; Lim, Hyeyeun; Bolus, Norman E.; Simon, Steven L.; Alexander, Bruce H.; Kitahara, Cari M.

2016-01-01

We evaluated historical patterns in the types of procedures performed in diagnostic and therapeutic nuclear medicine and the associated radiation safety practices used from 1945–2009 in a sample of U.S. radiologic technologists. In 2013–2014, 4,406 participants from the U.S. Radiologic Technologists (USRT) Study who previously reported working with medical radionuclides completed a detailed survey inquiring about the performance of 23 diagnostic and therapeutic radionuclide procedures and the use of radiation safety practices when performing radionuclide procedure-related tasks during five time periods: 1945–1964, 1965–1979, 1980–1989, 1990–1999, and 2000–2009. We observed an overall increase in the proportion of technologists who performed specific diagnostic or therapeutic procedures across the five time periods. Between 1945–1964 and 2000–2009, the median frequency of diagnostic procedures performed substantially increased (5 per week to 30 per week), attributable mainly to an increasing frequency of cardiac and non-brain PET scans, while the median frequency of therapeutic procedures performed modestly decreased (from 4 per month to 3 per month). We also observed a notable increase in the use of most radiation safety practices from 1945–1964 to 2000–2009 (e.g., use of lead-shielded vials during diagnostic radiopharmaceutical preparation increased from 56 to 96%), although lead apron use dramatically decreased (e.g., during diagnostic imaging procedures, from 81 to 7%). These data describe historical practices in nuclear medicine and can be used to support studies of health risks in nuclear medicine technologists. PMID:27218293

Safety survey report EBR-II safety survey, ANL-west health protection, industrial safety and fire protection survey

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dunbar, K.A.

1972-01-10

A safety survey covering the disciplines of Reactor Safety, Nuclear Criticality Safety, Health Protection and Industrial Safety and Fire Protection was conducted at the ANL-West EBR-II FEF Complex during the period January 10-18, 1972. In addition, the entire ANL-West site was surveyed for Health Protection and Industrial Safety and Fire Protection. The survey was conducted by members of the AEC Chicago Operations Office, a member of RDT-HQ and a member of the RDT-ID site office. Eighteen recommendations resulted from the survey, eleven in the area of Industrial Safety and Fire Protection, five in the area of Reactor Safety and twomore » in the area of Nuclear Criticality Safety.« less

WTEC monograph on instrumentation, control and safety systems of Canadian nuclear facilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Uhrig, Robert E.; Carter, Richard J.

1993-01-01

This report updates a 1989-90 survey of advanced instrumentation and controls (I&C) technologies and associated human factors issues in the U.S. and Canadian nuclear industries carried out by a team from Oak Ridge National Laboratory (Carter and Uhrig 1990). The authors found that the most advanced I&C systems are in the Canadian CANDU plants, where the newest plant (Darlington) has digital systems in almost 100 percent of its control systems and in over 70 percent of its plant protection system. Increased emphasis on human factors and cognitive science in modern control rooms has resulted in a reduced workload for the operators and the elimination of many human errors. Automation implemented through digital instrumentation and control is effectively changing the role of the operator to that of a systems manager. The hypothesis that properly introducing digital systems increases safety is supported by the Canadian experience. The performance of these digital systems has been achieved using appropriate quality assurance programs for both hardware and software development. Recent regulatory authority review of the development of safety-critical software has resulted in the creation of isolated software modules with well defined interfaces and more formal structure in the software generation. The ability of digital systems to detect impending failures and initiate a fail-safe action is a significant safety issue that should be of special interest to nuclear utilities and regulatory authorities around the world.

76 FR 37798 - DOE Response to Recommendation 2010-2 of the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, Pulse Jet...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-28

... Safety Board, Pulse Jet Mixing at the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant AGENCY: Department of... their Recommendation 2010-2, concerning Pulse Jet Mixing at the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant... Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (Board) Recommendation 2010-2, Pulse Jet Mixing (PJM) at the Waste...

The Fukushima Dai-ichi Accident and its implications for the safety of nuclear power

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barletta, William

2016-05-01

Five years ago the dramatic events in Fukushima that followed the massive earthquake and subsequent tsunami that struck Japan on March 11, 2011 sharpened the focus of scientists, engineers and general public on the broad range of technical, environmental and societal issues involved in assuring the safety of the world's nuclear power complex. They also called into question the potential of nuclear power to provide a growing, sustainable resource of CO2-free energy. The issues raised by Fukushima Dai-ichi have provoked urgent concern, not only because of the potential harm that could result from severe accidents or from intentional damage to nuclear reactors or to facilities involved in the nuclear fuel cycle, but also because of the extensive economic impact of those accidents and of the measures taken to avoid them.

77 FR 50722 - Software Unit Testing for Digital Computer Software Used in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power Plants

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-22

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC-2012-0195] Software Unit Testing for Digital Computer Software...) is issuing for public comment draft regulatory guide (DG), DG-1208, ``Software Unit Testing for Digital Computer Software used in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power Plants.'' The DG-1208 is proposed...

78 FR 47011 - Software Unit Testing for Digital Computer Software Used in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power Plants

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-02

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC-2012-0195] Software Unit Testing for Digital Computer Software... revised regulatory guide (RG), revision 1 of RG 1.171, ``Software Unit Testing for Digital Computer Software Used in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power Plants.'' This RG endorses American National Standards...

NCRP Program Area Committee 3: Nuclear and Radiological Security and Safety [Update on the Ncrp Program Area Committee 3 Activities: Nuclear And Radiological Security and Safety

DOE PAGES

Ansari, Armin; Buddemeier, Brooke

2018-02-01

The National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) Program Area Committee (PAC) 3 covers the broad subject of nuclear and radiological security and safety and provides guidance and recommendations for response to nuclear and radiological incidents of both an accidental and deliberate nature. In 2017, PAC 3 Scientific Committee 3-1 completed the development of Guidance for Emergency Responder Dosimetry, and began development of a companion commentary on operational aspects of that guidance. PAC 3 members also organized the technical program for the 2017 Annual Meeting of the NCRP on “Assessment of National Efforts in Emergency Preparedness for Nuclear Terrorism:more » Is There a Need for Realignment to Close Remaining Gaps.” Based on discussions and presentations at the annual meeting, PAC 3 is working to develop a commentary on the subject that could serve as a roadmap for focusing our national efforts on the most pressing needs for preparing the nation for nuclear and radiological emergencies. PAC 3 is also engaged in active discussions, exploring the landscape of priority issues for its future activities. Lastly, an important consideration in this discussion is the extent of NCRP’s present and potential future resources to support the work of its scientific committees.« less

NCRP Program Area Committee 3: Nuclear and Radiological Security and Safety [Update on the Ncrp Program Area Committee 3 Activities: Nuclear And Radiological Security and Safety

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ansari, Armin; Buddemeier, Brooke

The National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) Program Area Committee (PAC) 3 covers the broad subject of nuclear and radiological security and safety and provides guidance and recommendations for response to nuclear and radiological incidents of both an accidental and deliberate nature. In 2017, PAC 3 Scientific Committee 3-1 completed the development of Guidance for Emergency Responder Dosimetry, and began development of a companion commentary on operational aspects of that guidance. PAC 3 members also organized the technical program for the 2017 Annual Meeting of the NCRP on “Assessment of National Efforts in Emergency Preparedness for Nuclear Terrorism:more » Is There a Need for Realignment to Close Remaining Gaps.” Based on discussions and presentations at the annual meeting, PAC 3 is working to develop a commentary on the subject that could serve as a roadmap for focusing our national efforts on the most pressing needs for preparing the nation for nuclear and radiological emergencies. PAC 3 is also engaged in active discussions, exploring the landscape of priority issues for its future activities. Lastly, an important consideration in this discussion is the extent of NCRP’s present and potential future resources to support the work of its scientific committees.« less

Non-Nuclear Testing of Space Nuclear Systems at NASA MSFC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Houts, Michael G.; Pearson, Boise J.; Aschenbrenner, Kenneth C.; Bradley, David E.; Dickens, Ricky; Emrich, William J.; Garber, Anne; Godfroy, Thomas J.; Harper, Roger T.; Martin, Jim J.;

An assessment of traffic safety culture related to engagement efforts to improve traffic safety : research programs.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-12-01

The Center for Health and Safety Culture at Montana State University developed a survey to investigate the traffic safety culture related to engagement in traffic safety citizenship behaviors. The development of the survey was based on an augmented f...

Mine safety assessment using gray relational analysis and bow tie model

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Mine safety assessment is a precondition for ensuring orderly and safety in production. The main purpose of this study was to prevent mine accidents more effectively by proposing a composite risk analysis model. First, the weights of the assessment indicators were determined by the revised integrated weight method, in which the objective weights were determined by a variation coefficient method and the subjective weights determined by the Delphi method. A new formula was then adopted to calculate the integrated weights based on the subjective and objective weights. Second, after the assessment indicator weights were determined, gray relational analysis was used to evaluate the safety of mine enterprises. Mine enterprise safety was ranked according to the gray relational degree, and weak links of mine safety practices identified based on gray relational analysis. Third, to validate the revised integrated weight method adopted in the process of gray relational analysis, the fuzzy evaluation method was used to the safety assessment of mine enterprises. Fourth, for first time, bow tie model was adopted to identify the causes and consequences of weak links and allow corresponding safety measures to be taken to guarantee the mine’s safe production. A case study of mine safety assessment was presented to demonstrate the effectiveness and rationality of the proposed composite risk analysis model, which can be applied to other related industries for safety evaluation. PMID:29561875

78 FR 68102 - Atomic Safety and Licensing Board; In the Matter of Nuclear Innovation North America LLC (South...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-13

...] Atomic Safety and Licensing Board; In the Matter of Nuclear Innovation North America LLC (South Texas... Administrative Judges: Michael M. Gibson, Chairman, Dr. Gary S. Arnold, Dr. Randall J. Charbeneau. The Atomic... follows: Mail: Administrative Judge Michael M. Gibson, Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel, Mail Stop...

76 FR 13397 - DOE Response to Recommendation 2010-2 of the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, Pulse Jet...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-11

... Safety Board, Pulse Jet Mixing at the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant AGENCY: Department of..., concerning Pulse Jet Mixing at the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant was published in the Federal... Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (Board) Recommendation 2010-2, Pulse Jet Mixing at the Waste...

Nuclear criticality safety assessment of the low level radioactive waste disposal facility trenches

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kahook, S.D.

1994-04-01

Results of the analyses performed to evaluate the possibility of nuclear criticality in the Low Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility (LLRWDF) trenches are documented in this report. The studies presented in this document are limited to assessment of the possibility of criticality due to existing conditions in the LLRWDF. This document does not propose nor set limits for enriched uranium (EU) burial in the LLRWDF and is not a nuclear criticality safety evaluation nor analysis. The calculations presented in the report are Level 2 calculations as defined by the E7 Procedure 2.31, Engineering Calculations.

Qualification of safety-related electrical equipment in France. Methods, approach and test facilities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Raimondo, E.; Capman, J.L.; Herovard, M.

1985-05-01

Requirements for qualification of electrical equipment used in French-built nuclear power plants are stated in a national code, the RCC-E, or Regles de Construction et de Conception des Materiels Electriques. Under the RCC-E, safety related equipment is assigned to one of three different categories, according to location in the plant and anticipated normal, accident and post-accident behavior. Qualification tests differ for each category and procedures range in scope from the standard seismic test to the highly stringent VISA program, which specifies a predetermined sequence of aging, radiation, seismic and simulated accident testing. A network of official French test facilities wasmore » developed specifically to meet RCC-E requirements.« less

10 CFR 72.70 - Safety analysis report updating.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Safety analysis report updating. 72.70 Section 72.70 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE INDEPENDENT STORAGE OF SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL, HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND REACTOR-RELATED GREATER THAN CLASS C WASTE Records...

77 FR 51943 - Procedures for Safety Investigations

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-28

... DEFENSE NUCLEAR FACILITIES SAFETY BOARD 10 CFR Part 1708 Procedures for Safety Investigations AGENCY: Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board. ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of comment period. SUMMARY: The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board is extending the time for comments on its proposed...

Axial compression behavior and partial composite action of SC walls in safety-related nuclear facilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Kai

Steel-plate reinforced concrete (SC) composite walls typically consist of thick concrete walls with two exterior steel faceplates. The concrete core is sandwiched between the two steel faceplates, and the faceplates are attached to the concrete core using shear connectors, for example, ASTM A108 steel headed shear studs. The shear connectors and the concrete infill enhance the stability of the steel faceplates, and the faceplates serve as permanent formwork for concrete placement. SC composite walls were first introduced in the 1980's in Japan for nuclear power plant (NPP) structures. They are used in the new generation of nuclear power plants (GIII+) and being considered for small modular reactors (SMR) due to their structural efficiency, economy, safety, and construction speed. Steel faceplates can potentially undergo local buckling at certain locations of NPP structures where compressive forces are significant. The steel faceplates are usually thin (0.25 to 1.50 inches in Customary units, or 6.5 to 38 mm in SI units) to maintain economical and constructional efficiency, the geometric imperfections and locked-in stresses induced during construction make them more vulnerable to local buckling. Accidental thermal loading may also reduce the compressive strength and exacerbate the local buckling potential of SC composite walls. This dissertation presents the results from experimental and numerical investigations of the compressive behavior of SC composite walls at ambient and elevated temperatures. The results are used to establish a slenderness limit to prevent local buckling before yielding of the steel faceplates and to develop a design approach for calculating the compressive strength of SC composite walls with non-slender and slender steel faceplates at ambient and elevated temperatures. Composite action in SC walls is achieved by the embedment of shear connectors into the concrete core. The strength and stiffness of shear connectors govern the level of

Management of the aging of critical safety-related concrete structures in light-water reactor plants

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Naus, D.J.; Oland, C.B.; Arndt, E.G.

1990-01-01

The Structural Aging Program has the overall objective of providing the USNRC with an improved basis for evaluating nuclear power plant safety-related structures for continued service. The program consists of a management task and three technical tasks: materials property data base, structural component assessment/repair technology, and quantitative methodology for continued-service determinations. Objectives, accomplishments, and planned activities under each of these tasks are presented. Major program accomplishments include development of a materials property data base for structural materials as well as an aging assessment methodology for concrete structures in nuclear power plants. Furthermore, a review and assessment of inservice inspection techniquesmore » for concrete materials and structures has been complete, and work on development of a methodology which can be used for performing current as well as reliability-based future condition assessment of concrete structures is well under way. 43 refs., 3 tabs.« less

Nuclear Technology Series. Course 24: Nuclear Systems and Safety.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for Occupational Research and Development, Inc., Waco, TX.

This technical specialty course is one of thirty-five courses designed for use by two-year postsecondary institutions in five nuclear technician curriculum areas: (1) radiation protection technician, (2) nuclear instrumentation and control technician, (3) nuclear materials processing technician, (4) nuclear quality-assurance/quality-control…

Cooperative measures to support the Indo-Pak Agreement Reducing Risk from Accidents Relating to Nuclear Weapons.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mishra, Sitakanta; Ahmed, Mansoor

In 2012, India and Pakistan reaffirmed the Agreement on Reducing the Risk from Accidents Relating to Nuclear Weapons. Despite a history of mutual animosity and persistent conflict between the two countries, this agreement derives strength from a few successful nuclear confidence building measures that have stood the test of time. It also rests on the hope that the region would be spared a nuclear holocaust from an accidental nuclear weapon detonation that might be misconstrued as a deliberate use of a weapon by the other side. This study brings together two emerging strategic analysts from South Asia to explore measuresmore » to support the Agreement and further develop cooperation around this critical issue. This study briefly dwells upon the strategic landscape of nuclear South Asia with the respective nuclear force management structures, doctrines, and postures of India and Pakistan. It outlines the measures in place for the physical protection and safety of nuclear warheads, nuclear materials, and command and control mechanisms in the two countries, and it goes on to identify the prominent, emerging challenges posed by the introduction of new weapon technologies and modernization of the respective strategic forces. This is followed by an analysis of the agreement itself leading up to a proposed framework for cooperative measures that might enhance the spirit and implementation of the agreement.« less

Nuclear electric propulsion operational reliability and crew safety study: NEP systems/modeling report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Karns, James

1993-01-01

The objective of this study was to establish the initial quantitative reliability bounds for nuclear electric propulsion systems in a manned Mars mission required to ensure crew safety and mission success. Finding the reliability bounds involves balancing top-down (mission driven) requirements and bottom-up (technology driven) capabilities. In seeking this balance we hope to accomplish the following: (1) provide design insights into the achievability of the baseline design in terms of reliability requirements, given the existing technology base; (2) suggest alternative design approaches which might enhance reliability and crew safety; and (3) indicate what technology areas require significant research and development to achieve the reliability objectives.

Scenario Analysis for the Safety Assessment of Nuclear Waste Repositories: A Critical Review.

PubMed

Tosoni, Edoardo; Salo, Ahti; Zio, Enrico

2018-04-01

A major challenge in scenario analysis for the safety assessment of nuclear waste repositories pertains to the comprehensiveness of the set of scenarios selected for assessing the safety of the repository. Motivated by this challenge, we discuss the aspects of scenario analysis relevant to comprehensiveness. Specifically, we note that (1) it is necessary to make it clear why scenarios usually focus on a restricted set of features, events, and processes; (2) there is not yet consensus on the interpretation of comprehensiveness for guiding the generation of scenarios; and (3) there is a need for sound approaches to the treatment of epistemic uncertainties. © 2017 Society for Risk Analysis.

Continuously improving safety of nuclear installations: An approach to be reinforced after the Fukushima accident

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Repussard, Jacques; Schwarz, Michel

2012-05-01

After the Three Mile Island accident in 1979 and the Chernobyl accident in 1986, the Fukushima accident shows that the probability of a core meltdown accident in an LWR (Light Water Reactor) has been largely underestimated. The consequences of such an accident are unacceptable: except in the case of TMI2 (Three Mile Island 2) large areas around the damaged plants are contaminated for decades and populations have to be relocated for long periods. This article presents the French approach which consists in improving continuously the safety of the Nuclear Power Plants (NPP) on the basis of lessons learned from operating experience and from the progress in R&D (Research and Development). It details the key role played by IRSN (Institut de radioprotection et de sûreté nucléaire), the French TSO (Technical and scientific Safety Organization), and shows how the Fukushima accident contributes to this approach in improving NPP robustness. It concludes on the necessity to keep on networking TSOs, to share knowledge as well as R&D resources, with the ultimate goal of enhancing and harmonizing nuclear safety worldwide.

A 3S Risk ?3SR? Assessment Approach for Nuclear Power: Safety Security and Safeguards.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Forrest, Robert; Reinhardt, Jason Christian; Wheeler, Timothy A.

Safety-focused risk analysis and assessment approaches struggle to adequately include malicious, deliberate acts against the nuclear power industry's fissile and waste material, infrastructure, and facilities. Further, existing methods do not adequately address non- proliferation issues. Treating safety, security, and safeguards concerns independently is inefficient because, at best, it may not take explicit advantage of measures that provide benefits against multiple risk domains, and, at worst, it may lead to implementations that increase overall risk due to incompatibilities. What is needed is an integrated safety, security and safeguards risk (or "3SR") framework for describing and assessing nuclear power risks that canmore » enable direct trade-offs and interactions in order to inform risk management processes -- a potential paradigm shift in risk analysis and management. These proceedings of the Sandia ePRA Workshop (held August 22-23, 2017) are an attempt to begin the discussions and deliberations to extend and augment safety focused risk assessment approaches to include security concerns and begin moving towards a 3S Risk approach. Safeguards concerns were not included in this initial workshop and are left to future efforts. This workshop focused on four themes in order to begin building out a the safety and security portions of the 3S Risk toolkit: 1. Historical Approaches and Tools 2. Current Challenges 3. Modern Approaches 4. Paths Forward and Next Steps This report is organized along the four areas described above, and concludes with a summary of key points. 2 Contact: rforres@sandia.gov; +1 (925) 294-2728« less

Reactor safety method

DOEpatents

Vachon, Lawrence J.

