ML20058P147

Package Consisting of Answers to Questionnaire Re Employee Concerns Program

ML20058P147
Person / Time
Site:	Seabrook
Issue date:	08/13/1993
From:	NRC
To:
References
NUDOCS 9312230097
Download: ML20058P147 (7)

Text

__

(*

t

%6 -

ATTACHMENT 1 V/Of6f/?b' EMPLOYEE CONCERNS PROGRAM A. PROGRAM:

1. Does the licensee have an employee concerns program?

Yes

2. Has NRC inspected the program?

Yes, NUREG 1425, Appendix 9, Section 18 B. SCOPE:

1. Is it for:

a. Technical? Yes

b. Administrative? Yes

c. Personnel issues? Yes

2. Does it cover safety as well as non-safety issues? Yes

3. Is it designed for:

a. Nuclear safety? Yes

b. Personal safety? Yes

c. Personnel issues - including union grievances? -

Comment: Any Seabrook Station employee, contracted service employee or member of the  !

general public can walk in or call the Concerns Program office and discuss Seabrook Station.

concerns with the Concerns Program Manager.

Resolution of union grievances is the responsibility of NAESCO management and Local 555 )

of the UWUA.

4. Does the program apply to all licensee employees? Yes

5. Contractors? Yes i

6. Does the licensee require its contractors and their subs to have a similar program?

No ,

7. Does the licensee conduct an exit interview upon terminating employees asking if they have any safety concerns?

9312230097 930813

~

^ C*

• 200071 5"" #ss jo\

~*Ns

'6' q .~

Attachment 1 2 Yes. Since 1985 the employee concerns program initiated 10,930 face-to-face interviews and mailed out 8,032 forms to workers who terminated on off-shift or weekends.

C. INDEPENDENCE: "

1. What is the title of the person in charge?

Concerns Resolution Program Manager

2. Who do they report to?

t Director of Quality Programs

3. Are they independent of line management? Yes

4. Does the ECP use third party consultants? Yes

5. How is a concern about a manager or vice president followed up?

As required to adequately resolve and document closure for the concern.

D. RESOURCES:

1. What is the size of the staff devoted to this program?

2 full-time employees, the concerns Program Resolution Manager and an assistant

2. What are ECP staff qualifications (technical training, interviewing training, investigator training, other)?

The job description for the Concerns Resolution Program Manager requires a minimum of:

Bachelor's Degree in engineering or equivalent education and/or experience..

Eight to ten years of related or project management experience. Experience in an employee relations -l environment and/or department involved in nuclear safety is helpful.

E. REFERRALS:

1.- Who has followup on concerns (ECP staff, line management, other)?

Concerns (allegations) that are substantiated and 5 -

^

4 ,

Attachment 1 3 require corrective action become the responsibility of' line management. Concerns then may be tracked through implementation (in accordance with North Atlantic Management Manual Procedure 12700, " Corrective Action ,

System.")

The Concerns Resolution Program Manager may conduct routine follow-up inquiries of program participants (submittees of concerns) to assess program short and long term effectiveness.

F. CONFIDENTIALITY:

1. Are the reports confidential?

Yes. All individuals cubmitiing a concern will be afforded every' opportunity to ensure confidentiality from individuals or organizations external to the Concerns Program. This confidentiality is intended to protect the identity of the persons whether or not confidentiality was requested.

2. Who is the identity of the alleger made known to (senior management, ECP staff, line management, other)?

ECP staff and limited senior management with a need to know

3. Can employees be: '

a. Anonymous? Yes ,

b. Report by phone? Yes ( from anywhere in the USA by 800 line)  ;

G. FEEDBACK:

1. Is feedback given to the alleger upon completion of the followup?

Yes through a Concern Disposition Report (CDR)

2. Does program reward good ideas?

All ideas are forwarded to responsible department heads.

6 Attachment 1 4

3. Who, or at what level, makes the final decision of resolution?

The Concerns Program Manager. The resolution-to a concern could require concurrence from the Director of i Quality Programs or the Senior Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer.

4. Are the resolutions of anonymous concerns disseminated?

.A concern of significance was disseminated through the.

use of a periodic company publication.

5. Are resolutions of valid concerns publicized (newsletter, bulletin board, all hands meeting, other)?

Not as a rule, but selectively. The concernee is sent a written Concern Disposition Report (CDR) that closes the concern. At this time, the individual may make a decision, such as: a) disagree with resolution and take other action such as going to the NRC and/or news media, b) agree with resolution, be pleased and end concern, or c) agree with resolution and decide to show the CDR to fellow employees, possibly seeking recognition.

The Concerns Program continues to use all methods available to protect the concernee's identity. Wide distribution (publicizing) of concern resolutions could affect the decision by other concerned individuals to come to the Concerns Program. The Concerns Program believes that most individuals will come forward only if they believe their identities will be protected from public disclosure.

