ML20198E104

Ack Receipt of Which Submitted Comments & Recommendations Re Human Performance & Reliability Implementation Plan (Hp&Rip)

ML20198E104
Person / Time
Issue date:	11/26/1997
From:	Callan L NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO)
To:	Seale R Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards
References
ACRS-GENERAL, NUDOCS 9801090013
Download: ML20198E104 (4)

Text

November 26, 1997 Dr. Robert L. Scale, Chairman

4 Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20555

SUBJECT:

ACRS LETTER OF OCTOBER 8,1997, ON Tile ilUMAN PERFORMANCE AND RELIABILITY IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Dear Dr. Scale:

Thank you for your comments and recommendations regarding the iluman Performance and Reliability implementation Plan (IIP & RIP). The staffis continuing to work on the lip & RIP, including development of a high level model or structure to show how the activities in the plan are related to each other and to the mission stated in the plan. We agree that such a model should incomorate the insights from operational experience and build on an existing human performance model or ATilEANA. The objective is to develop a model, or perhaps a set of models, that is at the appropriate level of detail to support dedstons concerning allocation of the Agency's limited human performance related resources. The OfUce of Nuclear Regulatory Research will take the lead in developing the high level model or structure for this purpose, in addition to development of a high level model, the stafTis working to develop a process for prioritizing Agency human performance and reliability activities in a manner that is risk informed. I agree with the Committee's recommendation that development of the HP& RIP be given high priority, within the resource constraints on the stafT to work on other high priority activities listed in Appendix B as well.

I appreciate the ACRS interest in the Agency's plans to address the important issues of human performance and reliability. As the llP& RIP is revised, a copy will be transmitted to the ACRS for its review and comment.

Sincerely, Ot'iM SWh L. JosepfiNari' . ,1 Executive Director  ? )

for Operations

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DESCRIPTION: HUMAN PERFORMANCE AND HUMAN RELIABILITY IMPLEMENTATION PLAN "PECIAL INSTRUCTIONS: SEE GREEN TICKET DOCUMENT DATE: October 8 1997 RECEIVED BY RES: '0 tober 10, 1997 DUE TO RES: October $1,1997 DUE TO EDO: QE C3; 1997 iSSIGNEDTO: W. HODGES, DST FOR SIGNATURE OP: CALLAN, EDO /// / 4 p,4 gy[ Y7 ROUTING:  ;"Jf4&db, M. KNAPP SUMMEROUR f //

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i Ur.'L. fJoseph Callan  ;

Executive Director for Operations U.S.-Nuclear Regulatory Commission l

_W ashington, D.C. .20555-0001

SUBJECT:

. HUMAN PERFORMANCE AND HUMAN RELIABILITY IMPLEMENTATION PLAN During_the 445th meeting of the Advisory Committee on Reactor.

Safeguards, October 2-3, 1997, we-reviewed the human performance and - human reliability - implementation. plan. Our Subcommittee on Human Factors reviewed this matter during"a meeting on June 3, 1997 During these reviews, we had the benefit of discussions with representatives of the NRC staff and of the documents referenced.

Conclusions and Recommendations

1. The development of the Plan is still in progress. Although the mission of the human performance activities has been defined,-it is not' clear how the six programs listed in the plan will satisfy this mission. This may be due to the fact that the high-level model that we recommended in our February 13, _1997 report to show the connection between the objectives of these programs and Agency activities has not yet been developed.

2.- Although ATHEANA appears to be a reasonable starting point for-the development of the high-level model, it needs to be modified and expanded to serve the needs of the Plan.

3. 'We recommend that insights derived from operational experience be incorporated into the development of the high-level model.

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We recommend that development- of the Plan be given high priorityi;even if some of the activities. listed in Appendix B of ' the - Plan: must be suspended.

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2 Discussion i

In our February 13, 1997 report, we commented that the Human j Performance Program Plan was not a plan, but an inventory of human  !

performance projects. Much progress has been made since then.

The ATEEANA model has been put forth as a first step toward the development of a high-level model for integrating and prioritizing j Agency activities associated with human performance. The staff told us that this high-level model has not yet been completed.

Consequently, we cannot evaluate whether individual activities that the Agency is currently sponsoring will lead to an effective treatment of human performance.

We believe that the development of a high-level model remains urgent. It will allow the staff to articulate the objectives of ,

the Plan and to show how individual activities contribute to the l achievement of these objectives. It will also provide the basis I for prioritizing these activities. Without such a high-level model, the need for many of the activities listed in Appendix B of the Plan is not apparent.

The use of ATHEANA as the starting point for the development of the high-level model is promising. The staff has acknowledged that ATHEANA, originally intended to serve as the basis for quantifying human error rates in probabilistic risk assessments, will have to be expanded and modified to serve the needs of the Plan. We agree that a model suitable for developing a research program in support of the Plan will be different from the ATHEANA model.

We emphasize the importance of incorporating insights from operational experience into the high-level model. We urge that the most significant lessons learned from operational experience be included in the current effort.

During our discussions with the staff, it became evident that the development of the Plan had been slowed, perhaps due to lack of adequate resources. We reiterate that the development of the Plan should be given high pr'io ri ty, even if some of the activities listed in Apper.Jix B of the Plan must be suspended. We believe that the Plan will enable the staff to systematically prioritize j and efficiently manage the Agency human performance related j activities.

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We will continue to work with the staff in this area.

Sincerely, ,

R. L. Seale Chairman

References:

1. Memorandum dated August 12, 1997, f rom M. Wayne Hodges, Of fice of Nuclear Pegulatory Research, to John T. Larkins, Executive Director, ACRS,

Subject:

Transmittal of Human Performance and Human Reliability Implementation Plan.

2. ACRS report dated February 13, 1997, from R.L. Seale, Chairman, ACRS, to Shirley Ann Jackson, Chairman, NRC,

Subject:

Human Performance Program Plan.

.