NRC Generic Letter 1982-02

NRC Generic Letter 1982-002: Nuclear Power Plant Staff Working Hours

ML031080258
Person / Time
Site:	Beaver Valley, Hatch, Monticello, Calvert Cliffs, Dresden, Davis Besse, Peach Bottom, Browns Ferry, Salem, Oconee, Mcguire, Nine Mile Point, Palisades, Palo Verde, Perry, Indian Point, Fermi, Kewaunee, Catawba, Harris, Wolf Creek, Saint Lucie, Point Beach, Oyster Creek, Watts Bar, Hope Creek, Grand Gulf, Cooper, Sequoyah, Byron, Pilgrim, Arkansas Nuclear, Braidwood, Susquehanna, Prairie Island, Columbia, Seabrook, Brunswick, Surry, Limerick, North Anna, Turkey Point, River Bend, Vermont Yankee, Crystal River, Haddam Neck, Ginna, Diablo Canyon, Callaway, Vogtle, Waterford, Duane Arnold, Farley, Sterling, Robinson, Clinton, South Texas, San Onofre, Cook, Yankee Rowe, Maine Yankee, Quad Cities, Humboldt Bay, La Crosse, Big Rock Point, Rancho Seco, Zion, Midland, Bellefonte, Fort Calhoun, FitzPatrick, McGuire, LaSalle, 05000514, 05000363, 05000599, 05000000, 05000515, 05000502, 05000600, 05000452, Zimmer, 05000471, 05000453, 05000516, 05000517, 05000376, Fort Saint Vrain, Washington Public Power Supply System, Shoreham, Satsop, Trojan, Bailly, Allens Creek, Perkins, Cherokee, Black Fox, Hartsville, Phipps Bend, Yellow Creek, Crane
Issue date:	02/08/1982
From:	Eisenhut D Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:
References
NUREG-0737 GL-82-002, NUDOCS 8202120001
Download: ML031080258 (2)

II; .i I 4 Z-j February 8, 1982 Distribution:

Central Files DL/RF MWilliams HThompson.J TO ALL LICENSEES

OF OPERATING

PLANTS, APPLICANTS

FOR AN OPERATING LICENSE, AND HOLDERS OF CONSTRUCTION

PERMITS Gentlemen:

SubJect: Nuclear Power Plant Staff Working Hours (Generic Letter No. 82-02)The Commission has issued the attached policy statement on factors causing fatigue of operating personnel at nuclear reactors.

It is being sent to you at this time for your information.

As part of the implementation of this policy statement, we are revising Regulatory Guide 1.33 and NUREG-0737 (Item I.A.1.3) to reflect the policy. In addition, we will be requesting all licensees to revise the administrative section of their technical specifications to require that administrative procedures follow the policy statement guidelines and that authorized deviations to the working hours guidelines be documented and available for NRC review. We will be contacting each licensee by separate letter once the Regulatory Guide and NUREG 0737 revisions have been completed (presently estimated for March 1982).original signedbV Darrell G. Eisenbt Darrell G. Eisenhut, Director Division of Licensing Enclosure:

Policy Statement 8202120001 j'/ f0 8202120001

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DATEt 2l ... /.II8 ..... .___ ..._ __ ____ ________ _ _ _ _ _ _ ___IR F R 318110. .. .. .. ...0.. .I.. 0 2 0AFF I I A R E C O R C O P Y .. ..... .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. ... .. .. .. ..NRC FORM 3i8 110/80) NRCM 0240 O FFICIA L RE-C O RD C OPY* US;PO: 1980-329-824 POLICY ON FACTORS CAUSING FATIGUE Or OPERATING PERSONNEL

AT NUCLEAR REACTORS Licensees of operating plants and applicants for operating-licenses shall establish controls to prevent situations where fatigue could reduce the ability of operating personnel to keep the reactor in a safe condition.

The controls should focus on shift staffing and the use of overtime--key job-related factors that influence fatigue.The objective of the controls would be to assure that, to the extent practicable, personnel are not assigned to shift duties while in a fatigued condition that could significantly reduce their mental alertness or their decision making capability.

The controls shall apply to the plant staff who perform safety-related functions (e.g., senior reactor operators, reactor operators, health physicists, auxiliary operators, and key maintenance personnel).

Enough plant operating personnel should be employed to maintain adequate shift coverage without routine heavy use of overtime.However, in the event that unforeseen problems require substantial amounts of overtime to be used, on a temporary basis, the following guidelines shall be followed: a. An individual should not be permitted to work more than 16 h6urs straight (excluding shift turnover time).b. An individual should not be permitted to work more than 16 hours1.851852e-4 days <br />0.00444 hours <br />2.645503e-5 weeks <br />6.088e-6 months <br /> in any 24-hour period, nor more than 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> in any 48-hour period, nor more than 72 hours8.333333e-4 days <br />0.02 hours <br />1.190476e-4 weeks <br />2.7396e-5 months <br /> in any seven day period (all excluding shift turnover time).c. A break of at least eight hours should be allowed between work periods (including shift turnover time).d. The use of overtime should be considered on an individual basis and not for the entire staff on a shift.Recognizing that very unusual circumstances may arise requiring deviation from the above guidelines, such deviation shall be authorized by the plant manager or his deputy, or higher levels of management.

The paramount consideration in such authorization shall be that significant reductions in the effectiveness of operating personnel would be highly unlikely.In addition, procedures are encouraged that would allow licensed operators at the controls to be periodically relieved and assigned to other duties away from the control board during their tour of duty.