H. EFFECTIVENESS:

1. How does the licensee measure the effectiveness of the program?

Employee feedback obtained from:

- Exit Interviews

- Feedback during General Employee Training '

- NRC (Concerns Program has never received a negative comment from the NRC related to effectiveness of the program)

- Followup information from users (during random surveys / interviews)

- Independent Review Team Review (1985)

- Employee Concerns Task Force Input (1991)

~

s.

d Attachment 1 5

2. Are concerns:

a. Trended? Yes

b. Used?

Yes. This information is part of the written reports sent to the Director of Quality Programs and the Senior Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer.

3. In the last three years how many concerns were raised?-

At Seabrook Station, Nuclear. Quality or Safety concerns that could affect the safe operation of the plant (technical), are separated from employee issues of a personal or administrative nature (personnel).

Technical Concerns: 40 received in the last three years.

Personnel Issues: 116 formal issues representing 262 individuals, since some issues were submitted with multiple signatures.

Of the concerns raised, how many were closed?

37 technical concerns were closed (1 is open to accommodate NRC followup and the other 2 require a written report to file to close).

There is one open personnel issue from the 3 years 90, 91, and 92. The issue, from 12 employees, relates to wages and job description. Closure delay was due to-management limitation (by law) during union contract negotiations.

What percentage were substantiated?

17.5% of the technical concerns ~were substantiated.

7 concerns were substantiated of the 40 (1 of the 7'was categorized as safety-related/ quality).

4. How are followup. techniques used to measure effectiveness (random survey, interviews, other)?

See H, number 1.

s Attachment 1 6

5. How frequently are internal audits of the ECP conducted and by whom?

Last audit was by the Independent Review Team in 1985.

I. ADMINISTRATION / TRAINING: C

1. Is ECP prescribed by a procedure? Yes ,

Procedure #16421 - Employee Concerns Program (formally the Employee Allegation Resolution Program (EAR)).

This procedure is supported by an internal operating >

procedure that has been provided to the Resident NRC Inspector.

Procedure #16420 - Employee Issues Program

2. How are employees, as well as contractors, made aware of this program (training, newsletter, bulletin board,.

other)?

- New employee training (orientation)

- General Employee Training, including Yearly Requalification

- Employee Handbook ,

- Outage Handbook, used by Contractors

- Signs at key location (high traffic locations)

- Official site and office bulletin boards

- Terminating employees, including contractors, are given an exit interview

- Newsletter ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:

The Concerns Program and the Issues Program arc fully supported by North Atlantic executive management and line mar, agers.

In addition to the concerns raised through the formal employee concerns program, presented in the answer to question 3, the following concerns were also addressed.

255 concerns were addressed in Enclosure 3 to NYN-90020,

" Response to Employee Legal Project's Allegations."

12 concerns were addressed in-Enclosure 1 to NYN-90020,

" Control Room Radio Communications Allegation."

3 concerns were addressed in Enclosure 2 to NYN-90020,

" Control Room Radio Communications: Additional Allegation." -

The Employee Concerns Program Manager is eligible to be  ;

f f

a~

Attachment 1 7 tasked with allegations related project management responsibilities. For example, he coordinated Seabrook Station activities related to the NRC documentation requests initiated by Congress such as process sheets, .

radiographic reports, weld repair orders, and non-conformance reports. This resulted in the search and review of thousands of documents and their duplication, which were then provided to the NRC.

• He supported the NRC Senior Resident Inspection -

Construction regarding weld allegation issues. This support consisted of research, coordination, being a point of contact on' hundreds of requests for supporting documentation, by the NRC, as a result of congressional inquiry.

• As an organization NAESCO promotes the Employee Concerns Program as a place where employees may choose to-informally express their concerns. These undocumented employee concerns are addressed privately. The resolution to these ,

issues / concerns may be a simple referral to the: Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Security, Employee Relations and/or the employee's supervisor. The employees are also encouraged to use the program as a sounding board. Many ,

times they do not want the program _to take any action at ,

all. They just want the progrnm to be there to listen and express an interest in their problems.

NAME: William J. Gagnon TITLE: Concerns Program Manager PHONE #: (603) 474-9521, Ext. 2458 DATE COMPLETED: August 13, 1993 SEE DOCKET ROOM FOR ATTACHMENTS 2 AND 3 i

i l

1 l

.S 'a i

i ,

e, l 1

September 20, 1993 Docket No. 50-443

• Mr. Ted C. Feigenbaum. '!

Senior Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer  !

North Atlantic Energy Service Corporation  ;

Post Office Box 300, Seabrook, New Hampshire 03874  ?

SUBJECT:

NRC. INSPECTION REPORT NO. 50-443/93-16 ,

This' letter transmits the report of the safety inspection findings of the resident staff at Seabrook Station for the period

. of July 27 through August 28, 1993. The inspection consisted of  ;

document reviews,fpersonnel interviews, and observations of-

• activities important to the health and safety.of the public. :The inspector discussed the findings with Mr. W. DiProfio and members '

of your staff after the inspection.  !

