The Nuclear Leader's Guide to a Safety Conscious Work Environment

The Nuclear Leader's Guide to a Safety Conscious Work Environment
Author: Donn Meindertsma
Publisher:
Total Pages: 32
Release: 2018-05-24
Genre:
ISBN: 9781719260701

Over 30,000 copies sold!A safety conscious work environment thrives only when workplace leaders make continuous efforts to reinforce SCWE by using the tools available to them. This Guide helps leaders in the nuclear industry do so by identifying key SCWE skills and suggesting ways to unlock and use them.

Push It to Move It

Push It to Move It
Author: David B. Amerine
Publisher:
Total Pages: 346
Release: 2016-08-21
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 9781684093939

What started out as an Ethic Will for my family and friends, then morphed into a memoire of sorts, has become a record of my experiences in the nuclear industry over a 45 year career. These experiences include recoveries of multi-billion dollar projects and changing the cultures in those organizations under a variety of very difficult circumstances. The approaches, which include successes and failures, led to a philosophy that can be applied across the industrial complex for projects, facilities, and plant organizations that find themselves in some form of exigency. Those same guidelines can be used to avoid the issues that result in those large problems. There are engineers, mid to upper-level managers, project managers, and executives who could benefit from hearing about the lessons learned in these endeavors under trying circumstances. Even though my experiences were in the Department of Energy (DOE) Nuclear Complex and the commercial nuclear industry, the approaches taken have broad application beyond those areas. Although there were technical issues at the center of each one of the troubled facilities where I was a member of the leadership team or the leader brought in to affect the recovery, the core issues were communication, accountability, and leadership. What I learned and put into practice can be of benefit to any executive, project manager, or leader of complex plants or projects regardless of the size or nature of the operation. The challenge is to infuse the organization with a sense of purpose and commitment. To do this usually requires some change from the existing culture to new thought processes. This takes vision and leadership and knowing what tools to apply and when to apply them. I was at ground zero in the nuclear industry for two major changes in human management, fitness for duty and safety conscious work environment (SCWE). The cutting edge practices put in place led the way in the industry and helped form the regulations in those areas. I discuss my experiences in the implementation and nurturing of the SCWE. There are lots of guidance (now) in Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and DOE regulations and procedures about the SCWE. However, I am not aware of any published first hand experience record of what worked and what did not work in establishing that aspect of the organization safety culture. Over the years I have had many colleagues suggest that I should document my experiences, approaches, and methods in a book or manuscript. I never had the time before I retired and the reflection on my life and philosophies for an Ethic Will led me to the conclusion that such a document of my career might be of benefit to others.

Nuclear Power Safety

Nuclear Power Safety
Author: Larry Horinko
Publisher: DIANE Publishing
Total Pages: 56
Release: 1998-06
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9780788170775

Few issues have so engaged the attention of nuclear industry regulators and industry officials as the operation of the federal system to protect employees who raise safety concerns. The actions that a utility takes in response to employee concerns affect its reputation with regulators, which, in turn, influences the amount of trust that regulators afford the utility when employee allegations are made against it. This is especially true for a utility that is a regulated organization licensed to operate a nuclear reactor-a 'licensee.' The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), as the government agency responsible for the regulation of the nuclear power industry, asserts that establishing and maintaining a safety-conscious work environment that encourages employees to identify and help resolve concerns is crucial for maintaining plant safety. Protection processes were established within NRC and the Department of Labor to encourage nuclear industry employees to raise safety concerns with their employers or with NRC or others without fear of discrimination. Section 211 (formerly section 210) of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 (ERA), as amended (42 U.S.C. 5851), makes it unlawful for an employer to discriminate against an employee who has 'blown the whistle' by engaging in one or more 'protected activities' related to reporting safety concerns.