1980-03-11

This invention relates to safety means for preventing a gas cooled nuclear reactor from attaining criticality prior to start up in the event the reactor core is immersed in hydrogenous liquid. This is accomplished by coating the inside surface of the reactor coolant channels with a neutral absorbing material that will vaporize at the reactor's operating temperature.

Interagency Nuclear Safety Review Panel: Biomedical and Environmental Effects Subpanel report for Galileo

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Anspaugh, L.R.; Blanton, J.O.; Bollinger, L.J.

1989-10-01

This report of the Biomedical and Environmental Effects Subpanel (BEES) of the Interagency Nuclear Safety Review Panel (INSRP), for the Galileo space mission addresses the possible radiological consequences of postulated accidents that release radioactivity into the environment. This report presents estimates of the consequences and uncertainties given that the source term is released into the environment. 10 refs., 6 tabs.

Neighborhood Crime-Related Safety and Its Relation to Children's Physical Activity.

PubMed

Kneeshaw-Price, Stephanie H; Saelens, Brian E; Sallis, James F; Frank, Lawrence D; Grembowski, David E; Hannon, Peggy A; Smith, Nicholas L; Chan, K C Gary

2015-06-01

Crime is both a societal safety and public health issue. Examining different measures and aspects of crime-related safety and their correlations may provide insight into the unclear relationship between crime and children's physical activity. We evaluated five neighborhood crime-related safety measures to determine how they were interrelated. We then explored which crime-related safety measures were associated with children's total moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and MVPA in their neighborhoods. Significant positive correlations between observed neighborhood incivilities and parents' perceptions of general crime and disorder were found (r = 0.30, p = 0.0002), as were associations between parents' perceptions of general crime and disorder and perceptions of stranger danger (r = 0.30, p = 0.0002). Parent report of prior crime victimization in their neighborhood was associated with observed neighborhood incivilities (r = 0.22, p = 0.007) and their perceptions of both stranger danger (r = 0.24, p = 0.003) and general crime and disorder (r = 0.37, p < 0.0001). After accounting for covariates, police-reported crime within the census block group in which children lived was associated with less physical activity, both total and in their neighborhood (beta = -0.09, p = 0.005, beta = -0.01, p = 0.02, respectively). Neighborhood-active children living in the lowest crime-quartile neighborhoods based on police reports had 40 min more of total MVPA on average compared to neighborhood-active children living in the highest crime-quartile neighborhoods. Findings suggest that police reports of neighborhood crime may be contributing to lower children's physical activity.

Climate change and safety at work with ionizing radiations.

PubMed

Contessa, Gian Marco; Grandi, Carlo; Scognamiglio, Mario; Genovese, Elisabetta; Sandri, Sandro

2016-01-01

The accident at Tokyo Electric Power Company's (TEPCO's) Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant (NPP) has been one of the dominant topic in nuclear safety and it has brought new attention on the matter of accidents in NPPs due to external events related to natural causes. Climate change has risen new risks and the growing probability of extreme external events has increased exposure and vulnerability of workers in the nuclear sector. However extreme natural events are a threat not only to NPPs but to all facilities dealing with radioactive material and in an emergency scenario they can affect the effectiveness and implementation of safety devices and procedures and also prevent communications, causing delays in the readiness of response. It is clear that adaptation strategies are necessary to cope with emerging changes in climate and a new nuclear safety culture is growing, that addresses accidents initiated not only by internal but also by external events.

An analysis of electronic health record-related patient safety incidents.

PubMed

Palojoki, Sari; Mäkelä, Matti; Lehtonen, Lasse; Saranto, Kaija

2017-06-01

The aim of this study was to analyse electronic health record-related patient safety incidents in the patient safety incident reporting database in fully digital hospitals in Finland. We compare Finnish data to similar international data and discuss their content with regard to the literature. We analysed the types of electronic health record-related patient safety incidents that occurred at 23 hospitals during a 2-year period. A procedure of taxonomy mapping served to allow comparisons. This study represents a rare examination of patient safety risks in a fully digital environment. The proportion of electronic health record-related incidents was markedly higher in our study than in previous studies with similar data. Human-computer interaction problems were the most frequently reported. The results show the possibility of error arising from the complex interaction between clinicians and computers.

10 CFR 830.202 - Safety basis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Safety basis. 830.202 Section 830.202 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY NUCLEAR SAFETY MANAGEMENT Safety Basis Requirements § 830.202 Safety basis. (a) The contractor responsible for a hazard category 1, 2, or 3 DOE nuclear facility must establish and maintain the safety basis...

10 CFR 830.202 - Safety basis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Safety basis. 830.202 Section 830.202 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY NUCLEAR SAFETY MANAGEMENT Safety Basis Requirements § 830.202 Safety basis. (a) The contractor responsible for a hazard category 1, 2, or 3 DOE nuclear facility must establish and maintain the safety basis...

Evaluating the Cost, Safety, and Proliferation Risks of Small Floating Nuclear Reactors.

PubMed

Ford, Michael J; Abdulla, Ahmed; Morgan, M Granger

2017-11-01

It is hard to see how our energy system can be decarbonized if the world abandons nuclear power, but equally hard to introduce the technology in nonnuclear energy states. This is especially true in countries with limited technical, institutional, and regulatory capabilities, where safety and proliferation concerns are acute. Given the need to achieve serious emissions mitigation by mid-century, and the multidecadal effort required to develop robust nuclear governance institutions, we must look to other models that might facilitate nuclear plant deployment while mitigating the technology's risks. One such deployment paradigm is the build-own-operate-return model. Because returning small land-based reactors containing spent fuel is infeasible, we evaluate the cost, safety, and proliferation risks of a system in which small modular reactors are manufactured in a factory, and then deployed to a customer nation on a floating platform. This floating small modular reactor would be owned and operated by a single entity and returned unopened to the developed state for refueling. We developed a decision model that allows for a comparison of floating and land-based alternatives considering key International Atomic Energy Agency plant-siting criteria. Abandoning onsite refueling is beneficial, and floating reactors built in a central facility can potentially reduce the risk of cost overruns and the consequences of accidents. However, if the floating platform must be built to military-grade specifications, then the cost would be much higher than a land-based system. The analysis tool presented is flexible, and can assist planners in determining the scope of risks and uncertainty associated with different deployment options. © 2017 Society for Risk Analysis.

Work-related injury factors and safety climate perception in truck drivers.

PubMed

Anderson, Naomi J; Smith, Caroline K; Byrd, Jesse L

2017-08-01

The trucking industry has a high burden of work-related injuries. This study examined factors, such as safety climate perceptions, that may impact injury risk. A random sample of 9800 commercial driver's license holders (CDL) were sent surveys, only 4360 were eligible truck drivers. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression models were developed to describe the population and identify variables associated with work-related injury. 2189 drivers completed the pertinent interview questions. Driving less-than-truckload, daytime sleepiness, pressure to work faster, and having a poor composite score for safety perceptions were all associated with increased likelihood of work-related injury. Positive safety perception score was protective for odds of work-related injury, and increased claim filing when injured. Positive psychological safety climate is associated with decreased likelihood of work-related injury and increased likelihood that a driver injured on the job files a workers' compensation claim. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Using Active Learning to Identify Health Information Technology Related Patient Safety Events.

PubMed

Fong, Allan; Howe, Jessica L; Adams, Katharine T; Ratwani, Raj M

2017-01-18

The widespread adoption of health information technology (HIT) has led to new patient safety hazards that are often difficult to identify. Patient safety event reports, which are self-reported descriptions of safety hazards, provide one view of potential HIT-related safety events. However, identifying HIT-related reports can be challenging as they are often categorized under other more predominate clinical categories. This challenge of identifying HIT-related reports is exacerbated by the increasing number and complexity of reports which pose challenges to human annotators that must manually review reports. In this paper, we apply active learning techniques to support classification of patient safety event reports as HIT-related. We evaluated different strategies and demonstrated a 30% increase in average precision of a confirmatory sampling strategy over a baseline no active learning approach after 10 learning iterations.

Malaysian public perception towards nuclear power energy-related issues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Misnon, Fauzan Amin; Hu, Yeoh Siong; Rahman, Irman Abd.; Yasir, Muhamad Samudi

2017-01-01

Malaysia had considered nuclear energy as an option for future electricity generation during the 9th Malaysia Development Plan. Since 2009, Malaysia had implemented a number of important preparatory steps towards this goal, including the establishment of Nuclear Power Corporation of Malaysia (MNPC) as first Nuclear Energy Programme Implementing Organization (NEPIO) in Malaysia. In light of the establishment of MNPC, the National Nuclear Policy was formulated in 2010 and a new comprehensive nuclear law to replace the existing Atomic Energy Licensing Act (Act 304) is currently in the pipeline. Internationally, public acceptance is generally used to gauge the acceptance of nuclear energy by the public whenever a government decides to engage in nuclear energy. A public survey was conducted in between 14 March 2016 to 10 May 2016 focusing on the Malaysian public acceptance and perception towards the implementation of nuclear energy in Malaysia. The methodology of this research was aim on finding an overview of the general knowledge, public-relation recommendation, perception and acceptance of Malaysian towards the nuclear power development program. The combination of information gathered from this study can be interpreted as an indication of the complexity surrounding the development of nuclear energy and its relationship with the unique background of Malaysian demography. This paper will focus mainly on energy-related section in the survey in comparison with nuclear energy.

75 FR 63213 - Atomic Safety and Licensing Board; Notice of Opportunity To Participate in Uncontested/Mandatory...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-14

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket No. 70-7015-ML; ASLBP No. 10-899-02-ML-BD01] Atomic Safety...) analyzing the Atomic Energy Act (AEA)- related safety aspects of the AES application (NUREG-1951, ADAMS... requested relative to this proceeding. It is so ordered. For the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board. Dated...

Safety concerns related to modular/prefabricated building construction.

PubMed

Fard, Maryam Mirhadi; Terouhid, Seyyed Amin; Kibert, Charles J; Hakim, Hamed

2017-03-01

The US construction industry annually experiences a relatively high rate of fatalities and injuries; therefore, improving safety practices should be considered a top priority for this industry. Modular/prefabricated building construction is a construction strategy that involves manufacturing of the whole building or some of its components off-site. This research focuses on the safety performance of the modular/prefabricated building construction sector during both manufacturing and on-site processes. This safety evaluation can serve as the starting point for improving the safety performance of this sector. Research was conducted based on Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigated accidents. The study found 125 accidents related to modular/prefabricated building construction. The details of each accident were closely examined to identify the types of injury and underlying causes. Out of 125 accidents, there were 48 fatalities (38.4%), 63 hospitalized injuries (50.4%), and 14 non-hospitalized injuries (11.2%). It was found that, the most common type of injury in modular/prefabricated construction was 'fracture', and the most common cause of accidents was 'fall'. The most frequent cause of cause (underlying and root cause) was 'unstable structure'. In this research, the accidents were also examined in terms of corresponding location, occupation, equipment as well as activities during which the accidents occurred. For improving safety records of the modular/prefabricated construction sector, this study recommends that future research be conducted on stabilizing structures during their lifting, storing, and permanent installation, securing fall protection systems during on-site assembly of components while working from heights, and developing training programmes and standards focused on modular/prefabricated construction.

Cost effective nuclear commercial grade dedication

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Maletz, J.J.; Marston, M.J.

1991-01-01

This paper describes a new computerized database method to create/edit/view specification technical data sheets (mini-specifications) for procurement of spare parts for nuclear facility maintenance and to develop information that could support possible future facility life extension efforts. This method may reduce cost when compared with current manual methods. The use of standardized technical data sheets (mini-specifications) for items of the same category improves efficiency. This method can be used for a variety of tasks, including: Nuclear safety-related procurement; Non-safety related procurement; Commercial grade item procurement/dedication; Evaluation of replacement items. This program will assist the nuclear facility in upgrading its procurementmore » activities consistent with the recent NUMARC Procurement Initiative. Proper utilization of the program will assist the user in assuring that the procured items are correct for the applications, provide data to assist in detecting fraudulent materials, minimize human error in withdrawing database information, improve data retrievability, improve traceability, and reduce long-term procurement costs.« less

Lessons learned from Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident: efficient education items of radiation safety for general public.

PubMed

Ohno, K; Endo, K

2015-07-01

The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant (FNP-1) accident, while as tragic as the tsunami, was a man-made disaster created by the ignorance of the effects of radiation and radioactive materials. Therefore, it is important that all specialists in radiation protection in medicine sympathize with the anxiety of the general public regarding the harmful effects of radiation and advise people accordingly. All questions and answers were collected related to inquiries from the general public that were posted to reliable websites, including those of the government and radiation-related organizations, from March 2011 to November 2012. The questions were summarized and classified by similarity of content. (1) The total number of questions is 372. The content was broadly classified into three categories: inquiries for radiation-related knowledge and about health effects and foods. The questions asked to obtain radiation-related knowledge were the most common, accounting for 38 %. Thirty-six percentage of the questions were related to health effects, and 26 % involved foods, whereas 18 % of the questions were related to children and pregnancy. (2) The change over time was investigated in 290 questions for which the time of inquiry was known. Directly after the earthquake, the questions were primarily from people seeking radiation-related knowledge. Later, questions related to health effects increased. The anxiety experienced by residents following the nuclear accident was caused primarily by insufficient knowledge related to radiation, concerns about health effects and uncertainties about food and water safety. The development of educational materials focusing on such content will be important for risk communication with the general public in countries with nuclear power plants. Physicians and medical physicist should possess the ability to respond to questions such as these and should continue with medical examinations and treatments in a safe and appropriate manner. © The

Manned space flight nuclear system safety. Volume 3: Reactor system preliminary nuclear safety analysis. Part 2: Accident Model Document (AMD)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

The Accident Model Document is one of three documents of the Preliminary Safety Analysis Report (PSAR) - Reactor System as applied to a Space Base Program. Potential terrestrial nuclear hazards involving the zirconium hydride reactor-Brayton power module are identified for all phases of the Space Base program. The accidents/events that give rise to the hazards are defined and abort sequence trees are developed to determine the sequence of events leading to the hazard and the associated probabilities of occurence. Source terms are calculated to determine the magnitude of the hazards. The above data is used in the mission accident analysis to determine the most probable and significant accidents/events in each mission phase. The only significant hazards during the prelaunch and launch ascent phases of the mission are those which arise form criticality accidents. Fission product inventories during this time period were found to be very low due to very limited low power acceptance testing.

Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board: Improvements Needed to Strengthen Internal Control and Promote Transparency

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-01-01

results of those steps. GAO reviewed relevant federal laws, regulations , and guidance; analyzed DNFSB documents, including records of internal...agencies’ regulations on Sunshine Act meetings.11 We also interviewed a representative of the Sunlight Foundation, an organization focused on...Secretary’s role as operator and regulator of DOE’s defense nuclear facilities—to ensure adequate protection of public health and safety at these

Updating Human Factors Engineering Guidelines for Conducting Safety Reviews of Nuclear Power Plants

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

O, J.M.; Higgins, J.; Stephen Fleger - NRC

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) reviews the human factors engineering (HFE) programs of applicants for nuclear power plant construction permits, operating licenses, standard design certifications, and combined operating licenses. The purpose of these safety reviews is to help ensure that personnel performance and reliability are appropriately supported. Detailed design review procedures and guidance for the evaluations is provided in three key documents: the Standard Review Plan (NUREG-0800), the HFE Program Review Model (NUREG-0711), and the Human-System Interface Design Review Guidelines (NUREG-0700). These documents were last revised in 2007, 2004 and 2002, respectively. The NRC is committed to the periodicmore » update and improvement of the guidance to ensure that it remains a state-of-the-art design evaluation tool. To this end, the NRC is updating its guidance to stay current with recent research on human performance, advances in HFE methods and tools, and new technology being employed in plant and control room design. This paper describes the role of HFE guidelines in the safety review process and the content of the key HFE guidelines used. Then we will present the methodology used to develop HFE guidance and update these documents, and describe the current status of the update program.« less

In defiance of nuclear deterrence: anti-nuclear New Zealand after two decades.

PubMed

Reitzig, Andreas

2006-01-01

In 1984, nuclear-armed and nuclear-powered vessels were banned from New Zealand to express the country's rejection of the nuclear deterrence concept. This led to a disagreement with the United States. Today, the ban on nuclear-powered ships is the only element of the nuclear-free legislation that still strains US-New Zealand relations. This article presents the reasons for the ban on nuclear-powered ships, which include scientific safety concerns, a symbolic rejection of the nuclear deterrence posture, and patriotic factors such as a nuclear-free national identity. The military and economic consequences of the ban are also examined. Since the ban on nuclear-powered vessels appears to be neither widely known abroad nor commonly recognised as a supportive disarmament measure outside New Zealand, it is concluded that whatever the future of this ban will be, New Zealand's anti-nuclear image will remain known internationally through the ban on nuclear arms.

CRITICALITY SAFETY CONTROLS AND THE SAFETY BASIS AT PFP

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kessler, S

2009-04-21

-2007. In reviewing documents used in classifying controls for Nuclear Safety, it was noted that DOE-HDBK-1188, 'Glossary of Environment, Health, and Safety Terms', defines an Administrative Control (AC) in terms that are different than typically used in Criticality Safety. As part of this CCR, a new term, Criticality Administrative Control (CAC) was defined to clarify the difference between an AC used for criticality safety and an AC used for nuclear safety. In Nuclear Safety terms, an AC is a provision relating to organization and management, procedures, recordkeeping, assessment, and reporting necessary to ensure safe operation of a facility. A CAC was defined as an administrative control derived in a criticality safety analysis that is implemented to ensure double contingency. According to criterion 2 of Section IV, 'Linkage to the Documented Safety Analysis', of DOESTD-3007-2007, the consequence of a criticality should be examined for the purposes of classifying the significance of a control or component. HNF-PRO-700, 'Safety Basis Development', provides control selection criteria based on consequence and risk that may be used in the development of a Criticality Safety Evaluation (CSE) to establish the classification of a component as a design feature, as safety class or safety significant, i.e., an Engineered Safety Feature (ESF), or as equipment important to safety; or merely provides defense-in-depth. Similar logic is applied to the CACs. Criterion 8C of DOE-STD-3007-2007, as written, added to the confusion of using the basic CCR from HNF-7098. The PFP CCR attempts to clarify this criterion by revising it to say 'Programmatic commitments or general references to control philosophy (e.g., mass control or spacing control or concentration control as an overall control strategy for the process without specific quantification of individual limits) is included in the PFP DSA'. Table 1 shows the PFP methodology for evaluating CACs. This evaluation process has been in use

Advanced Test Reactor Safety Basis Upgrade Lessons Learned Relative to Design Basis Verification and Safety Basis Management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

G. L. Sharp; R. T. McCracken

The Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) is a pressurized light-water reactor with a design thermal power of 250 MW. The principal function of the ATR is to provide a high neutron flux for testing reactor fuels and other materials. The reactor also provides other irradiation services such as radioisotope production. The ATR and its support facilities are located at the Test Reactor Area of the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL). An audit conducted by the Department of Energy's Office of Independent Oversight and Performance Assurance (DOE OA) raised concerns that design conditions at the ATR were not adequately analyzedmore » in the safety analysis and that legacy design basis management practices had the potential to further impact safe operation of the facility.1 The concerns identified by the audit team, and issues raised during additional reviews performed by ATR safety analysts, were evaluated through the unreviewed safety question process resulting in shutdown of the ATR for more than three months while these concerns were resolved. Past management of the ATR safety basis, relative to facility design basis management and change control, led to concerns that discrepancies in the safety basis may have developed. Although not required by DOE orders or regulations, not performing design basis verification in conjunction with development of the 10 CFR 830 Subpart B upgraded safety basis allowed these potential weaknesses to be carried forward. Configuration management and a clear definition of the existing facility design basis have a direct relation to developing and maintaining a high quality safety basis which properly identifies and mitigates all hazards and postulated accident conditions. These relations and the impact of past safety basis management practices have been reviewed in order to identify lessons learned from the safety basis upgrade process and appropriate actions to resolve possible concerns with respect to the current ATR

International nuclear safety concerns. Hearing before the Subcommittee on Energy, Nuclear Proliferation, and Government Processes of the Committee on Governmental Affairs, United States Senate, Ninety-Ninth Congress, Second Session, May 8, 1986

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1986-01-01

Allan I. Mendelowitz of the General Accounting Office (GAO) and James R. Shea of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission were the principal witnesses at a hearing on international concerns about reactor safety. The hearing focused on the Soviet accident at Chernobyl as a demonstration that safety matters are a legitimate area of international concern. Among the issues under discussion were safety standards and inspection procedures of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Estimates developed by the GAO show that developing countries, which lack a strong technical base or nuclear background to handle emergencies, will have half the reactors in the worldmore » by the year 2000. Mendelowitz and Shea, together with supporting testimony from others in their agencies described international efforts to improve safeguards.« less

Global Survey of the Concepts and Understanding of the Interfaces Between Nuclear Safety, Security, and Safeguards

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kovacic, Don N.; Stewart, Scott; Erickson, Alexa R.

