Overview Of Training Methodology For Accident Management At Nuclear Power Plants

Available tools and support material, applicable to the training of the staff involved in accident management are discussed in this publication. Examples of such tools and materials are provided in the appendices. The report is intended to facilitate the work to be performed by NPP operators, utilities and their technical support organisations.

This report provides a description of the elements which should be addressed by the team responsible for the preparation, development and implementation of a plant specific accident management programme at a nuclear power plant. The issues addressed include formation of the team, selection of accident management strategies, safety analyses required, evaluation of the performance of plant systems, development of accident management procedures and guidelines, staffing and qualification of accident management personnel, and training needs. The report is intended to facilitate the work to be done by NPP operators, utilities and their technical support organizations, but it can also be used for the preparation of relevant national regulatory requirements.

Available tools and support material, applicable to the training of the staff involved in accident management are discussed in this publication. Examples of such tools and materials are provided in the appendices. The report is intended to facilitate the work to be performed by NPP operators, utilities and their technical support organisations.

Training is an important tool to achieve and maintain the required competence of personnel working in nuclear facilities. Effective training and qualification of personnel are necessary for the achievement of high safety and efficiency standards in nuclear facility performance. Training and qualification combined is a key feature of the integrated management systems of nuclear facilities. It is these considerations that led to this publication which consolidates the experience gained worldwide using the systematic approach to training (SAT) for nuclear facility personnel. It provides a basis for establishing and sustaining the quality and reliability of training and qualification for all main categories of nuclear facility personnel. SAT has proved its effectiveness in nuclear and other safety critical industries over decades and is recognized as the best international practice in nuclear training. The publication details the processes and methodology, presents good practices and offers recommendations from the experts in the field on the entire set of activities within the SAT–based training methodology and provides examples of SAT application. It builds on, and supersedes, guidance provided in an earlier IAEA publication (Technical Report Series 380, Nuclear Power Plant Personnel Training and its Evaluation: A Guidebook). A key feature of this publication is demonstrating how SAT–based training serves as one of the important processes in a nuclear facility management system and how it integrates with other processes.

This guidebook provides a systematic, structured approach to the development and implementation of plant specific accident management programmes. It describes the major elements of accident management and their relationships, presents possible methods and techniques to solve specific problems and gives practical examples. Its main emphasis is on generic accident management guidelines, including evaluation of vulnerabilities, accident management strategies, symptom oriented emergency operating procedures, system utilization, training and organization.

This report describes simulation techniques used in the training of personnel involved in accident management of nuclear power plants (NPPs). This concerns both the plant personnel and the persons involved in the management of off-site releases. The report pertains to light water reactors and pressurized heavy water reactors, but it can equally be applied to power reactors of other types. The report is intended for use by experts responsible for planning, developing, executing or supervising the training of personnel involved in the implementation of accident management programmes in NPPs.