Recap. In part one, we voiced concerns regarding the nuclear industry’s “Nuclear Promise” and it’s negative impacts on procedures and work instructions. These concerns were based on my experience working with nuclear sites across the country. In short, procedures and work instructions that were successfully used many times over a number of years are, in many cases, no […]
Part 2 – Nuclear Promise – Procedure and Work Instruction’s Perfect Storm In Part 1 – Nuclear Promise – Procedure and Work Instruction’s Perfect Storm, I raised a concern based on my observation of challenges with regards to procedure and work instruction quality. These quality challenges include (but are not limited to): inconsistencies in level […]
Delivering the Nuclear Promise Over the last 10 years, generating costs for U.S. reactors has increased roughly 28%. In response NEI and the nuclear industry developed the Nuclear Promise, which is designed to reduce generating costs by 30% by 2018. “Companies that operate America’s nuclear energy facilities have partnered on a multiyear […]
When performing a procedure or work instruction, do your workers stop to read the Notes, Cautions, Warnings, Precautions, Limitations? If they are like a majority of users, then the answer is most likely “No!” In many industries, there is a requirement to perform placekeeping (e.g., circle/slash, check, initial) on this type of information. Yet, even […]
For any “high risk” industry, the ability to successfully execute tasks in a consistent, high-quality manner is as critically important today as it has ever been. The predictability of the outcome of these tasks is crucial in ensuring the safe and reliable execution of work processes. This is especially true for utilities. According to a […]
Despite extensive regulatory and performance based focus, the nuclear industry continues to experience procedure and work instruction related events. Unfortunately, many of these industry events trace back to documents that were evaluated through Quality Assurance Program controlled processes and deemed to be technically correct. In an effort to improve human performance, industry leaders, such as […]
Today, more than ever, companies are looking for ways to reduce Operating and Maintenance (O&M) costs. Although it is often overlooked, the labor associated with creating and updating documents can be significant and expensive. Equipment modifications, changes in technology, and ever-expanding regulatory requirements are just a few of the driving mechanisms that can require significant […]
When writing a document (procedures or instructions) that is intended to provide direction, how do you know when you have the right amount of detail? Too much detail can cause the person doing the task, the performer, to focus more on what is written than the work actually being performed. On the opposite side, if […]