Leading with Safety

Leading with Safety
Author: Thomas R. Krause
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 304
Release: 2005-12-30
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0471785261

Building on years of research and experience in the field, Leading with Safety redefines organizational safety as an activity that both leads other performance areas and in turn must be led. Thomas Krause poses the question, "What does it take to be a great safety leader?" — and answers with a comprehensive new model for understanding safety leadership as it affects organizational culture and safety climate. Leading with Safety defines the practices, tools, and systems essential to creating an injury-free workplace, including the role of employees at each level, special considerations for coaching the senior executive leader, and the two crucial aspects of human performance that every leader needs to know. Ending with inspiring real-world examples or organizations that have put these tools into practice, Leading with Safety is written for any leader who wants to lead with safety toward a more robust, productive and effective organization.

Lessons Learned from the Fukushima Nuclear Accident for Improving Safety of U.S. Nuclear Plants

Lessons Learned from the Fukushima Nuclear Accident for Improving Safety of U.S. Nuclear Plants
Author: National Research Council (U.S.). Committee on Lessons Learned from the Fukushima Nuclear Accident for Improving Safety and Security of U.S. Nuclear Plants
Publisher: National Academy Press
Total Pages: 394
Release: 2014-10-29
Genre: History
ISBN: 9780309272537

The March 11, 2011, Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami sparked a humanitarian disaster in northeastern Japan. They were responsible for more than 15,900 deaths and 2,600 missing persons as well as physical infrastructure damages exceeding $200 billion. The earthquake and tsunami also initiated a severe nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. Three of the six reactors at the plant sustained severe core damage and released hydrogen and radioactive materials. Explosion of the released hydrogen damaged three reactor buildings and impeded onsite emergency response efforts. The accident prompted widespread evacuations of local populations, large economic losses, and the eventual shutdown of all nuclear power plants in Japan. "Lessons Learned from the Fukushima Nuclear Accident for Improving Safety and Security of U.S. Nuclear Plants" is a study of the Fukushima Daiichi accident. This report examines the causes of the crisis, the performance of safety systems at the plant, and the responses of its operators following the earthquake and tsunami. The report then considers the lessons that can be learned and their implications for U.S. safety and storage of spent nuclear fuel and high-level waste, commercial nuclear reactor safety and security regulations, and design improvements. "Lessons Learned" makes recommendations to improve plant systems, resources, and operator training to enable effective ad hoc responses to severe accidents. This report's recommendations to incorporate modern risk concepts into safety regulations and improve the nuclear safety culture will help the industry prepare for events that could challenge the design of plant structures and lead to a loss of critical safety functions. In providing a broad-scope, high-level examination of the accident, "Lessons Learned" is meant to complement earlier evaluations by industry and regulators. This in-depth review will be an essential resource for the nuclear power industry, policy makers, and anyone interested in the state of U.S. preparedness and response in the face of crisis situations.

Keeping Patients Safe

Keeping Patients Safe
Author: Institute of Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 485
Release: 2004-03-27
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 0309187362

Building on the revolutionary Institute of Medicine reports To Err is Human and Crossing the Quality Chasm, Keeping Patients Safe lays out guidelines for improving patient safety by changing nurses' working conditions and demands. Licensed nurses and unlicensed nursing assistants are critical participants in our national effort to protect patients from health care errors. The nature of the activities nurses typically perform â€" monitoring patients, educating home caretakers, performing treatments, and rescuing patients who are in crisis â€" provides an indispensable resource in detecting and remedying error-producing defects in the U.S. health care system. During the past two decades, substantial changes have been made in the organization and delivery of health care â€" and consequently in the job description and work environment of nurses. As patients are increasingly cared for as outpatients, nurses in hospitals and nursing homes deal with greater severity of illness. Problems in management practices, employee deployment, work and workspace design, and the basic safety culture of health care organizations place patients at further risk. This newest edition in the groundbreaking Institute of Medicine Quality Chasm series discusses the key aspects of the work environment for nurses and reviews the potential improvements in working conditions that are likely to have an impact on patient safety.