There is increasing global discourse on how the elements of nuclear safety, security, and safeguards can be most effectively implemented in nuclear power programs. While each element is separate and unique, they must nevertheless all be addressed in a country’s laws and implemented via regulations and in facility operations. This topic is of particular interest to countries that are currently developing the infrastructure to support nuclear power programs. These countries want to better understand what is required by these elements and how they can manage the interfaces between them and take advantages of any synergies that may exist. They needmore » practical examples and guidance in this area in order to develop better organizational strategies and technical capacities. This could simplify their legal, regulatory, and management structures and avoid inefficient approaches and costly mistakes that may not be apparent to them at this early stage of development. From the perspective of IAEA International Safeguards, supporting Member States in exploring such interfaces and synergies provides a benefit to them because it acknowledges that domestic safeguards in a country do not exist in a vacuum. Instead, it relies on a strong State System of Accounting and Control that is in turn dependent on a capable and independent regulatory body as well as a competent operator and technical staff. These organizations must account for and control nuclear material, communicate effectively, and manage and transmit complete and correct information to the IAEA in a timely manner. This, while in most cases also being responsible for the safety and security of their facilities. Seeking efficiencies in this process benefits international safeguards and nonproliferation. This paper will present the results of a global survey of current and anticipated approaches and practices by countries and organizations with current or future nuclear power programs on how they are implementing

Safety analysis in test facility design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valk, A.; Jonker, R. J.

1990-09-01

The application of safety analysis techniques as developed in, for example nuclear and petrochemical industry, can be very beneficial in coping with the increasing complexity of modern test facility installations and their operations. To illustrate the various techniques available and their phasing in a project, an overview of the most commonly used techniques is presented. Two case studies are described: the hazard and operability study techniques and safety zoning in relation to the possible presence of asphyxiating atmospheres.

10 CFR 70.62 - Safety program and integrated safety analysis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

...; (iv) Potential accident sequences caused by process deviations or other events internal to the... of occurrence of each potential accident sequence identified pursuant to paragraph (c)(1)(iv) of this... have experience in nuclear criticality safety, radiation safety, fire safety, and chemical process...

10 CFR 70.62 - Safety program and integrated safety analysis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

...; (iv) Potential accident sequences caused by process deviations or other events internal to the... of occurrence of each potential accident sequence identified pursuant to paragraph (c)(1)(iv) of this... have experience in nuclear criticality safety, radiation safety, fire safety, and chemical process...

10 CFR 70.62 - Safety program and integrated safety analysis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

...; (iv) Potential accident sequences caused by process deviations or other events internal to the... of occurrence of each potential accident sequence identified pursuant to paragraph (c)(1)(iv) of this... have experience in nuclear criticality safety, radiation safety, fire safety, and chemical process...

Factors Implicated in Safety-related Firefighter Fatalities.

PubMed

Kahn, Steven A; Palmieri, Tina L; Sen, Soman; Woods, Jason; Gunter, Oliver L

Firefighting is wrought with risk, as 80-100 firefighters (FFs) die on the job each year in the United States. Many of the fatalities have been analyzed by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to determine contributing factors. The purpose of this study is to determine variables that put FFs at risk for potentially preventable workplace mortality such as use of personal protective equipment (PPE), seat belts, and appropriate training/fitness/clearance for duty. The NIOSH FF Fatality Database reports from 2009 to 2014 were analyzed. Data including age, gender, years on the job, weather, other calls on the same shift, and department type were compared between FFs who employed PPE, seat belts, or wellness/fitness and those who did not. A second group of FFs was determined by NIOSH to have inexperience, lack of training, or inappropriate clearance for duty implicated in their fatalities. Comparisons for the second group were between those whose department used training and safety-related standard operating protocols and those who did not. In 84/176 deaths, PPE/seat belts/fitness was implicated in the fatality. Lack of PPE was more likely on clear days (P = .03) but less likely on cloudy and windy days (P < .001). These FFs dying with lack of PPE had more time on the job in a single department, 18 vs 13 years (P = .03), and more time in a volunteer department, 17 vs 8 years (P < .01). Being deployed on another call during the same shift was associated with lack of PPE-34 vs 16% of those who had not been on another call (P = .005). Lack of training, experience, or medical clearance was implicated in fatalities for 100/176 FFs. FFs who worked in departments that lacked standard operating protocols for respirator fit testing, PPE, fitness testing, rapid intervention, medical clearance, safety/distress alarms, vehicle maintenance, or incident command were statistically more likely to have lack of experience/training/clearance implicated in the

Real-time graphic display utility for nuclear safety applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yang, S.; Huang, X.; Taylor, J.

2006-07-01

With the increasing interests in the nuclear energy, new nuclear power plants will be constructed and licensed, and older generation ones will be upgraded for assuring continuing operation. The tendency of adopting the latest proven technology and the fact of older parts becoming obsolete have made the upgrades imperative. One of the areas for upgrades is the older CRT display being replaced by the latest graphics displays running under modern real time operating system (RTOS) with safety graded modern computer. HFC has developed a graphic display utility (GDU) under the QNX RTOS. A standard off-the-shelf software with a long historymore » of performance in industrial applications, QNX RTOS used for safety applications has been examined via a commercial dedication process that is consistent with the regulatory guidelines. Through a commercial survey, a design life cycle and an operating history evaluation, and necessary tests dictated by the dedication plan, it is reasonably confirmed that the QNX RTOS was essentially equivalent to what would be expected in the nuclear industry. The developed GDU operates and communicates with the existing equipment through a dedicated serial channel of a flat panel controller (FPC) module. The FPC module drives a flat panel display (FPD) monitor. A touch screen mounted on the FPD serves as the normal operator interface with the FPC/FPD monitor system. The GDU can be used not only for replacing older CRTs but also in new applications. The replacement of the older CRT does not disturb the function of the existing equipment. It not only provides modern proven technology upgrade but also improves human ergonomics. The FPC, which can be used as a standalone controller running with the GDU, is an integrated hardware and software module. It operates as a single board computer within a control system, and applies primarily to the graphics display, targeting, keyboard and mouse. During normal system operation, the GDU has two sources of

Certification of highly complex safety-related systems.

PubMed

Reinert, D; Schaefer, M

1999-01-01

The BIA has now 15 years of experience with the certification of complex electronic systems for safety-related applications in the machinery sector. Using the example of machining centres this presentation will show the systematic procedure for verifying and validating control systems using Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) and microcomputers for safety functions. One section will describe the control structure of machining centres with control systems using "integrated safety." A diverse redundant architecture combined with crossmonitoring and forced dynamization is explained. In the main section the steps of the systematic certification procedure are explained showing some results of the certification of drilling machines. Specification reviews, design reviews with test case specification, statistical analysis, and walk-throughs are the analytical measures in the testing process. Systematic tests based on the test case specification, Electro Magnetic Interference (EMI), and environmental testing, and site acceptance tests on the machines are the testing measures for validation. A complex software driven system is always undergoing modification. Most of the changes are not safety-relevant but this has to be proven. A systematic procedure for certifying software modifications is presented in the last section of the paper.

Creating an Oversight Infrastructure for Electronic Health Record-Related Patient Safety Hazards

PubMed Central

Singh, Hardeep; Classen, David C.; Sittig, Dean F.

2013-01-01

Electronic health records (EHRs) have potential quality and safety benefits. However, reports of EHR-related safety hazards are now emerging. The Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health Information Technology (HIT) recently sponsored an Institute of Medicine committee to evaluate how HIT use affects patient safety. In this paper, we propose the creation of a national EHR oversight program to provide dedicated surveillance of EHR-related safety hazards and to promote learning from identified errors, close calls, and adverse events. The program calls for data gathering, investigation/analysis and regulatory components. The first two functions will depend on institution-level EHR safety committees that will investigate all known EHR-related adverse events and near-misses and report them nationally using standardized methods. These committees should also perform routine safety self-assessments to proactively identify new risks. Nationally, we propose the long-term creation of a centralized, non-partisan board with an appropriate legal and regulatory infrastructure to ensure the safety of EHRs. We discuss the rationale of the proposed oversight program and its potential organizational components and functions. These include mechanisms for robust data collection and analyses of all safety concerns using multiple methods that extend beyond reporting; multidisciplinary investigation of selected high-risk safety events; and enhanced coordination with other national agencies in order to facilitate broad dissemination of hazards information. Implementation of this proposed infrastructure can facilitate identification of EHR-related adverse events and errors and potentially create a safer and more effective EHR-based health care delivery system. PMID:22080284

75 FR 73946 - Worker Safety and Health Program: Safety Conscious Work Environment

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-30

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 10 CFR Part 851 Worker Safety and Health Program: Safety Conscious Work... Nuclear Regulatory Commission's ``Safety-Conscious Work Environment'' guidelines as a model. DOE published.... Second, not only would instituting a ``Safety-Conscious Work Environment'' by regulation be redundant...

A Review of Information for Managing Aging in Nuclear Power Plants

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

WC Morgan; JV Livingston

1995-09-01

Age related degradation effects in safety related systems of nuclear power plants should be managed to prevent safety margins from eroding below the acceptable limits provided in plant design bases. The Nuclear Plant Aging Research (NPAR) Pro- gram, conducted under the auspices of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, and other related aging management programs are developing technical information on managing aging. The aging management process central to these efforts consists of three key elements: 1) selecting structures, systems, and components (SSCs) in which aging should be controlled; 2) understanding the mechanisms and rates ofmore » degradation in these SSCs; and 3) managing degradation through effective inspection, surveillance, condition monitoring, trending, record keeping, mainten- ance, refurbishment, replacement, and adjustments in the operating environment and service conditions. This document concisely reviews and integrates information developed under the NPAR Program and other aging management studies and other available information related to understanding and managing age-related degradation effects and provides specific refer- ences to more comprehensive information on the same subjects.« less

Margin of Safety Definition and Examples Used in Safety Basis Documents and the USQ Process

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Beaulieu, R. A.

The Nuclear Safety Management final rule, 10 CFR 830, provides an undefined term, margin of safety (MOS). Safe harbors listed in 10 CFR 830, Table 2, such as DOE-STD-3009 use but do not define the term. This lack of definition has created the need for the definition. This paper provides a definition of MOS and documents examples of MOS as applied in a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) approved safety basis for an existing nuclear facility. If we understand what MOS looks like regarding Technical Safety Requirements (TSR) parameters, then it helps us compare against other parameters that do notmore » involve a MOS. This paper also documents parameters that are not MOS. These criteria could be used to determine if an MOS exists in safety basis documents. This paper helps DOE, including the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and its contractors responsible for the safety basis improve safety basis documents and the unreviewed safety question (USQ) process with respect to MOS.« less

An overview of research activities on materials for nuclear applications at the INL Safety, Tritium and Applied Research facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calderoni, P.; Sharpe, J.; Shimada, M.; Denny, B.; Pawelko, B.; Schuetz, S.; Longhurst, G.; Hatano, Y.; Hara, M.; Oya, Y.; Otsuka, T.; Katayama, K.; Konishi, S.; Noborio, K.; Yamamoto, Y.

2011-10-01

The Safety, Tritium and Applied Research facility at the Idaho National Laboratory is a US Department of Energy National User Facility engaged in various aspects of materials research for nuclear applications related to fusion and advanced fission systems. Research activities are mainly focused on the interaction of tritium with materials, in particular plasma facing components, liquid breeders, high temperature coolants, fuel cladding, cooling and blanket structures and heat exchangers. Other activities include validation and verification experiments in support of the Fusion Safety Program, such as beryllium dust reactivity and dust transport in vacuum vessels, and support of Advanced Test Reactor irradiation experiments. This paper presents an overview of the programs engaged in the activities, which include the US-Japan TITAN collaboration, the US ITER program, the Next Generation Power Plant program and the tritium production program, and a presentation of ongoing experiments as well as a summary of recent results with emphasis on fusion relevant materials.

18 CFR 12.10 - Reporting safety-related incidents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... report of any death or serious injury considered or alleged to be project related must also describe any... be verified in accordance with § 12.13. (3) Accidents that are not project-related may be reported by... COMMISSION, DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY REGULATIONS UNDER THE FEDERAL POWER ACT SAFETY OF WATER POWER PROJECTS AND...

41 CFR 109-45.309-53 - Nuclear-related or proliferation sensitive property.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Nuclear-related or proliferation sensitive property. 109-45.309-53 Section 109-45.309-53 Public Contracts and Property Management... Personal Property § 109-45.309-53 Nuclear-related or proliferation sensitive property. Nuclear-related or...

41 CFR 109-45.309-53 - Nuclear-related or proliferation sensitive property.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Nuclear-related or proliferation sensitive property. 109-45.309-53 Section 109-45.309-53 Public Contracts and Property Management... Personal Property § 109-45.309-53 Nuclear-related or proliferation sensitive property. Nuclear-related or...

41 CFR 109-45.309-53 - Nuclear-related or proliferation sensitive property.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Nuclear-related or proliferation sensitive property. 109-45.309-53 Section 109-45.309-53 Public Contracts and Property Management... Personal Property § 109-45.309-53 Nuclear-related or proliferation sensitive property. Nuclear-related or...

41 CFR 109-45.309-53 - Nuclear-related or proliferation sensitive property.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Nuclear-related or proliferation sensitive property. 109-45.309-53 Section 109-45.309-53 Public Contracts and Property Management... Personal Property § 109-45.309-53 Nuclear-related or proliferation sensitive property. Nuclear-related or...

41 CFR 109-45.309-53 - Nuclear-related or proliferation sensitive property.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Nuclear-related or proliferation sensitive property. 109-45.309-53 Section 109-45.309-53 Public Contracts and Property Management... Personal Property § 109-45.309-53 Nuclear-related or proliferation sensitive property. Nuclear-related or...

Gamma-Ray imaging for nuclear security and safety: Towards 3-D gamma-ray vision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vetter, Kai; Barnowksi, Ross; Haefner, Andrew; Joshi, Tenzing H. Y.; Pavlovsky, Ryan; Quiter, Brian J.

2018-01-01

The development of portable gamma-ray imaging instruments in combination with the recent advances in sensor and related computer vision technologies enable unprecedented capabilities in the detection, localization, and mapping of radiological and nuclear materials in complex environments relevant for nuclear security and safety. Though multi-modal imaging has been established in medicine and biomedical imaging for some time, the potential of multi-modal data fusion for radiological localization and mapping problems in complex indoor and outdoor environments remains to be explored in detail. In contrast to the well-defined settings in medical or biological imaging associated with small field-of-view and well-constrained extension of the radiation field, in many radiological search and mapping scenarios, the radiation fields are not constrained and objects and sources are not necessarily known prior to the measurement. The ability to fuse radiological with contextual or scene data in three dimensions, in analog to radiological and functional imaging with anatomical fusion in medicine, provides new capabilities enhancing image clarity, context, quantitative estimates, and visualization of the data products. We have developed new means to register and fuse gamma-ray imaging with contextual data from portable or moving platforms. These developments enhance detection and mapping capabilities as well as provide unprecedented visualization of complex radiation fields, moving us one step closer to the realization of gamma-ray vision in three dimensions.

Sandia National Laboratories: National Security Missions: Nuclear Weapons:

Science.gov Websites

Safety & Security Sandia National Laboratories Exceptional service in the national interest & Figures Programs Nuclear Weapons About Nuclear Weapons Safety & Security Weapons Science & Twitter YouTube Flickr RSS Top Nuclear Weapons About Nuclear Weapons at Sandia Safety & Security

Criticality Safety Evaluation for the TACS at DAF

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Percher, C. M.; Heinrichs, D. P.

2011-06-10

Hands-on experimental training in the physical behavior of multiplying systems is one of ten key areas of training required for practitioners to become qualified in the discipline of criticality safety as identified in DOE-STD-1135-99, Guidance for Nuclear Criticality Safety Engineer Training and Qualification. This document is a criticality safety evaluation of the training activities and operations associated with HS-3201-P, Nuclear Criticality 4-Day Training Course (Practical). This course was designed to also address the training needs of nuclear criticality safety professionals under the auspices of the NNSA Nuclear Criticality Safety Program1. The hands-on, or laboratory, portion of the course will utilizemore » the Training Assembly for Criticality Safety (TACS) and will be conducted in the Device Assembly Facility (DAF) at the Nevada Nuclear Security Site (NNSS). The training activities will be conducted by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory following the requirements of an Integrated Work Sheet (IWS) and associated Safety Plan. Students will be allowed to handle the fissile material under the supervision of an LLNL Certified Fissile Material Handler.« less

Preventive Effects of Safety Helmets on Traumatic Brain Injury after Work-Related Falls

PubMed Central

Kim, Sang Chul; Ro, Young Sun; Shin, Sang Do; Kim, Joo Yeong

2016-01-01

Introduction: Work-related traumatic brain injury (TBI) caused by falls is a catastrophic event that leads to disabilities and high socio-medical costs. This study aimed to measure the magnitude of the preventive effect of safety helmets on clinical outcomes and to compare the effect across different heights of fall. Methods: We collected a nationwide, prospective database of work-related injury patients who visited the 10 emergency departments between July 2010 and October 2012. All of the adult patients who experienced work-related fall injuries were eligible, excluding cases with unknown safety helmet use and height of fall. Primary and secondary endpoints were intracranial injury and in-hospital mortality. We calculated adjusted odds ratios (AORs) of safety helmet use and height of fall for study outcomes, and adjusted for any potential confounders. Results: A total of 1298 patients who suffered from work-related fall injuries were enrolled. The industrial or construction area was the most common place of fall injury occurrence, and 45.0% were wearing safety helmets at the time of fall injuries. The safety helmet group was less likely to have intracranial injury comparing with the no safety helmet group (the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) (95% confidence interval (CI)): 0.42 (0.24–0.73)), however, there was no statistical difference of in-hospital mortality between two groups (the adjusted ORs (95% CI): 0.83 (0.34–2.03). In the interaction analysis, preventive effects of safety helmet on intracranial injury were significant within 4 m height of fall. Conclusions: A safety helmet is associated with prevention of intracranial injury resulting from work-related fall and the effect is preserved within 4 m height of fall. Therefore, wearing a safety helmet can be an intervention for protecting fall-related intracranial injury in the workplace. PMID:27801877

Preventive Effects of Safety Helmets on Traumatic Brain Injury after Work-Related Falls.