Overall,-this inspection found tne station: staff, operated the  ;

facility safely. Changes made to operations, emergency. ~

preparedness, surveillance, and corrective action procedures and  ;

programs enhanced plant safety. 'However; regarding your overall  !

procedure upgrade efforts, we found that you have extended selt - o

- imposed milestones and that opportunities exist-for-further l improvement of procedures. i a

Thank you for your cooperation. r Sincerely,. j

. i ORIGINAL SIGNED'BY a

--A. Randolph Blough, Chief  ?

Projects Branch No.~4'. =i

. Division of Reactor Projectsf l

s

Enclosure:

NRC Inspection Report No. 50-443/93-16. '

?

?

I k- 8' "

• NO -

g.

r.

North Atlantic Energy 2-Service corporation cc w/encls: '

B. L. Drawbridge, Executive Director of Nuclear Production W. DiProfio, Station Manager '

R. Hallisey, Director, Dept. of Public Health, Commonwealth of ,

Massachusetts  ;

S. Woodhouse, Legislative Assistant T. Rapone, Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety D. Tefft, Administrator, Bureau of Radiological Health, State of New Hampshire Public Document Room (PDR)

Local Public Document Room (LPDR)

Nuclear Safety Information Center (NSIC)

K. Abraham, PAO (2)

NRC Resident Inspector State of New Hampshire, SLO Commonwealth of Massachusetts, SLO Designee Seabrook Service List >

P 1

i

6

.o .

North Atlantic Energy 3 Service Corporation bec w/encls:

Region I Docket Room (with concurrences)

R. Rosano, OE bec w/encls (VIA E-MAIL):

V. McCree, OEDO A. DeAgazio, PD I-4, NRR J. Stolz, PD I-4, NRR h

t RI:DRP RI:DRP Rogge Blough

- 9/ /93 9/ /93 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY G:\ BRANCH 4\ SEA 9316. INS

.i SEABROOK SERVICE LIST Thomas Dignan, Esquire Diane Curran, Esquire John A. Ritscher, Esquire Harmon and Weiss  :

Ropes and Gray 2001 S Street, N.W.  ;

One International Place Suite 430 i Boston, Massachusetts 02110-2624 washington, D.C. 20009 1 Mr. J. F. Opeka Regional Administrator, Region I-Northeast Utilities U.S. Nuclear Regulatory >

Commission i P. O. Box 270 475 Allendale Road Hartford, Connecticut 06141-0270 King of Prussia, Pennsylvania l 19406 Mr. A. David Rodham, Director John P. Arnold, Attorney '

General Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency .,

G. Dana Bisbee, Associate-Attorney  ;

400 Worchester Road, Box 1496 General -l Framingham, Massachusetts 01701-0134 1 Attorney General's Office {

ATTN: Mr. James B. Muckerheide 25 Capitol Street State Nuclear Engineer Concord, New Hampshire- i 03301 i

Robert Backus, Esquire Mr. R. M. Kacich Backus, Meyer and Solomon Northeast Utilities Service Company ,

116 Lowell Street P. O. Box 270  !

Manchester, New Hampshire 03106 Hartford, Connecticut 06141-0270 .j Mr. T. L. Harpster Office of the Attorney General .

North Atlantic Energy Service Corporation ,

One Ashburton Place .

Post Office Box 300 20th Floor i Seabrook, New Hampshire 03874- Boston, Massachusetts 02108 Seacoast Anti-Pollution League Town _of Exeter' ]

5 Market Street 10 Front Street '

Portsmouth, New Hampshire 03801 Exeter, New Hampshire 03823 '

Mr. David W. Graham Stephen G. Burns, Director .{

Fuel Supply Planning Manager Office of Commission i Appellate Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Adjudication i Electric Company U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission )

j P. O. Box 426 Washington, D.C. 20555  !

Ludlow, Marsachusetts 01056 l

.s-Seabrook Service List 2 Gerald Garfield, Esquire Board of Selectmen Day, Berry and Howard Town of Amesbury City Place Town Hall Hartford, Connecticut 06103-3499 Amesbury,- Massachusetts 01913 Resident Inspector Mr. Peter Brann U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Assistant Attorney General Seabrook Nuclear Power Station State House, Station #6 Post Office Box 1149 Augusta, Maine 04333 Seabrook, New Hampshire 03874 Jane Spector Adjudicatory File (2).

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel 825 North Capital Street, N.E. Docket Room 8105 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20426 Washington, D.C. 20555 4

s -

i Seabrook Service List 3 l

< Mr. George L. Iverson, Director Mr. Jack Dolan New Hampshire Office of Emergency Federal Emergency Management l Agency l Management Region I l State Office Park South J.W. McCormack Post Office and 107 Pleasant Street Courthouse Building, Room 442 Concord, New Hampshire 03301 Boston, Massachusetts 02109-Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20555 t

I

'f l

i r

?

k