PubMed

Kim, Sang Chul; Ro, Young Sun; Shin, Sang Do; Kim, Joo Yeong

2016-10-29

Work-related traumatic brain injury (TBI) caused by falls is a catastrophic event that leads to disabilities and high socio-medical costs. This study aimed to measure the magnitude of the preventive effect of safety helmets on clinical outcomes and to compare the effect across different heights of fall. We collected a nationwide, prospective database of work-related injury patients who visited the 10 emergency departments between July 2010 and October 2012. All of the adult patients who experienced work-related fall injuries were eligible, excluding cases with unknown safety helmet use and height of fall. Primary and secondary endpoints were intracranial injury and in-hospital mortality. We calculated adjusted odds ratios (AORs) of safety helmet use and height of fall for study outcomes, and adjusted for any potential confounders. A total of 1298 patients who suffered from work-related fall injuries were enrolled. The industrial or construction area was the most common place of fall injury occurrence, and 45.0% were wearing safety helmets at the time of fall injuries. The safety helmet group was less likely to have intracranial injury comparing with the no safety helmet group (the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) (95% confidence interval (CI)): 0.42 (0.24-0.73)), however, there was no statistical difference of in-hospital mortality between two groups (the adjusted ORs (95% CI): 0.83 (0.34-2.03). In the interaction analysis, preventive effects of safety helmet on intracranial injury were significant within 4 m height of fall. A safety helmet is associated with prevention of intracranial injury resulting from work-related fall and the effect is preserved within 4 m height of fall. Therefore, wearing a safety helmet can be an intervention for protecting fall-related intracranial injury in the workplace.

Characterisation of Liquefaction Effects for Beyond-Design Basis Safety Assessment of Nuclear Power Plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bán, Zoltán; Győri, Erzsébet; János Katona, Tamás; Tóth, László

2015-04-01

-tree procedure. Earlier studies have shown that the potentially liquefiable layer at Paks Nuclear Power Plant is situated in relatively large depth. Therefore the applicability and adequacy of the methods at high overburden pressure is important. In case of existing facilities, the geotechnical data gained before construction aren't sufficient for the comprehensive liquefaction analysis. Performance of new geotechnical survey is limited. Consequently, the availability of the data has to be accounted while selection the analysis methods. Considerations have to be made for dealing with aleatory uncertainty related to the knowledge of the soil conditions. It is shown in the paper, a careful comparison and analysis of the results obtained by different methodologies provides the basis of the selection of practicable methods for the safety analysis of nuclear power plant for beyond design basis liquefaction hazard.

Human Factors Research and Nuclear Safety.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moray, Neville P., Ed.; Huey, Beverly M., Ed.

The Panel on Human Factors Research Needs in Nuclear Regulatory Research was formed by the National Research Council in response to a request from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The NRC asked the research council to conduct an 18-month study of human factors research needs for the safe operation of nuclear power plants. This report…

Work stress and patient safety: observer-rated work stressors as predictors of characteristics of safety-related events reported by young nurses.

PubMed

Elfering, A; Semmer, N K; Grebner, S

This study investigates the link between workplace stress and the 'non-singularity' of patient safety-related incidents in the hospital setting. Over a period of 2 working weeks 23 young nurses from 19 hospitals in Switzerland documented 314 daily stressful events using a self-observation method (pocket diaries); 62 events were related to patient safety. Familiarity of safety-related events and probability of recurrence, as indicators of non-singularity, were the dependent variables in multilevel regression analyses. Predictor variables were both situational (self-reported situational control, safety compliance) and chronic variables (job stressors such as time pressure, or concentration demands and job control). Chronic work characteristics were rated by trained observers. The most frequent safety-related stressful events included incomplete or incorrect documentation (40.3%), medication errors (near misses 21%), delays in delivery of patient care (9.7%), and violent patients (9.7%). Familiarity of events and probability of recurrence were significantly predicted by chronic job stressors and low job control in multilevel regression analyses. Job stressors and low job control were shown to be risk factors for patient safety. The results suggest that job redesign to enhance job control and decrease job stressors may be an important intervention to increase patient safety.

Impact of intermediate and high energy nuclear data on the neutronic safety parameters of MYRRHA accelerator driven system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stankovskiy, Alexey; Çelik, Yurdunaz; Eynde, Gert Van den

2017-09-01

Perturbation of external neutron source can cause significant local power changes transformed into undesired safety-related events in an accelerator driven system. Therefore for the accurate design of MYRRHA sub-critical core it is important to evaluate the uncertainty of power responses caused by the uncertainties in nuclear reaction models describing the particle transport from primary proton energy down to the evaluated nuclear data table range. The calculations with a set of models resulted in quite low uncertainty on the local power caused by significant perturbation of primary neutron yield from proton interactions with lead and bismuth isotopes. The considered accidental event of prescribed proton beam shape loss causes drastic increase in local power but does not practically change the total core thermal power making this effect difficult to detect. In the same time the results demonstrate a correlation between perturbed local power responses in normal operation and misaligned beam conditions indicating that generation of covariance data for proton and neutron induced neutron multiplicities for lead and bismuth isotopes is needed to obtain reliable uncertainties for local power responses.

SNTP environmental, safety, and health

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harmon, Charles D.

1993-01-01

Viewgraphs on space nuclear thermal propulsion (SNTP) environmental, safety, and health are presented. Topics covered include: program safety policy; program safety policies; and DEIS public hearing comments.

Verification of MCNP6.2 for Nuclear Criticality Safety Applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brown, Forrest B.; Rising, Michael Evan; Alwin, Jennifer Louise

2017-05-10

Several suites of verification/validation benchmark problems were run in early 2017 to verify that the new production release of MCNP6.2 performs correctly for nuclear criticality safety applications (NCS). MCNP6.2 results for several NCS validation suites were compared to the results from MCNP6.1 [1] and MCNP6.1.1 [2]. MCNP6.1 is the production version of MCNP® released in 2013, and MCNP6.1.1 is the update released in 2014. MCNP6.2 includes all of the standard features for NCS calculations that have been available for the past 15 years, along with new features for sensitivity-uncertainty based methods for NCS validation [3]. Results from the benchmark suitesmore » were compared with results from previous verification testing [4-8]. Criticality safety analysts should consider testing MCNP6.2 on their particular problems and validation suites. No further development of MCNP5 is planned. MCNP6.1 is now 4 years old, and MCNP6.1.1 is now 3 years old. In general, released versions of MCNP are supported only for about 5 years, due to resource limitations. All future MCNP improvements, bug fixes, user support, and new capabilities are targeted only to MCNP6.2 and beyond.« less

OECD/NEA Ongoing activities related to the nuclear fuel cycle

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cornet, S.M.; McCarthy, K.; Chauvin, N.

2013-07-01

As part of its role in encouraging international collaboration, the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency is coordinating a series of projects related to the Nuclear Fuel Cycle. The Nuclear Science Committee (NSC) Working Party on Scientific Issues of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle (WPFC) comprises five different expert groups covering all aspects of the fuel cycle from front to back-end. Activities related to fuels, materials, physics, separation chemistry, and fuel cycles scenarios are being undertaken. By publishing state-of-the-art reports and organizing workshops, the groups are able to disseminate recent research advancements to the international community. Current activities mainly focus on advanced nuclearmore » systems, and experts are working on analyzing results and establishing challenges associated to the adoption of new materials and fuels. By comparing different codes, the Expert Group on Advanced Fuel Cycle Scenarios is aiming at gaining further understanding of the scientific issues and specific national needs associated with the implementation of advanced fuel cycles. At the back end of the fuel cycle, separation technologies (aqueous and pyrochemical processing) are being assessed. Current and future activities comprise studies on minor actinides separation and post Fukushima studies. Regular workshops are also organized to discuss recent developments on Partitioning and Transmutation. In addition, the Nuclear Development Committee (NDC) focuses on the analysis of the economics of nuclear power across the fuel cycle in the context of changes of electricity markets, social acceptance and technological advances and assesses the availability of the nuclear fuel and infrastructure required for the deployment of existing and future nuclear power. The Expert Group on the Economics of the Back End of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle (EBENFC), in particular, is looking at assessing economic and financial issues related to the long term management of spent nuclear fuel. (authors)« less

Nuclear Emergency and the Atmospheric Dispersion of Nuclear Aerosols: Discussion of the Shared Nuclear Future - 13163

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rana, Mukhtar A.; Ali, Nawab; Akhter, Parveen

2013-07-01

This paper has a twofold objective. One is to analyze the current status of high-level nuclear waste disposal along with presentation of practical perspectives about the environmental issues involved. Present disposal designs and concepts are analyzed on a scientific basis and modifications to existing designs are proposed from the perspective of environmental safety. Other is to understand the aerosol formation in the atmosphere for the case of the leakage from the nuclear waste containers or a nuclear accident. Radio-nuclides released from the waste will attach themselves to the existing aerosols in the atmosphere along with formation of new aerosols. Anticipatingmore » the nuclear accident when a variety of radioactive aerosols will form and exist in the atmosphere, as a simple example, measurement of naturally existing radioactive aerosols are made in the atmosphere of Islamabad and Murree. A comparison with similar measurements in 3 cities of France is provided. Measurement of radionuclides in the atmosphere, their attachment to aerosols and follow up transport mechanisms are key issues in the nuclear safety. It is studied here how {sup 7}Be concentration in the atmospheric air varies in the capital city of Islamabad and a Himalaya foothill city of Murree (Pakistan). Present results are compared with recent related published results to produce a {sup 7}Be concentration versus altitude plot up to an altitude of 4000 m (a.s.l.). Origin and variance of {sup 7}Be concentration at different altitudes is discussed in detail. The relevance of results presented here with the evaluation of implications of Chernobyl and Fukushima nuclear disasters has been discussed in a conclusive manner. It is the first international report of a joint collaboration/project. The project is being generalized to investigate and formulate a smooth waste storage and disposal policy. The project will address the fission and fusion waste reduction, its storage, its recycling, air, water

The effects of electric power industry restructuring on the safety of nuclear power plants in the United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Butler, Thomas S.

Throughout the United States the electric utility industry is restructuring in response to federal legislation mandating deregulation. The electric utility industry has embarked upon an extraordinary experiment by restructuring in response to deregulation that has been advocated on the premise of improving economic efficiency by encouraging competition in as many sectors of the industry as possible. However, unlike the telephone, trucking, and airline industries, the potential effects of electric deregulation reach far beyond simple energy economics. This dissertation presents the potential safety risks involved with the deregulation of the electric power industry in the United States and abroad. The pressures of a competitive environment on utilities with nuclear power plants in their portfolio to lower operation and maintenance costs could squeeze them to resort to some risky cost-cutting measures. These include deferring maintenance, reducing training, downsizing staff, excessive reductions in refueling down time, and increasing the use of on-line maintenance. The results of this study indicate statistically significant differences at the .01 level between the safety of pressurized water reactor nuclear power plants and boiling water reactor nuclear power plants. Boiling water reactors exhibited significantly more problems than did pressurized water reactors.

Mathematical aspects of assessing extreme events for the safety of nuclear plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Potempski, Slawomir; Borysiewicz, Mieczyslaw

2015-04-01

In the paper the review of mathematical methodologies applied for assessing low frequencies of rare natural events like earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes or tornadoes, floods (in particular flash floods and surge storms), lightning, solar flares, etc., will be given in the perspective of the safety assessment of nuclear plants. The statistical methods are usually based on the extreme value theory, which deals with the analysis of extreme deviation from the median (or the mean). In this respect application of various mathematical tools can be useful, like: the extreme value theorem of Fisher-Tippett-Gnedenko leading to possible choices of general extreme value distributions, or the Pickands-Balkema-de Haan theorem for tail fitting, or the methods related to large deviation theory. In the paper the most important stochastic distributions relevant for performing rare events statistical analysis will be presented. This concerns, for example, the analysis of the data with the annual extreme values (maxima - "Annual Maxima Series" or minima), or the peak values, exceeding given thresholds at some periods of interest ("Peak Over Threshold"), or the estimation of the size of exceedance. Despite of the fact that there is a lack of sufficient statistical data directly containing rare events, in some cases it is still possible to extract useful information from existing larger data sets. As an example one can consider some data sets available from the web sites for floods, earthquakes or generally natural hazards. Some aspects of such data sets will be also presented taking into account their usefulness for the practical assessment of risk for nuclear power plants coming from extreme weather conditions.

DFN Modeling for the Safety Case of the Final Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel in Olkiluoto, Finland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vanhanarkaus, O.

2017-12-01

Olkiluoto Island is a site in SW Finland chosen to host a deep geological repository for high-level nuclear waste generated by nuclear power plants of power companies TVO and Fortum. Posiva, a nuclear waste management organization, submitted a construction license application for the Olkiluoto repository to the Finnish government in 2012. A key component of the license application was an integrated geological, hydrological and biological description of the Olkiluoto site. After the safety case was reviewed in 2015 by the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority in Finland, Posiva was granted a construction license. Posiva is now preparing an updated safety case for the operating license application to be submitted in 2022, and an update of the discrete fracture network (DFN) model used for site characterization is part of that. The first step describing and modelling the network of fractures in the Olkiluoto bedrock was DFN model version 1 (2009), which presented an initial understanding of the relationships between rock fracturing and geology at the site and identified the important primary controls on fracturing. DFN model version 2 (2012) utilized new subsurface data from additional drillholes, tunnels and excavated underground facilities in ONKALO to better understand spatial variability of the geological controls on geological and hydrogeological fracture properties. DFN version 2 connected fracture geometric and hydraulic properties to distinct tectonic domains and to larger-scale hydraulically conductive fault zones. In the version 2 DFN model, geological and hydrogeological models were developed along separate parallel tracks. The version 3 (2017) DFN model for the Olkiluoto site integrates geological and hydrogeological elements into a single consistent model used for geological, rock mechanical, hydrogeological and hydrogeochemical studies. New elements in the version 3 DFN model include a stochastic description of fractures within Brittle Fault Zones (BFZ

Nuclear Technology Series. Course 8: Reactor Safety.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for Occupational Research and Development, Inc., Waco, TX.

This technical specialty course is one of thirty-five courses designed for use by two-year postsecondary institutians in five nuclear technician curriculum areas: (1) radiation protection technician, (2) nuclear instrumentation and control technician, (3) nuclear materials processing technician, (4) nuclear quality-assurance/quality-control…

Spent fuel cask handling at an operating nuclear power plant

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pal, A.C.

1988-01-01

The importance of spent fuel handling at operating nuclear power plants cannot be overstated. Because of its highly radioactive nature, however, spent fuel must be handled in thick, lead-lined containers or casks. Thus, all casks for spent fuel handling are heavy loads by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission's definition, and any load-drop must be evaluated for its potential to damage safety-related equipment. Nuclear Regulatory Guide NUREG-0612 prescribes the regulatory requirements of alternative heavy-load-handling methodologies such as (a) by providing cranes that meet the requirements of NUREG-0554, which shall be called the soft path, or (b) by providing protective devices atmore » all postulated load-drop areas to prevent any damage to safety-related equipment, which shall be called the hard path. The work reported in this paper relates to cask handling at New York Power Authority's James A. FitzPatrick (JAF) plant.« less

Modeling Transients and Designing a Passive Safety System for a Nuclear Thermal Rocket Using Relap5

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khatry, Jivan

Long-term high payload missions necessitate the need for nuclear space propulsion. Several nuclear reactor types were investigated by the Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Application (NERVA) program of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Study of planned/unplanned transients on nuclear thermal rockets is important due to the need for long-term missions. A NERVA design known as the Pewee I was selected for this purpose. The following transients were run: (i) modeling of corrosion-induced blockages on the peripheral fuel element coolant channels and their impact on radiation heat transfer in the core, and (ii) modeling of loss-of-flow-accidents (LOFAs) and their impact on radiation heat transfer in the core. For part (i), the radiation heat transfer rate of blocked channels increases while their neighbors' decreases. For part (ii), the core radiation heat transfer rate increases while the flow rate through the rocket system is decreased. However, the radiation heat transfer decreased while there was a complete LOFA. In this situation, the peripheral fuel element coolant channels handle the majority of the radiation heat transfer. Recognizing the LOFA as the most severe design basis accident, a passive safety system was designed in order to respond to such a transient. This design utilizes the already existing tie rod tubes and connects them to a radiator in a closed loop. Hence, this is basically a secondary loop. The size of the core is unchanged. During normal steady-state operation, this secondary loop keeps the moderator cool. Results show that the safety system is able to remove the decay heat and prevent the fuel elements from melting, in response to a LOFA and subsequent SCRAM.

Basic Safety II. Apprentice Related Training Module.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rice, Eric; Spetz, Sally H.

One in a series of core instructional materials for apprentices to use during the first or second years of apprentice-related subjects training, this booklet deals with basic safety. The first section consists of an outline of the content and scope of the core materials as well as a self-assessment pretest. Covered in the four instructional…

41 CFR 109-43.307-52 - Nuclear-related or proliferation-sensitive personal property.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Nuclear-related or... Excess § 109-43.307-52 Nuclear-related or proliferation-sensitive personal property. (a) Recognizing that property disposal officials will not have the technical knowledge to identify nuclear-related and...

41 CFR 109-43.307-52 - Nuclear-related or proliferation-sensitive personal property.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Nuclear-related or... Excess § 109-43.307-52 Nuclear-related or proliferation-sensitive personal property. (a) Recognizing that property disposal officials will not have the technical knowledge to identify nuclear-related and...

41 CFR 109-43.307-52 - Nuclear-related or proliferation-sensitive personal property.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Nuclear-related or... Excess § 109-43.307-52 Nuclear-related or proliferation-sensitive personal property. (a) Recognizing that property disposal officials will not have the technical knowledge to identify nuclear-related and...

41 CFR 109-43.307-52 - Nuclear-related or proliferation-sensitive personal property.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Nuclear-related or... Excess § 109-43.307-52 Nuclear-related or proliferation-sensitive personal property. (a) Recognizing that property disposal officials will not have the technical knowledge to identify nuclear-related and...

41 CFR 109-43.307-52 - Nuclear-related or proliferation-sensitive personal property.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Nuclear-related or... Excess § 109-43.307-52 Nuclear-related or proliferation-sensitive personal property. (a) Recognizing that property disposal officials will not have the technical knowledge to identify nuclear-related and...

Nuclear regulation: an evaluative study. [Monograph

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wood, W.C.

This paper gives an overview of nuclear regulation, followed by an account of the legislative rationale and the economic rationale for safety regulation of nuclear technology. It goes on to review the structure and safety programs of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and to show how many of the NRC's problems are unlike those facing other regulatory agencies. In assessing the results of nuclear regulation, it examines whether regulation has produced an acceptable level of safety and the nature of the evidence on acceptability. It concludes that the existing level of safety achievement is not cost-effective, and identifies some sourcesmore » of regulatory failure as a failure to make hard decisions on risk, diffuse responsibility for safety, and economic dissincentives to cost-effective safety. Recommendations for reforming NRC are to separate technical issues from social ones and to correct the incentives for safety. 153 references, 6 figures, 4 tables.« less

Safety surrogate histograms (SSH): A novel real-time safety assessment of dilemma zone related conflicts at signalized intersections.

PubMed

Ghanipoor Machiani, Sahar; Abbas, Montasir

2016-11-01

Drivers' indecisiveness in dilemma zones (DZ) could result in crash-prone situations at signalized intersections. DZ is to the area ahead of an intersection in which drivers encounter a dilemma regarding whether to stop or proceed through the intersection when the signal turns yellow. An improper decision to stop by the leading driver, combined with the following driver deciding to go, can result in a rear-end collision, unless the following driver recognizes a collision is imminent and adjusts his or her behavior at or shortly after the onset of yellow. Considering the significance of DZ-related crashes, a comprehensive safety measure is needed to characterize the level of safety at signalized intersections. In this study, a novel safety surrogate measure was developed utilizing real-time radar field data. This new measure, called safety surrogate histogram (SSH), captures the degree and frequency of DZ-related conflicts at each intersection approach. SSH includes detailed information regarding the possibility of crashes, because it is calculated based on the vehicles conflicts. An example illustrating the application of the new methodology at two study sites in Virginia is presented and discussed, and a comparison is provided between SSH and other DZ-related safety surrogate measures mentioned in the literature. The results of the study reveal the efficacy of the SSH as complementary to existing surrogate measures. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Aviation Trends Related to Atmospheric Environment Safety Technologies Project Technical Challenges

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reveley, Mary S.; Withrow, Colleen A.; Barr, Lawrence C.; Evans, Joni K.; Leone, Karen M.; Jones, Sharon M.

2014-01-01

Current and future aviation safety trends related to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Atmospheric Environment Safety Technologies Project's three technical challenges (engine icing characterization and simulation capability; airframe icing simulation and engineering tool capability; and atmospheric hazard sensing and mitigation technology capability) were assessed by examining the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) accident database (1989 to 2008), incidents from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) accident/incident database (1989 to 2006), and literature from various industry and government sources. The accident and incident data were examined for events involving fixed-wing airplanes operating under Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) Parts 121, 135, and 91 for atmospheric conditions related to airframe icing, ice-crystal engine icing, turbulence, clear air turbulence, wake vortex, lightning, and low visibility (fog, low ceiling, clouds, precipitation, and low lighting). Five future aviation safety risk areas associated with the three AEST technical challenges were identified after an exhaustive survey of a variety of sources and include: approach and landing accident reduction, icing/ice detection, loss of control in flight, super density operations, and runway safety.

Role of the law in ensuring work related road safety.

PubMed

Griffith, Richard; Tengnah, Cassam

2007-12-01

Some 150 deaths and serious injuries are caused each week by people who were driving in the course of their work. The police, health and safety executive and government are seeking to improve this startling statistic by ensuring that organizations, including NHS Trusts, comply with health and safety law and fulfil their duty to carry out an assessment of risks associated with work related driving and implement a policy to minimize those risks. Failing to comply could result in prosecution by the police and health and safety executive.

Ethics and choosing appropriate means to an end: problems with coal mine and nuclear workplace safety.

PubMed

Shrader-Frechette, Kristin; Cooke, Roger

2004-02-01

A common problem in ethics is that people often desire an end but fail to take the means necessary to achieve it. Employers and employees may desire the safety end mandated by performance standards for pollution control, but they may fail to employ the means, specification standards, necessary to achieve this end. This article argues that current (de jure) performance standards, for lowering employee exposures to ionizing radiation, fail to promote de facto worker welfare, in part because employers and employees do not follow the necessary means (practices known as specification standards) to achieve the end (performance standards) of workplace safety. To support this conclusion, the article argues that (1) safety requires attention to specification, as well as performance, standards; (2) coal-mine specification standards may fail to promote performance standards; (3) nuclear workplace standards may do the same; (4) choosing appropriate means to the end of safety requires attention to the ways uncertainties and variations in exposure may mask violations of standards; and (5) correcting regulatory inattention to differences between de jure and de facto is necessary for achievement of ethical goals for safety.

Relations among several nuclear and electronic density functional reactivity indexes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torrent-Sucarrat, Miquel; Luis, Josep M.; Duran, Miquel; Toro-Labbé, Alejandro; Solà, Miquel

2003-11-01

An expansion of the energy functional in terms of the total number of electrons and the normal coordinates within the canonical ensemble is presented. A comparison of this expansion with the expansion of the energy in terms of the total number of electrons and the external potential leads to new relations among common density functional reactivity descriptors. The formulas obtained provide explicit links between important quantities related to the chemical reactivity of a system. In particular, the relation between the nuclear and the electronic Fukui functions is recovered. The connection between the derivatives of the electronic energy and the nuclear repulsion energy with respect to the external potential offers a proof for the "Quantum Chemical le Chatelier Principle." Finally, the nuclear linear response function is defined and the relation of this function with the electronic linear response function is given.

41 CFR 109-43.305-50 - Nuclear-related and proliferation-sensitive personal property.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Nuclear-related and proliferation-sensitive personal property. 109-43.305-50 Section 109-43.305-50 Public Contracts and Property... Excess § 109-43.305-50 Nuclear-related and proliferation-sensitive personal property. Nuclear-related and...

41 CFR 109-43.305-50 - Nuclear-related and proliferation-sensitive personal property.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Nuclear-related and proliferation-sensitive personal property. 109-43.305-50 Section 109-43.305-50 Public Contracts and Property... Excess § 109-43.305-50 Nuclear-related and proliferation-sensitive personal property. Nuclear-related and...

41 CFR 109-43.305-50 - Nuclear-related and proliferation-sensitive personal property.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Nuclear-related and proliferation-sensitive personal property. 109-43.305-50 Section 109-43.305-50 Public Contracts and Property... Excess § 109-43.305-50 Nuclear-related and proliferation-sensitive personal property. Nuclear-related and...

41 CFR 109-43.305-50 - Nuclear-related and proliferation-sensitive personal property.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Nuclear-related and proliferation-sensitive personal property. 109-43.305-50 Section 109-43.305-50 Public Contracts and Property... Excess § 109-43.305-50 Nuclear-related and proliferation-sensitive personal property. Nuclear-related and...

41 CFR 109-43.305-50 - Nuclear-related and proliferation-sensitive personal property.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Nuclear-related and proliferation-sensitive personal property. 109-43.305-50 Section 109-43.305-50 Public Contracts and Property... Excess § 109-43.305-50 Nuclear-related and proliferation-sensitive personal property. Nuclear-related and...

Energy-range relations for hadrons in nuclear matter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Strugalski, Z.

1985-01-01

Range-energy relations for hadrons in nuclear matter exist similarly to the range-energy relations for charged particles in materials. When hadrons of GeV kinetic energies collide with atomic nuclei massive enough, events occur in which incident hadron is stopped completely inside the target nucleus without causing particle production - without pion production in particular. The stoppings are always accompanied by intensive emission of nucleons with kinetic energy from about 20 up to about 400 MeV. It was shown experimentally that the mean number of the emitted nucleons is a measure of the mean path in nuclear matter in nucleons on which the incident hadrons are stopped.

Moving forward with safety culture.

PubMed

Weber, Michael

2012-04-01

Radiation safety and protection of people are shared goals of the Health Physics Society (HPS) and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). A positive safety culture contributes to achieving radiation safety and protection of people, which are important to both the HPS and the NRC. Through unprecedented collaboration and engagement with diverse stakeholders, the NRC and the stakeholders developed a Safety Culture Policy Statement. The policy statement defines safety culture and describes the traits of a positive safety culture. Consideration of both safety and security issues and the interface of safety and security are underlying principles that support the policy. Examination of significant events, both within the nuclear industry and in society at large, illustrates how weaknesses in these traits can contribute to the occurrence and consequences of safety incidents, including serious injury and loss of life. With the policy statement in place, the NRC is moving forward with outreach and education about safety culture. Health physicists and other radiation safety specialists play an essential role in enhancing safety culture.

Perceived crime and traffic safety is related to physical activity among adults in Nigeria.

PubMed

Oyeyemi, Adewale L; Adegoke, Babatunde O; Sallis, James F; Oyeyemi, Adetoyeje Y; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse

2012-05-17

Neighborhood safety is inconsistently related to physical activity, but is seldom studied in developing countries. This study examined associations between perceived neighborhood safety and physical activity among Nigerian adults. In a cross-sectional study, accelerometer-based physical activity (MVPA), reported walking, perceived crime and traffic safety were measured in 219 Nigerian adults. Logistic regression analysis was conducted, and the odds ratio for meeting health guidelines for MVPA and walking was calculated in relation to four safety variables, after adjustment for potential confounders. Sufficient MVPA was related to more perception of safety from traffic to walk (OR=2.28, CI=1.13- 6.25) and more safety from crime at night (OR=1.68, CI=1.07-3.64), but with less perception of safety from crime during the day to walk (OR=0.34, CI=0.06- 0.91). More crime safety during the day and night were associated with more walking. Perceived safety from crime and traffic were associated with physical activity among Nigerian adults. These findings provide preliminary evidence on the need to provide safe traffic and crime environments that will make it easier and more likely for African adults to be physically active.

The Organization and Management of the Nuclear Weapons Program.

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-03-01

over operations include the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Occupational Safety and Health...Safety, and Health. Still more guidance is received from the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board and other external bodies such as the...state regulatory agencies, and the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board. This chapter briefly reviews the most recent decade of this history, describes

2011 Annual Criticality Safety Program Performance Summary

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Andrea Hoffman

The 2011 review of the INL Criticality Safety Program has determined that the program is robust and effective. The review was prepared for, and fulfills Contract Data Requirements List (CDRL) item H.20, 'Annual Criticality Safety Program performance summary that includes the status of assessments, issues, corrective actions, infractions, requirements management, training, and programmatic support.' This performance summary addresses the status of these important elements of the INL Criticality Safety Program. Assessments - Assessments in 2011 were planned and scheduled. The scheduled assessments included a Criticality Safety Program Effectiveness Review, Criticality Control Area Inspections, a Protection of Controlled Unclassified Information Inspection,more » an Assessment of Criticality Safety SQA, and this management assessment of the Criticality Safety Program. All of the assessments were completed with the exception of the 'Effectiveness Review' for SSPSF, which was delayed due to emerging work. Although minor issues were identified in the assessments, no issues or combination of issues indicated that the INL Criticality Safety Program was ineffective. The identification of issues demonstrates the importance of an assessment program to the overall health and effectiveness of the INL Criticality Safety Program. Issues and Corrective Actions - There are relatively few criticality safety related issues in the Laboratory ICAMS system. Most were identified by Criticality Safety Program assessments. No issues indicate ineffectiveness in the INL Criticality Safety Program. All of the issues are being worked and there are no imminent criticality concerns. Infractions - There was one criticality safety related violation in 2011. On January 18, 2011, it was discovered that a fuel plate bundle in the Nuclear Materials Inspection and Storage (NMIS) facility exceeded the fissionable mass limit, resulting in a technical safety requirement (TSR) violation. The TSR limits

Relatives in end-of-life care--part 2: a theory for enabling safety.

PubMed

Ohlén, Joakim; Andershed, Birgitta; Berg, Christina; Frid, Ingvar; Palm, Carl-Axel; Ternestedt, Britt-Marie; Segesten, Kerstin

2007-02-01

To develop a goal-oriented praxis theory for enabling safety for relatives when an adult or older patient is close to end-of-life. This is the second part of a project focusing on the situation and needs of relatives in end-of-life care. Our interpretation of the existing corpus of knowledge pertaining to the needs of close relatives in this situation showed the significance of relatives' need for safety. The theory was developed step-by-step, through triangulation of critical review of empirical research in the field, our own clinical experiences from end-of-life care, renewed literature searches and theoretical reasoning. The foundation for the theory is taken from the ethical intention of the philosopher Paul Ricoeur. From this, the theory focuses on relatives in the context of end-of-life care with the goal of enabling safety. This is proposed by four aphorisms functioning as safety enablers and these are directed towards the professional's approach and attitude, the relative's concern for the patient, the specific situation for the relative and the patient's end-of-life period as a period in the life of the relative. Implications for end-of-life practice are considered and include aspects for promotion of just institutions in end-of-life care, the significance of negotiated partnership in end-of-life care, enabling safety for relatives living in existential and practical uncertainty in connection with end-of-life care and diversity of relatives' preferences as they live through this particular period.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission Issuances. Opinions and decisions of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission with selected orders: July 1, 1992--December 31, 1992, Volume 36, Pages 1--396

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1992-12-31

This is the thirty-sixth volume of issuances (1-396) of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and its Atomic Safety and Licensing Boards, Administrative Law Judges, and Office Directors. It covers the period from July 1, 1992-December 31, 1992. Atomic Safety and Licensing Boards are authorized by Section 191 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954. These Boards, comprised of three members conduct adjudicatory hearings on applications to construct and operate nuclear power plants and related facilities and issue initial decisions which, subject to internal review and appellate procedures, become the final Commission action with respect to those applications. Boards are drawn frommore » the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel, comprised of lawyers, nuclear physicists and engineers, environmentalists, chemists, and economists. The Atomic Energy Commission first established Licensing Boards in 1962 and the Panel in 1967.« less

Evaluating North Carolina Food Pantry Food Safety-Related Operating Procedures.

PubMed

Chaifetz, Ashley; Chapman, Benjamin

2015-11-01

Almost one in seven American households were food insecure in 2012, experiencing difficulty in providing enough food for all family members due to a lack of resources. Food pantries assist a food-insecure population through emergency food provision, but there is a paucity of information on the food safety-related operating procedures used in the pantries. Food pantries operate in a variable regulatory landscape; in some jurisdictions, they are treated equivalent to restaurants, while in others, they operate outside of inspection regimes. By using a mixed methods approach to catalog the standard operating procedures related to food in 105 food pantries from 12 North Carolina counties, we evaluated their potential impact on food safety. Data collected through interviews with pantry managers were supplemented with observed food safety practices scored against a modified version of the North Carolina Food Establishment Inspection Report. Pantries partnered with organized food bank networks were compared with those that operated independently. In this exploratory research, additional comparisons were examined for pantries in metropolitan areas versus nonmetropolitan areas and pantries with managers who had received food safety training versus managers who had not. The results provide a snapshot of how North Carolina food pantries operate and document risk mitigation strategies for foodborne illness for the vulnerable populations they serve. Data analysis reveals gaps in food safety knowledge and practice, indicating that pantries would benefit from more effective food safety training, especially focusing on formalizing risk management strategies. In addition, new tools, procedures, or policy interventions might improve information actualization by food pantry personnel.

Comparative Safety and Tolerability of Anti-VEGF therapy in Age-Related Macular Degeneration

PubMed Central

Modi, Yasha S.; Tanchon, Carley; Ehlers, Justis P

2015-01-01

Neovascular age-related macular degeneration (NVAMD) is one of the leading causes of blindness. Over the last decade, the treatment of NVAMD has been revolutionized by the development intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapies. Several anti-VEGF medications are used for the treatment of NVAMD. The safety and tolerability of these medications deserve review given the high prevalence of NVAMD and the significant utilization of these medications. Numerous large randomized clinical trials have not shown any definitive differential safety relative to ocular or systemic safety of these medications. Intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy does appear to impact systemic VEGF levels, but the implications of these changes remain unclear. One unique safety concern relates drug compounding and the potential risks of contamination, specifically for bevacizumab. Continued surveillance for systemic safety concerns, particularly for rare events is merited. Overall these medications are well tolerated and effective in the treatment of NVAMD. PMID:25700714

Resource Letter MP-1: The Manhattan Project and related nuclear research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reed, B. Cameron

2005-09-01

This Resource Letter provides a guide to literature on the Manhattan Project and related nuclear research. Books and journal articles are cited for the following topics: general works, technical works, biographical and autobiographical works, the German nuclear program, and technical papers of historical interest. A list of videos and websites dealing with the Manhattan Project, nuclear weapons, and nuclear issues is also given.

The safety review and approval process for space nuclear power sources

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bennett, G.L.

1991-01-01

Over the past 30 yr. the U.S. Government has evolved a process for the safety review and launch approval of nuclear power sources (NPSs) proposed for launch into space. This process, which involves a number of governmental agencies, ensures that the various postulated accident scenarios are considered, that the responses of the NPSs to the accident environments are assessed, and that appropriate elements of the Federal Government are involved in the launch approval. This process has worked very well in the successful launches of 37 radioisotope thermoelectric generators and 1 reactor by the United States since 1961. Particular attention willmore » be focused on the recent launch of the Galileo spacecraft. 19 refs., 12 figs., 4 tabs.« less

76 FR 37799 - DOE Final Decision in Response to Recommendation 2010-1 of the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-28

... the public, workers, and the environment. For example, the Board clarified that use of the term.... Department of Energy Nonreactor Nuclear Facility Documented Safety Analyses, as a safe harbor methodology..., our workers, and the environment at all of our facilities. We share your conviction that a clear set...

Perceived crime and traffic safety is related to physical activity among adults in Nigeria

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Neighborhood safety is inconsistently related to physical activity, but is seldom studied in developing countries. This study examined associations between perceived neighborhood safety and physical activity among Nigerian adults. Methods In a cross-sectional study, accelerometer-based physical activity (MVPA), reported walking, perceived crime and traffic safety were measured in 219 Nigerian adults. Logistic regression analysis was conducted, and the odds ratio for meeting health guidelines for MVPA and walking was calculated in relation to four safety variables, after adjustment for potential confounders. Results Sufficient MVPA was related to more perception of safety from traffic to walk (OR=2.28, CI=1.13- 6.25) and more safety from crime at night (OR=1.68, CI=1.07-3.64), but with less perception of safety from crime during the day to walk (OR=0.34, CI=0.06- 0.91). More crime safety during the day and night were associated with more walking. Conclusions Perceived safety from crime and traffic were associated with physical activity among Nigerian adults. These findings provide preliminary evidence on the need to provide safe traffic and crime environments that will make it easier and more likely for African adults to be physically active. PMID:22520066

Impact of Passive Safety on FHR Instrumentation Systems Design and Classification

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Holcomb, David Eugene

2015-01-01

Fluoride salt-cooled high-temperature reactors (FHRs) will rely more extensively on passive safety than earlier reactor classes. 10CFR50 Appendix A, General Design Criteria for Nuclear Power Plants, establishes minimum design requirements to provide reasonable assurance of adequate safety. 10CFR50.69, Risk-Informed Categorization and Treatment of Structures, Systems and Components for Nuclear Power Reactors, provides guidance on how the safety significance of systems, structures, and components (SSCs) should be reflected in their regulatory treatment. The Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) has provided 10 CFR 50.69 SSC Categorization Guideline (NEI-00-04) that factors in probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) model insights, as well as deterministic insights, throughmore » an integrated decision-making panel. Employing the PRA to inform deterministic requirements enables an appropriately balanced, technically sound categorization to be established. No FHR currently has an adequate PRA or set of design basis accidents to enable establishing the safety classification of its SSCs. While all SSCs used to comply with the general design criteria (GDCs) will be safety related, the intent is to limit the instrumentation risk significance through effective design and reliance on inherent passive safety characteristics. For example, FHRs have no safety-significant temperature threshold phenomena, thus enabling the primary and reserve reactivity control systems required by GDC 26 to be passively, thermally triggered at temperatures well below those for which core or primary coolant boundary damage would occur. Moreover, the passive thermal triggering of the primary and reserve shutdown systems may relegate the control rod drive motors to the control system, substantially decreasing the amount of safety-significant wiring needed. Similarly, FHR decay heat removal systems are intended to be running continuously to minimize the amount of safety-significant instrumentation needed to

A red-flag-based approach to risk management of EHR-related safety concerns.

PubMed

Sittig, Dean F; Singh, Hardeep

2013-01-01

Although electronic health records (EHRs) have a significant potential to improve patient safety, EHR-related safety concerns have begun to emerge. Based on 369 responses to a survey sent to the memberships of the American Society for Healthcare Risk Management and the American Health Lawyers Association and supplemented by our previous work in EHR-related patient safety, we identified the following common EHR-related safety concerns: (1) incorrect patient identification; (2) extended EHR unavailability (either planned or unplanned); (3) failure to heed a computer-generated warning or alert; (4) system-to-system interface errors; (5) failure to identify, find, or use the most recent patient data; (6) misunderstandings about time; (7) incorrect item selected from a list of items; and (8) open or incomplete orders. In this article, we present a "red-flag"-based approach that can be used by risk managers to identify potential EHR safety concerns in their institutions. An organization that routinely conducts EHR-related surveillance activities, such as the ones proposed here, can significantly reduce risks associated with EHR implementation and use. © 2013 American Society for Healthcare Risk Management of the American Hospital Association.

Factors related to increasing safety belt use in states with safety belt use laws : second annual report to Congress

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1989-01-01

This report is the second in a series of four annual reports to the Congress on provisions of state safety belt use laws and other programmatic factors related to increasing safety belt use levels. The first Congressional Report reviewed what was kno...

Nuclear Weapons: NNSA Needs to Establish a Cost and Schedule Baseline for Manufacturing a Critical Nuclear Weapon Component

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-05-01

building up to and beyond the 2013 time frame. However, in October 2007, the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, which monitors safety...manufacturing. They said that NNSA is still working through this process with the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board. Processing of waste

The Projected Impacts to Clark County and Local Governmental Public Safety Agencies Resulting from the Transportation of High-Level Nuclear Waste to Yucca Mountain

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mushkatel, A.H.; Conway, S.; Navis, I.

2006-07-01

This paper focuses on the difficulties of projecting fiscal impacts to public safety agencies from the proposed high-level nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. The efforts made by Clark County Nevada, to develop a fiscal model of impacts for public safety agencies are described in this paper. Some of the difficulties in constructing a fiscal model of impacts for the entire 24 year high-level nuclear waste transportation shipping campaign are identified, and a refined methodology is provided to accomplish this task. Finally, a comparison of the fiscal impact projections for public safety agencies that Clark County developed in 2001,more » with those done in 2005 is discussed, and the fiscal impact cost projections for the entire 24 year transportation campaign are provided. (authors)« less

Space nuclear safety program. Progress report, October-December 1984

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

George, T.G.

1986-05-01

This quarterly report covers studies related to the use of /sup 238/PuO/sub 2/ in radioisotope power systems carried out for the Office of Special Nuclear Projects of the US Department of Energy by Los Alamos National Laboratory. Most of the studies discussed are ongoing; the results and conclusions described may change as the work progresses.

18 CFR 12.10 - Reporting safety-related incidents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

...-related incidents. 12.10 Section 12.10 Conservation of Power and Water Resources FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION, DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY REGULATIONS UNDER THE FEDERAL POWER ACT SAFETY OF WATER POWER PROJECTS AND... providing a copy of a clipping from a newspaper article, if available. (4) For the purposes of this...

49 CFR 191.23 - Reporting safety-related conditions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

..., controls, or processes gas or LNG. (4) Any material defect or physical damage that impairs the... strength. (5) Any malfunction or operating error that causes the pressure of a pipeline or LNG facility... structural integrity of an LNG storage tank. (8) Any safety-related condition that could lead to an imminent...

American-Ukrainian Nuclear Relations

DTIC Science & Technology

1996-10-01

Ukrainian nuclear question. Foreign Minister Kozyrev was blunt in his view that the Ukrainians were seeking to gain control of the nuclear weapons and...the nuclear material in the weapons on its territory. Kiev was very pleased with the U.S. position, claiming that it mirrored the Ukrainian stance...had pcrsonally directed Kozyrev to come up with language that would please Ukraine and that Russia would be willing to provide the assurances

Nuclear Powerplant Safety: Source Terms. Nuclear Energy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Department of Energy, Washington, DC. Nuclear Energy Office.

There has been increased public interest in the potential effects of nuclear powerplant accidents since the Soviet reactor accident at Chernobyl. People have begun to look for more information about the amount of radioactivity that might be released into the environment as a result of such an accident. When this issue is discussed by people…

Aluminum Data Measurements and Evaluation for Criticality Safety Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leal, L. C.; Guber, K. H.; Spencer, R. R.; Derrien, H.; Wright, R. Q.

2002-12-01

The Defense Nuclear Facility Safety Board (DNFSB) Recommendation 93-2 motivated the US Department of Energy (DOE) to develop a comprehensive criticality safety program to maintain and to predict the criticality of systems throughout the DOE complex. To implement the response to the DNFSB Recommendation 93-2, a Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP) was created including the following tasks: Critical Experiments, Criticality Benchmarks, Training, Analytical Methods, and Nuclear Data. The Nuclear Data portion of the NCSP consists of a variety of differential measurements performed at the Oak Ridge Electron Linear Accelerator (ORELA) at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), data analysis and evaluation using the generalized least-squares fitting code SAMMY in the resolved, unresolved, and high energy ranges, and the development and benchmark testing of complete evaluations for a nuclide for inclusion into the Evaluated Nuclear Data File (ENDF/B). This paper outlines the work performed at ORNL to measure, evaluate, and test the nuclear data for aluminum for applications in criticality safety problems.

NUCLEAR REACTOR

DOEpatents

Miller, H.I.; Smith, R.C.

1958-01-21

This patent relates to nuclear reactors of the type which use a liquid fuel, such as a solution of uranyl sulfate in ordinary water which acts as the moderator. The reactor is comprised of a spherical vessel having a diameter of about 12 inches substantially surrounded by a reflector of beryllium oxide. Conventionnl control rods and safety rods are operated in slots in the reflector outside the vessel to control the operation of the reactor. An additional means for increasing the safety factor of the reactor by raising the ratio of delayed neutrons to prompt neutrons, is provided and consists of a soluble sulfate salt of beryllium dissolved in the liquid fuel in the proper proportion to obtain the result desired.

Screening Electronic Health Record-Related Patient Safety Reports Using Machine Learning.

PubMed

Marella, William M; Sparnon, Erin; Finley, Edward

2017-03-01

The objective of this study was to develop a semiautomated approach to screening cases that describe hazards associated with the electronic health record (EHR) from a mandatory, population-based patient safety reporting system. Potentially relevant cases were identified through a query of the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Reporting System. A random sample of cases were manually screened for relevance and divided into training, testing, and validation data sets to develop a machine learning model. This model was used to automate screening of remaining potentially relevant cases. Of the 4 algorithms tested, a naive Bayes kernel performed best, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.927 ± 0.023, accuracy of 0.855 ± 0.033, and F score of 0.877 ± 0.027. The machine learning model and text mining approach described here are useful tools for identifying and analyzing adverse event and near-miss reports. Although reporting systems are beginning to incorporate structured fields on health information technology and the EHR, these methods can identify related events that reporters classify in other ways. These methods can facilitate analysis of legacy safety reports by retrieving health information technology-related and EHR-related events from databases without fields and controlled values focused on this subject and distinguishing them from reports in which the EHR is mentioned only in passing. Machine learning and text mining are useful additions to the patient safety toolkit and can be used to semiautomate screening and analysis of unstructured text in safety reports from frontline staff.

Assessment of safety-relevant aspects of Kraftwerk Union's 200-MW(thermal) nuclear district heating plant concept

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Erlenwein, P.; Frisch, W.; Kafka, P.

Nuclear reactors of 200- to 400-MW(thermal) power for district heating are the subject of increasing interest, and several specific designs are under discussion today. In the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG), the Kraftwerk Union AG has presented a 200-MW(thermal) heating reactor concept. The main safety issues of this design are assessed. In this design, the primary system is fully integrated into the reactor pressure vessel (RPV), which is tightly enclosed by the containment. The low process parameters like pressure, temperature, and power density and the high ratio of coolant volume to thermal power allow the design of simple safety features.more » This is supported by the preference of passive over active components. A special feature is a newly designed hydraulic control and rod drive mechanism, which is also integrated into the RPV. Within the safety assessment an overview of the relevant FRG safety rules and guidelines, developed mainly for large, electricity-generating power plants, is given. Included is a discussion of the extent to which these licensing rules can be applied to the concept of heating reactors.« less

Factors related to increasing safety belt use in states with safety belt use laws : second annual report to Congress, 1988.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1989-01-01

This report. is the second in a series of four annual reports to the : Congress on provisions of state safety belt use laws and other : programmatic factors related to increasing safety belt use levels. : The first Congressional Report reviewed what ...

Safety analysts training

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bolton, P.

The purpose of this task was to support ESH-3 in providing Airborne Release Fraction and Respirable Fraction training to safety analysts at LANL who perform accident analysis, hazard analysis, safety analysis, and/or risk assessments at nuclear facilities. The task included preparation of materials for and the conduct of two 3-day training courses covering the following topics: safety analysis process; calculation model; aerosol physic concepts for safety analysis; and overview of empirically derived airborne release fractions and respirable fractions.

Confinement of Radioactive Materials at Defense Nuclear Facilities

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-10-01

The design of defense nuclear facilities includes systems whose reliable operation is vital to the protection of the public, workers, and the...final safety-class barrier to the release of hazardous materials with potentially serious public consequences. The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety...the public at certain defense nuclear facilities . This change has resulted in downgrading of the functional safety classification of confinement

Criticality Safety Basics for INL FMHs and CSOs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

V. L. Putman

2012-04-01

Nuclear power is a valuable and efficient energy alternative in our energy-intensive society. However, material that can generate nuclear power has properties that require this material be handled with caution. If improperly handled, a criticality accident could result, which could severely harm workers. This document is a modular self-study guide about Criticality Safety Principles. This guide's purpose it to help you work safely in areas where fissionable nuclear materials may be present, avoiding the severe radiological and programmatic impacts of a criticality accident. It is designed to stress the fundamental physical concepts behind criticality controls and the importance of criticalitymore » safety when handling fissionable materials outside nuclear reactors. This study guide was developed for fissionable-material-handler and criticality-safety-officer candidates to use with related web-based course 00INL189, BEA Criticality Safety Principles, and to help prepare for the course exams. These individuals must understand basic information presented here. This guide may also be useful to other Idaho National Laboratory personnel who must know criticality safety basics to perform their assignments safely or to design critically safe equipment or operations. This guide also includes additional information that will not be included in 00INL189 tests. The additional information is in appendices and paragraphs with headings that begin with 'Did you know,' or with, 'Been there Done that'. Fissionable-material-handler and criticality-safety-officer candidates may review additional information at their own discretion. This guide is revised as needed to reflect program changes, user requests, and better information. Issued in 2006, Revision 0 established the basic text and integrated various programs from former contractors. Revision 1 incorporates operation and program changes implemented since 2006. It also incorporates suggestions, clarifications, and additional

Conditions for the successful integration of Human and Organizational Factors (HOF) in the nuclear safety analysis.

PubMed

Tosello, Michèle; Lévêque, Françoise; Dutillieu, Stéphanie; Hernandez, Guillaume; Vautier, Jean-François

2012-01-01

This communication presents some elements which come from the experience feedback at CEA about the conditions for the successful integration of HOF in the nuclear safety analysis. To point out some of these conditions, one of the concepts proposed by Edgar Morin to describe the functioning of "complex" systems: the dialogical principle has been used. The idea is to look for some dialogical pairs. The elements of this kind of pair are both complementary and antagonist to one another. Three dialogical pairs are presented in this communication. The first two pairs are related to the organization of the HOF network and the last one is related to the methods which are used to analyse the working situations. The three pairs are: specialist - non-specialist actors of the network, centralized - distributed human resources in the network and microscopic - macroscopic levels of HOF methods to analyse the working situations. To continuously improve these three dialogical pairs, it is important to keep the differences which exist between the two elements of a pair and to find and maintain a balance between the two elements of the pairs.

Extended Nuclear Deterrence for Europe Without Forward-based Weapons

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-02-15

financial costs of nuclear burden sharing, bolsters safety and security and further reduces proliferation risks. 22 Bibliography Bildt, Carl and... Sagan , Scott D. and Waltz, Kenneth N. The Spread of Nuclear Weapons: A Debate Renewed. W. W. Norton and Company New York, NY and London...Point. Center for International Relations, Reports and Analyses. Konrad-Adenauer Foundation, Warsaw, 2011, 2. 30 Bildt, Carl and Sikorski, Radek

The Future of U.S. Nuclear Forces: Boom or Bust

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-03-30

materials, and nuclear waste.45 The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) was established by Congress in 1988 as an independent federal...adequate protection of public health and safety" at DOE’s defense nuclear facilities .46 This 100- person agency looks at four areas of the nuclear weapons...47 A.J. Eggenberger, Sixteenth Annual Report to Congress (Washington DC: Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, February 2006), 13; available

Examination of psychological variables related to nuclear attitudes and nuclear activism

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Roy, P.J.

1985-01-01

It was hypothesized that knowledge about nuclear arms developments would not be correlated with nuclear attitudes, that sense of efficacy would be positively correlated with magnitude of nuclear activism, and that death anxiety would be correlated with high level of nuclear knowledge and anti-nuclear attitudes, but not with sense of power. It was also hypothesized that positive correlations would be found between nuclear activism and political activism, knowledge of nuclear facts, and degree of adherence to anti-nuclear attitudes. One hundred and forty three women and 90 men participated in this questionnaire study. Major findings are as follows. In general, themore » more people knew about nuclear developments, the more anti-nuclear were their attitudes. Also, regardless of nuclear attitudes, a positive correlation was found between knowledge of nuclear facts and nuclear activism. Death anxiety and powerlessness were not correlated. There was a positive correlation between anxiety and both nuclear knowledge and anti-nuclear attitudes. A strong positive correlation was found between nuclear activism and anti-nuclear attitudes, and between political activism and nuclear activism. Internal locus of control did not correlate significantly with high sense of power or with high degree of nuclear activism.« less

Consequences and countermeasures in a nuclear power accident: Chernobyl experience.

PubMed

Kirichenko, Vladimir A; Kirichenko, Alexander V; Werts, Day E

2012-09-01

Despite the tragic accidents in Fukushima and Chernobyl, the nuclear power industry will continue to contribute to the production of electric energy worldwide until there are efficient and sustainable alternative sources of energy. The Chernobyl nuclear accident, which occurred 26 years ago in the former Soviet Union, released an immense amount of radioactivity over vast territories of Belarus, Ukraine, and the Russian Federation, extending into northern Europe, and became the most severe accident in the history of the nuclear industry. This disaster was a result of numerous factors including inadequate nuclear power plant design, human errors, and violation of safety measures. The lessons learned from nuclear accidents will continue to strengthen the safety design of new reactor installations, but with more than 400 active nuclear power stations worldwide and 104 reactors in the Unites States, it is essential to reassess fundamental issues related to the Chernobyl experience as it continues to evolve. This article summarizes early and late events of the incident, the impact on thyroid health, and attempts to reduce agricultural radioactive contamination.

Security culture for nuclear facilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, Deeksha; Bajramovic, Edita

2017-01-01

Natural radioactive elements are part of our environment and radioactivity is a natural phenomenon. There are numerous beneficial applications of radioactive elements (radioisotopes) and radiation, starting from power generation to usages in medical, industrial and agriculture applications. But the risk of radiation exposure is always attached to operational workers, the public and the environment. Hence, this risk has to be assessed and controlled. The main goal of safety and security measures is to protect human life, health, and the environment. Currently, nuclear security considerations became essential along with nuclear safety as nuclear facilities are facing rapidly increase in cybersecurity risks. Therefore, prevention and adequate protection of nuclear facilities from cyberattacks is the major task. Historically, nuclear safety is well defined by IAEA guidelines while nuclear security is just gradually being addressed by some new guidance, especially the IAEA Nuclear Security Series (NSS), IEC 62645 and some national regulations. At the overall level, IAEA NSS 7 describes nuclear security as deterrence and detection of, and response to, theft, sabotage, unauthorized access, illegal transfer or other malicious acts involving nuclear, other radioactive substances and their associated facilities. Nuclear security should be included throughout nuclear facilities. Proper implementation of a nuclear security culture leads to staff vigilance and a high level of security posture. Nuclear security also depends on policy makers, regulators, managers, individual employees and members of public. Therefore, proper education and security awareness are essential in keeping nuclear facilities safe and secure.

Gendered role of appraisals of safety in psychological outcome in relation to trauma.

PubMed

Padmanabhanunni, Anita; Campbell, Jerome; Pretorius, Tyrone B

2017-09-01

This study investigated gender differences in the role of appraisals of safety in the relationship between exposure to violence and trauma-related symptoms among South African adolescents living in low socioeconomic settings. Limited research exists in developing contexts on the role of cognitive appraisals in mitigating outcome following exposure to violence. Given the prevalence of violence in South Africa and the vulnerability of youth, this type of research is valuable in identifying adolescents at risk of negative psychological outcome following exposure, and in informing intervention efforts. Adolescents (N = 498) completed an adapted version of the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (Mollica et al., 1992) and the Safety Index (Ward, Flisher, Zissis, Muller, & Lombard, 2001). The results indicate a significant positive relationship between all violence subscales and trauma-related symptoms, whereas a significant negative relationship was found between sense of safety and trauma-related symptoms. Important gender differences were identified in the role of appraisals of safety, with more effects noted for women than men. For men, the obtained results only demonstrated a health-sustaining role. For women, the results indicated a health-sustaining role, an indirect effect, and a stress-reducing role. These findings stress the necessity of gender-specific interventions. Assessment of psychological trauma, particularly among female adolescents, needs to include measures of cognitive appraisals related to safety. Therapeutic techniques that may be particularly beneficial to adolescent girls are those focusing on promoting sense of safety and targeting dysfunctional threat appraisals. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Safety apparatus for nuclear reactor to prevent structural damage from overheating by core debris

DOEpatents

Gabor, John D.; Cassulo, John C.; Pedersen, Dean R.; Baker, Jr., Louis

1986-01-01

The invention teaches safety apparatus that can be included in a nuclear reactor, either when newly fabricated or as a retrofit add-on, that will minimize proliferation of structural damage to the reactor in the event the reactor is experiencing an overheating malfunction whereby radioactive nuclear debris might break away from and be discharged from the reactor core. The invention provides a porous bed or sublayer on the lower surface of the reactor containment vessel so that the debris falls on and piles up on the bed. Vapor release elements upstand from the bed in some laterally spaced array. Thus should the high heat flux of the debris interior vaporize the coolant at that location, the vaporized coolant can be vented downwardly to and laterally through the bed to the vapor release elements and in turn via the release elements upwardly through the debris. This minimizes the pressure buildup in the debris and allows for continuing infiltration of the liquid coolant into the debris interior.

Safety apparatus for nuclear reactor to prevent structural damage from overheating by core debris

DOEpatents

Gabor, John D.; Cassulo, John C.; Pedersen, Dean R.; Baker Jr., Louis

1986-07-01

The invention teaches safety apparatus that can be included in a nuclear reactor, either when newly fabricated or as a retrofit add-on, that will minimize proliferation of structural damage to the reactor in the event the reactor is experiencing an overheating malfunction whereby radioactive nuclear debris might break away from and be discharged from the reactor core. The invention provides a porous bed or sublayer on the lower surface of the reactor containment vessel so that the debris falls on and piles up on the bed. Vapor release elements upstand from the bed in some laterally spaced array. Thus should the high heat flux of the debris interior vaporize the coolant at that location, the vaporized coolant can be vented downwardly to and laterally through the bed to the vapor release elements and in turn via the release elements upwardly through the debris. This minimizes the pressure buildup in the debris and allows for continuing infiltration of the liquid coolant into the debris interior.

Safety apparatus for nuclear reactor to prevent structural damage from overheating by core debris

DOEpatents

Gabor, J.D.; Cassulo, J.C.; Pedersen, D.R.; Baker, L. Jr.

The invention teaches safety apparatus that can be included in a nuclear reactor, either when newly fabricated or as a retrofit add-on, that will minimize proliferation of structural damage to the reactor in the event the reactor is experiencing an overheating malfunction whereby radioactive nuclear debris might break away from and can be discharged from the reactor core. The invention provides a porous bed of sublayer on the lower surface of the reactor containment vessel so that the debris falls on and piles up on the bed. Vapor release elements upstand from the bed in some laterally spaced array. Thus should the high heat flux of the debris interior vaporize the coolant at that location, the vaporized coolant can be vented downwardly to and laterally through the bed to the vapor release elements and in turn via the release elements upwardly through the debris. This minimizes the pressure buildup in the debris and allows for continuing infiltration of the liquid coolant into the debris interior.

Radiological Safety Handbook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Army Ordnance Center and School, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD.

Written to be used concurrently with the U.S. Army's Radiological Safety Course, this publication discusses the causes, sources, and detection of nuclear radiation. In addition, the transportation and disposal of radioactive materials are covered. The report also deals with the safety precautions to be observed when working with lasers, microwave…

Clinical Evaluation of a Safety-device to Prevent Urinary Catheter Inflation Related Injuries.

PubMed

Davis, Niall F; Cunnane, Eoghan M; Mooney, Rory O'C; Forde, James C; Walsh, Michael T

2018-05-01

To evaluate the feasibility of a novel "safety-valve" device for preventing catheter related urethral trauma during urethral catheterization (UC). To assess the opinions of clinicians on the performance of the safety-valve device. A validated prototype "safety-valve" device for preventing catheter balloon inflation related urethral injuries was prospectively piloted in male patients requiring UC in a tertiary referral teaching hospital (n = 100). The device allows fluid in the catheter system to decant through an activated safety threshold pressure valve if the catheter anchoring balloon is misplaced. Users evaluated the "safety-valve" with an anonymous questionnaire. The primary outcome measurement was prevention of anchoring balloon inflation in the urethra. Secondary outcome measurement was successful inflation of urinary catheter anchoring balloon in the bladder. Patient age was 76 ± 12 years and American Society of Anaesthesiologists grade was 3 ± 1.4. The "safety-valve" was utilized by 34 clinicians and activated in 7% (n = 7/100) patients during attempted UC, indicating that the catheter anchoring balloon was incorrectly positioned in the patient's urethra. In these 7 cases, the catheter was successfully manipulated into the urinary bladder and inflated. 31 of 34 (91%) clinicians completed the questionnaire. Ten percent (n = 3/31) of respondents had previously inflated a urinary catheter anchoring balloon in the urethra and 100% (n = 31) felt that a safety mechanism for preventing balloon inflation in the urethra should be compulsory for all UCs. The safety-valve device piloted in this clinical study offers an effective solution for preventing catheter balloon inflation related urethral injuries. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A probabilistic safety analysis of incidents in nuclear research reactors.

PubMed

Lopes, Valdir Maciel; Agostinho Angelo Sordi, Gian Maria; Moralles, Mauricio; Filho, Tufic Madi

2012-06-01

This work aims to evaluate the potential risks of incidents in nuclear research reactors. For its development, two databases of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) were used: the Research Reactor Data Base (RRDB) and the Incident Report System for Research Reactor (IRSRR). For this study, the probabilistic safety analysis (PSA) was used. To obtain the result of the probability calculations for PSA, the theory and equations in the paper IAEA TECDOC-636 were used. A specific program to analyse the probabilities was developed within the main program, Scilab 5.1.1. for two distributions, Fischer and chi-square, both with the confidence level of 90 %. Using Sordi equations, the maximum admissible doses to compare with the risk limits established by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) were obtained. All results achieved with this probability analysis led to the conclusion that the incidents which occurred had radiation doses within the stochastic effects reference interval established by the ICRP-64.

The (de)politicisation of nuclear power: The Finnish discussion after Fukushima.

PubMed

Ylönen, Marja; Litmanen, Tapio; Kojo, Matti; Lindell, Pirita

2017-04-01

When the Fukushima accident occurred in March 2011, Finland was at the height of a nuclear renaissance, with the Government's decision-in-principle in 2010 to allow construction of two new nuclear reactors. This article examines the nuclear power debate in Finland after Fukushima. We deploy the concepts of (de)politicisation and hyperpoliticisation in the analysis of articles in the country's main newspaper. Our analysis indicates that Finnish nuclear exceptionalism manifested in the safety-related depoliticising and the nation's prosperity-related hyperpoliticisation arguments of the pro-nuclear camp. The anti-nuclear camp used politicisation strategies, such as economic arguments, to show the unprofitability of nuclear power. The Fukushima accident had a clear effect on Finnish nuclear policy: the government programme of 2011 excluded the nuclear new build. However, in 2014 the majority of Parliament again supported nuclear power. Hence, the period after Fukushima until 2014 could be described as continued but undermined loyalty to nuclear power.

The Ultimate Experiment Proving the Beneficial Effect of Low Level Radiation and Safety of Nuclear Power Plant: Serendipity of the Airborne Nuclear Weapons Test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fong, Peter

1997-11-01

The cancer deaths per 100,000 U.S. population plotted as a function of time (year) over the past 60 years can be represented by a smooth curve except the years 1952-1978 where the data points fall below the smooth curve indicating a reduction of cancer ceaths of a total of 418,000. This anormaly is traced, through the space-time correlation of the mortalities with the 48 States, to the airborne nuclear weapons tests (mostly in Nevada) during that period when 500 nuclear bombs were exploded in air, generating an extra amount of radiation of 30 mrem/year. From this serendipitous experiment we deduce the law of the beneficial effect of low level radiation that a doubling of the background radiation (as in Colorado) will reduce cancer death rate by 24.3%. The actual rate of reduction in Colorado is 25% lower than the national average. Thus the law is verified. In another aspect Kerala,India has a background radiation 20 times higher than normal and it has a life expectancy 10.7 years longer than average India, thus showing the great beneficial affect of low level radiation. Concerning the nuclear power plant safety, the 500 bombs exploded are equivalent to 50 Chernobyl type nuclear plant explosions, the results of which are the reduction of 418,000 cancer deaths. Thus the nuclear industry is absolutely safe under any catastrophic disasters that may befall on the 414 nuclear plant now operating on the earth. The beneficial effects of radiation have been taken advantage of in folklores and health practices in Brazil, Chekoslovakia, Germany and Colorado. These health practices can benefit from the radiation generated from nuclear power and the nuclear waste disposal problem can be solved by turning trashes into treasures.

Transformational leadership and safety performance among nurses: the mediating role of knowledge-related job characteristics.

PubMed

Lievens, Ilse; Vlerick, Peter

2014-03-01

To report the impact of transformational leadership on two dimensions of nurses' safety performance (i.e. safety compliance and safety participation) and to study the mediating role of knowledge-related job characteristics in this relationship. Safety performance refers to the behaviours that employees exhibit to adhere to safety guidelines and to promote health and safety at their workplace. Nurses' safety performance is a major challenge for healthcare settings, urging the need to identify the key determinants and psychological mechanisms that influence it. A cross-sectional survey study. The study was carried out in September 2010 in a large Belgian hospital. We used self-administered questionnaires; 152 nurses participated. The hypotheses were tested using hierarchical regression analyses. In line with our first hypothesis, the results show that transformational leadership exerted a significant positive impact on both dimensions of nurses' safety performance. This positive relation was mediated by knowledge-related job characteristics, supporting our second hypothesis. Head nurses' transformational leadership can enhance nurses' compliance with and participation in safety. Furthermore, transformational head nurses are able to influence the perception that their nurses have about the kind and amount of knowledge in their job, which can also lead to increases in both dimensions of nurses' safety performance. This study therefore demonstrates the key impact that transformational head nurses have, both directly and indirectly, on the safety performance of their nurses. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Microprocessor-based control systems application in nuclear power plant critical systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shah, M.R.; Nowak, J.B.

Microprocessor-based control systems have been used in fossil power plants and are receiving greater acceptance for application in nuclear plants. This technology is not new but it does require unique considerations when applied to nuclear power plants. Sargent and Lundy (S and L) has used a microprocessor-based component logic control system (interposing Logic System) for safety- and non-safety-related components in nuclear power plants under construction overseas. Currently, S and L is in the design stage to replace an existing analog control system with a microprocessor-based control system in the U.S. The trend in the industry is to replace systems inmore » existing plants or design new power plants with microprocessor-based control systems.« less

10 CFR 830.205 - Technical safety requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... must: (1) Develop technical safety requirements that are derived from the documented safety analysis... 10 Energy 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Technical safety requirements. 830.205 Section 830.205 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY NUCLEAR SAFETY MANAGEMENT Safety Basis Requirements § 830.205 Technical...

10 CFR 830.205 - Technical safety requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... must: (1) Develop technical safety requirements that are derived from the documented safety analysis... 10 Energy 4 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Technical safety requirements. 830.205 Section 830.205 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY NUCLEAR SAFETY MANAGEMENT Safety Basis Requirements § 830.205 Technical...

Safety features of subcritical fluid fueled systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bell, C.R.

1995-10-01

Accelerator-driven transmutation technology has been under study at Los Alamos for several years for application to nuclear waste treatment, tritium production, energy generation, and recently, to the disposition of excess weapons plutonium. Studies and evaluations performed to date at Los Alamos have led to a current focus on a fluid-fuel, fission system operating in a neutron source-supported subcritical mode, using molten salt reactor technology and accelerator-driven proton-neutron spallation. In this paper, the safety features and characteristics of such systems are explored from the perspective of the fundamental nuclear safety objectives that any reactor-type system should address. This exploration is qualitativemore » in nature and uses current vintage solid-fueled reactors as a baseline for comparison. Based on the safety perspectives presented, such systems should be capable of meeting the fundamental nuclear safety objectives. In addition, they should be able to provide the safety robustness desired for advanced reactors. However, the manner in which safety objectives and robustness are achieved is very different from that associated with conventional reactors. Also, there are a number of safety design and operational challenges that will have to be addressed for the safety potential of such systems to be credible.« less

Smooth handling: the lack of safety-related consumer information in car advertisements.

PubMed

Wilson, Nick; Maher, Anthony; Thomson, George; Keall, Michael

2007-10-01

To examine the content and trends of safety-related consumer information in magazine vehicle advertisements, as a case study within the worldwide marketing of vehicles. Content analysis of popular current affairs magazines in New Zealand for the 5-year period 2001-2005 was undertaken (n = 514 advertisements), supplemented with vehicle data from official websites. Safety information in advertisements for light passenger vehicles was relatively uncommon with only 27% mentioning one or more of nine key safety features examined (average: 1.7 out of nine features in this 27%). Also included were potentially hazardous features of: speed imagery (in 29% of advertisements), power references (14%), and acceleration data (4%). The speed and power aspects became relatively more common over the 5-year period (p < 0.05 for trend). To enhance informed consumer choice and improve injury prevention, governments should consider regulating the content of vehicle advertisements and vehicle marketing - as already occurs with many other consumer products.

Kelch-like ECH-associated Protein 1-dependent Nuclear Factor-E2-related Factor 2 Activation in Relation to Antioxidation Induced by Sevoflurane Preconditioning.

PubMed

Cai, Min; Tong, Li; Dong, Beibei; Hou, Wugang; Shi, Likai; Dong, Hailong

2017-03-01

The authors have reported that antioxidative effects play a crucial role in the volatile anesthetic-induced neuroprotection. Accumulated evidence shows that endogenous antioxidation could be up-regulated by nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2 through multiple pathways. However, whether nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2 activation is modulated by sevoflurane preconditioning and, if so, what is the signaling cascade underlying upstream of this activation are still unknown. Sevoflurane preconditioning in mice was performed with sevoflurane (2.5%) 1 h per day for five consecutive days. Focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion. Expression of nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2, kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1, manganese superoxide dismutase, thioredoxin-1, and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate quinolone oxidoreductase-1 was detected (n = 6). The antioxidant activities and oxidative product expression were also examined. To determine the role of kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 inhibition-dependent nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2 activation in sevoflurane preconditioning-induced neuroprotection, the kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1-nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2 signal was modulated by nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2 knockout, kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 overexpression lentivirus, and kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 deficiency small interfering RNA (n = 8). The infarct volume, neurologic scores, and cellular apoptosis were assessed. Sevoflurane preconditioning elicited neuroprotection and increased nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2 nuclear translocation, which in turn up-regulated endogenous antioxidation and reduced oxidative injury. Sevoflurane preconditioning reduced kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 expression. Nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2 ablation abolished neuroprotection and reversed sevoflurane preconditioning by mediating the up-regulation of antioxidants. Kelch

Relative effectiveness of worker safety and health training methods.

PubMed

Burke, Michael J; Sarpy, Sue Ann; Smith-Crowe, Kristin; Chan-Serafin, Suzanne; Salvador, Rommel O; Islam, Gazi

2006-02-01

We sought to determine the relative effectiveness of different methods of worker safety and health training aimed at improving safety knowledge and performance and reducing negative outcomes (accidents, illnesses, and injuries). Ninety-five quasi-experimental studies (n=20991) were included in the analysis. Three types of intervention methods were distinguished on the basis of learners' participation in the training process: least engaging (lecture, pamphlets, videos), moderately engaging (programmed instruction, feedback interventions), and most engaging (training in behavioral modeling, hands-on training). As training methods became more engaging (i.e., requiring trainees' active participation), workers demonstrated greater knowledge acquisition, and reductions were seen in accidents, illnesses, and injuries. All methods of training produced meaningful behavioral performance improvements. Training involving behavioral modeling, a substantial amount of practice, and dialogue is generally more effective than other methods of safety and health training. The present findings challenge the current emphasis on more passive computer-based and distance training methods within the public health workforce.

Relative Effectiveness of Worker Safety and Health Training Methods

PubMed Central

Burke, Michael J.; Sarpy, Sue Ann; Smith-Crowe, Kristin; Chan-Serafin, Suzanne; Salvador, Rommel O.; Islam, Gazi

2006-01-01

Objectives. We sought to determine the relative effectiveness of different methods of worker safety and health training aimed at improving safety knowledge and performance and reducing negative outcomes (accidents, illnesses, and injuries). Methods. Ninety-five quasi-experimental studies (n=20991) were included in the analysis. Three types of intervention methods were distinguished on the basis of learners’ participation in the training process: least engaging (lecture, pamphlets, videos), moderately engaging (programmed instruction, feedback interventions), and most engaging (training in behavioral modeling, hands-on training). Results. As training methods became more engaging (i.e., requiring trainees’ active participation), workers demonstrated greater knowledge acquisition, and reductions were seen in accidents, illnesses, and injuries. All methods of training produced meaningful behavioral performance improvements. Conclusions. Training involving behavioral modeling, a substantial amount of practice, and dialogue is generally more effective than other methods of safety and health training. The present findings challenge the current emphasis on more passive computer-based and distance training methods within the public health workforce. PMID:16380566

78 FR 47804 - Verification, Validation, Reviews, and Audits for Digital Computer Software Used in Safety...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-06

..., ``Configuration Management Plans for Digital Computer Software used in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power Plants... Digital Computer Software Used in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power Plants AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory..., Reviews, and Audits for Digital Computer Software Used in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power Plants.'' This...

VVER Reactor Safety in Eastern Europe and Former Soviet Union

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papadopoulou, Demetra

2012-02-01

VVER Soviet-designed reactors that operate in Eastern Europe and former Soviet republics have heightened international concern for years due to major safety deficiencies. The governments of countries with VVER reactors have invested millions of dollars toward improving the safety of their nuclear power plants. Most of these reactors will continue to operate for the foreseeable future since they provide urgently-needed electrical power. Given this situation, this paper assesses the radiological consequences of a major nuclear accident in Eastern Europe. The paper also chronicles the efforts launched by the international nuclear community to improve the safety of the reactors and notes the progress made so far through extensive collaborative efforts in Armenia, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Russia, Slovakia, and Ukraine to reduce the risks of nuclear accidents. Western scientific and technical staff collaborated with these countries to improve the safety of their reactor operations by strengthening the ability of the regulator to perform its oversight function, installing safety equipment and technologies, investing time in safety training, and working diligently to establish an enduring safety culture. Still, continued safety improvement efforts are necessary to ensure safe operating practices and achieve timely phase-out of older plants.

The moderating role of safety-specific trust on the relation between safety-specific leadership and safety citizenship behaviors.

PubMed

Conchie, Stacey M; Donald, Ian J

2009-04-01

The authors examined whether safety-specific trust moderates or mediates the relationship between safety-specific transformational leadership and subordinates' safety citizenship behavior. Data from 139 subordinate-supervisor dyads were collected from the United Kingdom construction industry and analyzed using hierarchical regression models. Results showed that safety-specific trust moderated rather than mediated the effects of safety-specific transformational leaders on subordinates' behavior. Specifically, in conditions of high and moderate safety-specific trust, leaders had a significant effect on subordinates' safety citizenship behavior. However, in conditions of low safety-specific trust, leaders did not significantly influence subordinates' safety citizenship behavior. The implications of these findings for general safety theory and practice are discussed.

32 CFR 861.7 - Disclosure of voluntarily provided safety-related information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

...) Processing requests for disclosure of voluntarily provided safety-related information. Requests for public... will protect the information from public disclosure, and that it will not release such information...-related information. 861.7 Section 861.7 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF...

32 CFR 861.7 - Disclosure of voluntarily provided safety-related information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

...) Processing requests for disclosure of voluntarily provided safety-related information. Requests for public... will protect the information from public disclosure, and that it will not release such information...-related information. 861.7 Section 861.7 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF...

32 CFR 861.7 - Disclosure of voluntarily provided safety-related information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

...) Processing requests for disclosure of voluntarily provided safety-related information. Requests for public... will protect the information from public disclosure, and that it will not release such information...-related information. 861.7 Section 861.7 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF...

32 CFR 861.7 - Disclosure of voluntarily provided safety-related information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

...) Processing requests for disclosure of voluntarily provided safety-related information. Requests for public... will protect the information from public disclosure, and that it will not release such information...-related information. 861.7 Section 861.7 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF...

Cognitive decision errors and organization vulnerabilities in nuclear power plant safety management: Modeling using the TOGA meta-theory framework

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cappelli, M.; Gadomski, A. M.; Sepiellis, M.

In the field of nuclear power plant (NPP) safety modeling, the perception of the role of socio-cognitive engineering (SCE) is continuously increasing. Today, the focus is especially on the identification of human and organization decisional errors caused by operators and managers under high-risk conditions, as evident by analyzing reports on nuclear incidents occurred in the past. At present, the engineering and social safety requirements need to enlarge their domain of interest in such a way to include all possible losses generating events that could be the consequences of an abnormal state of a NPP. Socio-cognitive modeling of Integrated Nuclear Safetymore » Management (INSM) using the TOGA meta-theory has been discussed during the ICCAP 2011 Conference. In this paper, more detailed aspects of the cognitive decision-making and its possible human errors and organizational vulnerability are presented. The formal TOGA-based network model for cognitive decision-making enables to indicate and analyze nodes and arcs in which plant operators and managers errors may appear. The TOGA's multi-level IPK (Information, Preferences, Knowledge) model of abstract intelligent agents (AIAs) is applied. In the NPP context, super-safety approach is also discussed, by taking under consideration unexpected events and managing them from a systemic perspective. As the nature of human errors depends on the specific properties of the decision-maker and the decisional context of operation, a classification of decision-making using IPK is suggested. Several types of initial situations of decision-making useful for the diagnosis of NPP operators and managers errors are considered. The developed models can be used as a basis for applications to NPP educational or engineering simulators to be used for training the NPP executive staff. (authors)« less

Relational approach in managing construction project safety: a social capital perspective.

PubMed

Koh, Tas Yong; Rowlinson, Steve

2012-09-01

Existing initiatives in the management of construction project safety are largely based on normative compliance and error prevention, a risk management approach. Although advantageous, these approaches are not wholly successful in further lowering accident rates. A major limitation lies with the approaches' lack of emphasis on the social and team processes inherent in construction project settings. We advance the enquiry by invoking the concept of social capital and project organisational processes, and their impacts on project safety performance. Because social capital is a primordial concept and affects project participants' interactions, its impact on project safety performance is hypothesised to be indirect, i.e. the impact of social capital on safety performance is mediated by organisational processes in adaptation and cooperation. A questionnaire survey was conducted within Hong Kong construction industry to test the hypotheses. 376 usable responses were received and used for analyses. The results reveal that, while the structural dimension is not significant, the mediational thesis is generally supported with the cognitive and relational dimensions affecting project participants' adaptation and cooperation, and the latter two processes affect safety performance. However, the cognitive dimension also directly affects safety performance. The implications of these results for project safety management are discussed. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

10 CFR 830.204 - Documented safety analysis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Documented safety analysis. 830.204 Section 830.204 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY NUCLEAR SAFETY MANAGEMENT Safety Basis Requirements § 830.204 Documented safety analysis... approval from DOE for the methodology used to prepare the documented safety analysis for the facility...

Effect of snowboard-related concussion safety education for recognizing possible concussions.

PubMed

Koh, J O

2011-12-01

The aim of this study was to examine the understanding of snowboard-related concussion and to measure the recognition of possible concussion occurrence after an intervention of snowboard-related concussion safety education in snowboarding. Incidence cohort design. 2008-2009 season Gangwon-do Ski resorts, South Korea. A total of 208 university students (female-72; male-136; age-18 to 32) who registered for a snowboarding class and received credit participated in this project. Snowboard-related concussion safety education class was administered for 30 minutes before the snowboard class began. The knowledge of snowboard-related concussion before and after the safety education was evaluated. Concussion data were collected via a self-report case form at the last day of snowboarding class. The incidence of possible concussion and factors associated with concussions were analyzed by χ2 test. The mean score of snowboard-related concussion knowledge improved from fifteen points to eighteen points out of 20 total points possible. Overall the incidence of concussion was 10 per 100 snowboarder-exposures. χ2 tests showed concussion rates to be significantly different in female snowboarders (P=0.00) and in helmet users (P=0.02). The incidence of possible concussion is high among snowboarding class participants. Emphasis should be given for instituting pre-participation balance training, especially for females to reduce falling in snowboarding. To verify the effects of pre-participation balance training and falling results in a concussion, more research is needed in the future.

Unintentional and undetermined firearm related deaths: a preventable death analysis for three safety devices.

PubMed

Vernick, J S; O'Brien, M; Hepburn, L M; Johnson, S B; Webster, D W; Hargarten, S W

2003-12-01

To determine the proportion of unintentional and undetermined firearm related deaths preventable by three safety devices: personalization devices, loaded chamber indicators (LCIs), and magazine safeties. A personalized gun will operate only for an authorized user, a LCI indicates when the gun contains ammunition, and a magazine safety prevents the gun from firing when the ammunition magazine is removed. Information about all unintentional and undetermined firearm deaths from 1991-98 was obtained from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for Maryland, and from the Wisconsin Firearm Injury Reporting System for Milwaukee. Data regarding the victim, shooter, weapon, and circumstances were abstracted. Coding rules to classify each death as preventable, possibly preventable, or not preventable by each of the three safety devices were also applied. There were a total of 117 firearm related deaths in our sample, 95 (81%) involving handguns. Forty three deaths (37%) were classified as preventable by a personalized gun, 23 (20%) by a LCI, and five (4%) by a magazine safety. Overall, 52 deaths (44%) were preventable by at least one safety device. Deaths involving children 0-17 (relative risk (RR) 3.3, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.1 to 5.1) and handguns (RR 8.1, 95% CI 1.2 to 53.5) were more likely to be preventable. Projecting the findings to the entire United States, an estimated 442 deaths might have been prevented in 2000 had all guns been equipped with these safety devices. Incorporating safety devices into firearms is an important injury intervention, with the potential to save hundreds of lives each year.

Exploring Operational Safeguards, Safety, and Security by Design to Address Real Time Threats in Nuclear Facilities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schanfein, Mark J.; Mladineo, Stephen V.

2015-07-07

Over the last few years, significant attention has been paid to both encourage application and provide domestic and international guidance for designing in safeguards and security in new facilities.1,2,3 However, once a facility is operational, safeguards, security, and safety often operate as separate entities that support facility operations. This separation is potentially a serious weakness should insider or outsider threats become a reality.Situations may arise where safeguards detects a possible loss of material in a facility. Will they notify security so they can, for example, check perimeter doors for tampering? Not doing so might give the advantage to an insidermore » who has already, or is about to, move nuclear material outside the facility building. If outsiders break into a facility, the availability of any information to coordinate the facility’s response through segregated alarm stations or a failure to include all available radiation sensors, such as safety’s criticality monitors can give the advantage to the adversary who might know to disable camera systems, but would most likely be unaware of other highly relevant sensors in a nuclear facility.This paper will briefly explore operational safeguards, safety, and security by design (3S) at a high level for domestic and State facilities, identify possible weaknesses, and propose future administrative and technical methods, to strengthen the facility system’s response to threats.« less

10 CFR 76.87 - Technical safety requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Technical safety requirements. 76.87 Section 76.87 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) CERTIFICATION OF GASEOUS DIFFUSION PLANTS Safety § 76.87 Technical safety requirements. (a) The Corporation shall establish technical safety requirements. In...

10 CFR 76.87 - Technical safety requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Technical safety requirements. 76.87 Section 76.87 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) CERTIFICATION OF GASEOUS DIFFUSION PLANTS Safety § 76.87 Technical safety requirements. (a) The Corporation shall establish technical safety requirements. In...

10 CFR 76.87 - Technical safety requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Technical safety requirements. 76.87 Section 76.87 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) CERTIFICATION OF GASEOUS DIFFUSION PLANTS Safety § 76.87 Technical safety requirements. (a) The Corporation shall establish technical safety requirements. In...

10 CFR 76.87 - Technical safety requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Technical safety requirements. 76.87 Section 76.87 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) CERTIFICATION OF GASEOUS DIFFUSION PLANTS Safety § 76.87 Technical safety requirements. (a) The Corporation shall establish technical safety requirements. In...

10 CFR 76.87 - Technical safety requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Technical safety requirements. 76.87 Section 76.87 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) CERTIFICATION OF GASEOUS DIFFUSION PLANTS Safety § 76.87 Technical safety requirements. (a) The Corporation shall establish technical safety requirements. In...

Generation III reactors safety requirements and the design solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Felten, P.

2009-03-01

Nuclear energy's public acceptance, and hence its development, depends on its safety. As a reactor designer, we will first briefly remind the basic safety principles of nuclear reactors' design. We will then show how the industry, and in particular Areva with its EPR, made design evolution in the wake of the Three Miles Island accident in 1979. In particular, for this new generation of reactors, severe accidents are taken into account beyond the standard design basis accidents. Today, Areva's EPR meets all so-called "generation III" safety requirements and was licensed by several nuclear safety authorities in the world. Many innovative solutions are integrated in the EPR, some of which will be introduced here.

Hospital nurses' working conditions in relation to motivation and patient safety.

PubMed

Toode, Kristi; Routasalo, Pirkko; Helminen, Mika; Suominen, Tarja

2015-03-01

There is a lack of empirical knowledge about nurses' perceptions of their workplace characteristics and conditions, such as level of autonomy and decision authority, work climate, teamwork, skill exploitation and learning opportunities, and their work motivation in relation to practice outputs such as patient safety. Such knowledge is needed particularly in countries, such as Estonia, where hospital systems for preventing errors and improving patient safety are in the early stages of development. This article reports the findings from a cross-sectional survey of hospital nurses in Estonia that was aimed at determining their perceptions of workplace characteristics, working conditions, work motivation and patient safety, and at exploring the relationship between these. Results suggest that perceptions of personal control over their work can affect nurses' motivation, and that perceptions of work satisfaction might be relevant to patient safety improvement work.

Nuclear choices

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wolfson, R.

This book contains part of the series New Liberal Arts, which is intended to make science and technology more accessible to students of the liberal arts. Volume in hand provides a comprehensive, multifaceted examination of nuclear energy, in nontechnical terms. Wolfson explains the basics of nuclear energy and radiation, nuclear power..., and nuclear weapons..., and he invites readers to make their own judgments on controversial nuclear issues. Illustrated with photos and diagrams. Each chapter contains suggestions for additional reading and a glossary. For policy, science, and general collections in all libraries. (ES) Topics contained include Atoms and nuclei. Effects andmore » uses of radiation. Energy and People. Reactor safety. Nuclear strategy. Defense in the nuclear age. Nuclear power, nuclear weapons, and nuclear futures.« less

75 FR 74022 - Safety Analysis Requirements for Defining Adequate Protection for the Public and the Workers

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-30

... DEFENSE NUCLEAR FACILITIES SAFETY BOARD [Recommendation 2010-1] Safety Analysis Requirements for Defining Adequate Protection for the Public and the Workers AGENCY: Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board... Nuclear Facilities Safety Board has made a recommendation to the Secretary of Energy requesting an...

Contractor-, steward-, and coworker-safety practice: associations with musculoskeletal pain and injury-related absence among construction apprentices.

PubMed

Kim, Seung-Sup; Dutra, Lauren M; Okechukwu, Cassandra A

2014-07-01

This paper sought to assess organizational safety practices at three different levels of hierarchical workplace structure and to examine their association with injury outcomes among construction apprentices. Using a cross-sectional sample of 1,775 construction apprentices, three measures of organizational safety practice were assessed: contractor-, steward-, and coworker-safety practice. Each safety practice measure was assessed using three similar questions (i.e., on-the-job safety commitment, following required or recommended safe work practices, and correcting unsafe work practices); the summed average of the responses ranged from 1 to 4, with a higher score indicating poorer safety practice. Outcome variables included the prevalence of four types of musculoskeletal pain (i.e., neck, shoulder, hand, and back pain) and injury-related absence. In adjusted analyses, contractor-safety practice was associated with both hand pain (OR: 1.27, 95 % CI: 1.04, 1.54) and back pain (OR: 1.40, 95 % CI: 1.17, 1.68); coworker-safety practice was related to back pain (OR: 1.42, 95 % CI: 1.18, 1.71) and injury-related absence (OR: 1.36, 95 % CI: 1.11, 1.67). In an analysis that included all three safety practice measures simultaneously, the association between coworker-safety practice and injury-related absence remained significant (OR: 1.68, 95 % CI: 1.20, 2.37), whereas all other associations became non-significant. This study suggests that organizational safety practice, particularly coworker-safety practice, is associated with injury outcomes among construction apprentices.

Transactions of the Twenty-First Water Reactor Safety Information Meeting

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Monteleone, S.

1993-10-01

This report contains summaries of papers on reactor safety research to be presented at the 21st Water Reactor Safety Information Meeting at the Bethesda Marriott Hotel, Bethesda, Maryland, October 25--27, 1993. The summaries briefly describe the programs and results of nuclear safety research sponsored by the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, US NRC. Summaries of invited papers concerning nuclear safety issues from US government laboratories, the electric utilities, the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), the nuclear industry, and from foreign governments and industry are also included. The summaries have been compiled in one report to provide a basis for meaningfulmore » discussion and information exchange during the course of the meeting and are given in the order of their presentation in each session.« less

Technical evaluation of the susceptibility of safety-related systems to flooding caused by the failure of non-Category I systems for Turkey Point Nuclear Power Plant, Units 3 and 4

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Collins, E.K.

1979-08-01

Three separate reviews of the Turkey Point Units 3 and 4 were conducted by the FPLCO between 1972 and 1975. Initially, at the request of NBC in 1972, the FPLCO reviewed several water systems as sources of flooding. Subsequently, as a result of an abnormal occurrence, the drainage system was reviewed. Finally, the facilities were again reviewed at NRC's request and both the potential sources of flooding and safety-related equipment which could be damaged by flooding were identified. The sources of flooding and the appropriate safety equipment are discussed. An evaluation is presented of measures that were taken by FPLCOmore » to minimize the danger of flooding and to protect safety-related equipment.« less

Nuclear Warheads: The Reliable Replacement Warhead Program and the Life Extension Program

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-07-16

The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board was created by Congress 1988 “as an independent oversight organization within the Executive Branch charged... nuclear facilities .” U.S. Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board. “Who We Are,” at [http://www.dnfsb.gov/about/index.html]. beginning, addressed safety...approach, if successful, would “reduce or eliminate the need for ESD controls.”55 Kent Fortenberry, Technical Director of the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety

A prioritization of generic safety issues. Supplement 19, Revision insertion instructions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

1995-11-01

The report presents the safety priority ranking for generic safety issues related to nuclear power plants. The purpose of these rankings is to assist in the timely and efficient allocation of NRC resources for the resolution of those safety issues that have a significant potential for reducing risk. The safety priority rankings are HIGH, MEDIUM, LOW, and DROP, and have been assigned on the basis of risk significance estimates, the ratio of risk to costs and other impacts estimated to result if resolution of the safety issues were implemented, and the consideration of uncertainties and other quantitative or qualitative factors.more » To the extent practical, estimates are quantitative. This document provides revisions and amendments to the report.« less

NRC safety research in support of regulation - FY 1994. Volume 9

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

This report, the tenth in a series of annual reports, was prepared in response to congressional inquiries concerning how nuclear regulatory research is used. It summarizes the accomplishments of the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research during FY 1994. The goal of the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES) is to ensure the availability of sound technical bases for timely rulemaking and related decisions in support of NRC regulatory/licensing/inspection activities. RES also has responsibilities related to the resolution of generic safety issues and to the review of licensee submittals regarding individual plant examinations. It is the responsibility of RES to conductmore » the NRC`s rulemaking process, including the issuance of regulatory guides and rules that govern NRC licensed activities.« less

History of nuclear technology development in Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamashita, Kiyonobu

2015-04-01

Nuclear technology development in Japan has been carried out based on the Atomic Energy Basic Act brought into effect in 1955. The nuclear technology development is limited to peaceful purposes and made in a principle to assure their safety. Now, the technologies for research reactors radiation application and nuclear power plants are delivered to developing countries. First of all, safety measures of nuclear power plants (NPPs) will be enhanced based on lesson learned from TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi NPS accident.

History of nuclear technology development in Japan

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yamashita, Kiyonobu, E-mail: yamashita.kiyonobu@jaea.go.jp; General Advisor Nuclear HRD Centre, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, TOKAI-mura, NAKA-gun, IBARAKI-ken, 319-1195

2015-04-29

Nuclear technology development in Japan has been carried out based on the Atomic Energy Basic Act brought into effect in 1955. The nuclear technology development is limited to peaceful purposes and made in a principle to assure their safety. Now, the technologies for research reactors radiation application and nuclear power plants are delivered to developing countries. First of all, safety measures of nuclear power plants (NPPs) will be enhanced based on lesson learned from TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi NPS accident.

Resource Letter MP-2: The Manhattan project and related nuclear research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reed, B. Cameron

2011-02-01

This Resource Letter is a supplement to my earlier Resource Letter MP-1 and provides further sources on the Manhattan Project and related nuclear research. Books and journal articles are cited for the following topics: General works, technical works, biographical and autobiographical works, foreign wartime programs and allied intelligence, technical papers of historical interest, and postwar policy and technical developments. I also give a list of videos and websites dealing with the Manhattan Project, nuclear weapons, and nuclear issues.

Annotated bibliography of safety-related occurrences in boiling-water nuclear power plants as reported in 1976

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Scott, R.L.; Gallaher, R.B.

1977-08-02

This bibliography contains 100-word abstracts of reports to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission concerning operational events that occurred at boiling-water reactor nuclear power plants in 1976. The report includes 1,253 abstracts that describe incidents, failures, and design or construction deficiencies that were experienced at the facilities. They are arranged alphabetically by reactor name and then chronologically for each reactor. Key-word and permuted-title indexes are provided to facilitate location of the subjects of interest, and tables that summarize the information contained in the bibliography are provided. The information listed in the tables includes instrument failures, equipment failures, system failures, causes ofmore » failures, deficiencies noted, and the time of occurrence (i.e., during refueling, operation, testing, or construction). Three of the unique events that occurred during the year are reviewed in detail.« less

Annotated bibliography of safety-related occurrences in boiling-water nuclear power plants as reported in 1975

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Scott, R.L.; Gallaher, R.B.

1976-07-01

The bibliography presented contains 100-word abstracts of reports to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission concerning operational events that occurred at boiling-water reactor nuclear power plants in 1975. The report includes 1169 abstracts, arranged alphabetically by reactor name and then chronologically for each reactor, that describe incidents, failures, and design or construction deficiencies that were experienced at the facilities. Key-word and permuted-title indexes are provided to facilitate location of the subjects of interest, and tables that summarize the information contained in the bibliography are provided. The information listed in the tables includes instrument failures, equipment failures, system failures, causes of failures,more » deficiencies noted, and the time of occurrence (i.e., during refueling, operation, testing, or construction). Seven of the unique events that occurred during the year are reviewed in detail.« less

Annotated bibliography of safety-related occurrences in pressurized-water nuclear power plants as reported in 1975

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Scott, R.L.; Gallaher, R.B.

1976-07-01

The bibliography presented contains 100-word abstracts of reports to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission concerning operational events that occurred at pressurized-water reactor nuclear power plants in 1975. The report includes 1097 abstracts, arranged alphabetically by reactor name and then chronologically for each reactor, that describe incidents, failures, and design or construction deficiencies experienced at the facilities. Key-word and permuted-title indexes are provided to facilitate location of the subjects of interest, and tables summarizing the information contained in the bibliography are presented. The information listed in the tables includes instrument failures, equipment failures, system failures, causes of failures, deficiencies noted, andmore » the time of occurrence (i.e., during refueling, operation, testing, or construction). A few of the unique events that occurred during the year are reviewed in detail.« less

Annotated bibliography of safety-related occurrences in pressurized-water nuclear power plants as reported in 1976

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Scott, R.L.; Gallaher, R.B.

1977-08-01

The bibliography contains 100-word abstracts of reports to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission concerning operational events that occurred at pressurized-water reactor nuclear power plants in 1976. Included are 1264 abstracts that describe incidents, failures, and design construction deficiencies experienced at the facilities. They are arranged alphabetically by reactor name and then chronologically for each reactor. Key-word and permuted-title indexes are provided to facilitate location of the subjects of interest, and tables summarizing the information contained in the bibliography are presented. The information listed in the tables includes instrument failures, equipment failures, system failures, causes of failures, deficiencies noted, and themore » time of occurrence (i.e., during refueling, operation, testing, or construction). A few of the unique events that occurred during the year are reviewed in detail.« less

Parental and Adolescent Perceptions of Neighborhood Safety Related to Adolescents’ Physical Activity in Their Neighborhood

PubMed Central

Esteban-Cornejo, Irene; Carlson, Jordan A.; Conway, Terry L.; Cain, Kelli L.; Saelens, Brian E.; Frank, Lawrence D.; Glanz, Karen; Roman, Caterina G.; Sallis, James F.

2017-01-01

Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine the association between adolescent and parental perceptions of neighborhood safety and adolescents’ physical activity in multiple locations and to investigate the moderating effect of sex within this association. Method This cross-sectional study was conducted with 928 adolescents aged 12 to 16 years old and 1 of their parents. Adolescents and parents reported their perceptions of neighborhood safety (traffic safety, pedestrian safety, crime safety, and stranger danger safety). Adolescents reported how often they were physically active in multiple locations (physical activity in the neighborhood, in parks, and for active transport). Mixed-effects linear regression models were used to investigate these associations while controlling for demographics and the Walkability Index. Results Parent-perceived crime safety was positively associated with adolescents’ physical activity in parks (B = .094, p = .024). Parent-perceived traffic safety was positively associated with adolescents’ reported physical activity in the neighborhood (B = .186, p = .014). Adolescents’ physical activity for active transport was positively associated with parent-perceived traffic safety (B = .179, p = .001), stranger danger safety (B = .110, p = .013), and crime safety (B = .077, p = .035). There were 2 interactions by sex on the relation between adolescent traffic safety perception and parent pedestrian safety perception in the neighborhood and adolescents’ physical activity in parks (i.e., statistically significant only for boys). Conclusions Parents’ perceptions of traffic, stranger danger, and crime safety were all related to adolescents’ active transportation. Multiple safety concerns may be motivating parents to restrict adolescent mobility by walking and bicycling. PMID:27030158

Unintentional and undetermined firearm related deaths: a preventable death analysis for three safety devices

PubMed Central

Vernick, J; O'Brien, M; Hepburn, L; Johnson, S; Webster, D; Hargarten, S

2003-01-01

Objective: To determine the proportion of unintentional and undetermined firearm related deaths preventable by three safety devices: personalization devices, loaded chamber indicators (LCIs), and magazine safeties. A personalized gun will operate only for an authorized user, a LCI indicates when the gun contains ammunition, and a magazine safety prevents the gun from firing when the ammunition magazine is removed. Design: Information about all unintentional and undetermined firearm deaths from 1991–98 was obtained from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for Maryland, and from the Wisconsin Firearm Injury Reporting System for Milwaukee. Data regarding the victim, shooter, weapon, and circumstances were abstracted. Coding rules to classify each death as preventable, possibly preventable, or not preventable by each of the three safety devices were also applied. Results: There were a total of 117 firearm related deaths in our sample, 95 (81%) involving handguns. Forty three deaths (37%) were classified as preventable by a personalized gun, 23 (20%) by a LCI, and five (4%) by a magazine safety. Overall, 52 deaths (44%) were preventable by at least one safety device. Deaths involving children 0–17 (relative risk (RR) 3.3, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.1 to 5.1) and handguns (RR 8.1, 95% CI 1.2 to 53.5) were more likely to be preventable. Projecting the findings to the entire United States, an estimated 442 deaths might have been prevented in 2000 had all guns been equipped with these safety devices. Conclusion: Incorporating safety devices into firearms is an important injury intervention, with the potential to save hundreds of lives each year. PMID:14693889