Atoms for Peace 2012 Improving Safety Culture through Knowledge Management in Nuclear Organizations 18 April 2012, Rome, Italy Tatiana KARSEKA Nuclear Knowledge Management Section Department of Nuclear Energy, IAEA
Contents: 1. Knowledge Management (KM) and Safety Culture (SC) Overview 2.Interfaces between KM and SC 3.Knowledge Issues that Challenge SC 4.Interfaces between KM and SC 5.KM Solutions for a Strong SC 6.Good Practices 7.IAEA Examples 2
Nuclear Safety Culture In nuclear organisations Safety Culture is usually defined as organization s values and behaviours modelled by its leaders and internalized by its members that serve to make the safe operation of the nuclear installation the overriding priority (See INSAG 4, IAEA, 1991) 3
Knowledge Management The IAEA defines KM as an integrated, systematic approach to identifying, acquiring, transforming, developing, disseminating, using, sharing, and preserving knowledge, relevant to achieving specified objectives. Safe and sustainable operation of a nuclear organization is one of the main objectives of KM initiatives in nuclear sector. 4
EVOLUTION OF CONCEPTS? Knowledge Management SAFETY CULTURE DEFENCE IN DEPTH 5
IAEA Reference Model for Knowledge Management 6
IAEA Reference Model for Safety Culture 7
Other Reference Models: INPO Principles 1. Everyone is personally responsible for nuclear safety. 2. Leaders demonstrate commitment to safety. 3. Trust permeates the organization. 4. Decision-making reflects safety first. 5. Nuclear technology is recognized as special and unique. 6. A questioning attitude is cultivated. 7. Organizational learning is embraced. 8. Nuclear safety undergoes constant examination Cross-Cutting Areas of NRC Human Performance (4) Problem Identification and Resolution (3) Safety Conscious Work Environment (2) Accountability Continuous Learning Environment Organizational Change Management Safety Policies 8 JANTI Principles First priority is safety Commitment and Leadership of Top Management Framework to ensure Safety Effective Communications A questioning and Learning Attitude Recognition of Potential Risk Blame tolerant Work Environment And others
Interfaces between NKM and Safety Culture 1510 1329 9
Interfaces between NKM and Safety Culture Social Aspect Technical Aspect 24.04.2012
Interfaces between NKM and Safety Culture Organizational Culture (Trust, communication, motivation, ownership, willingness to share, Learning organization, Knowledge Focus in Organizational Culture) Integrated Management Systems (Policy, Recourse Management, Process Management, Review and Assessment, Improvement)
Knowledge Issues that Challenge Safety Poor quality of communications between the site staff and top management Formal attitude of top management towards safety culture Degradation of Job-Site Knowledge Declining Human Resources in Younger Generations Maintenance and Upgrading of aging technology and equipment, as well as challenges related to knowledge and experience transfer. 12
Sustainability of SC depends on competency and knowledge of the people. KM is critically important for SC. E.g. if a good team changes, it has impacts on operations.
Systematic Knowledge Management improves Safety Culture and Safety! 14
KM for a Strong Safety Culture 1. Formal and informal information exchange communication knowledge databases, content/document management systems, search engines, portals/intranet, wikis/blogs, skill/competency databases, expert yellow pages, Enterprise Resource Planning (EPR), other IT supporting systems, informal meetings
KM for a Strong Safety Culture 2. Establishment of well-identified rules, procedures and/or standardized methods for routine activities and unusual occurrences formalization corporative methodology that addresses learning from experience; conducting regular self-assessment, external benchmarking for adopting good industry practices; establishing internal and external feedback
KM for a Strong Safety Culture 3. Overall understanding, acknowledgement and follow of the stated organizational goals by personnel goal prioritization KM policy is usually implemented to ensure succession of technical knowledge within an organization which is the key requirement for understanding safety risks and, as a result, reducing preconditions for an accident.
KM for a Strong Safety Culture 4. Personnel competence and extent to which plant personnel use their knowledge to identify potential problems problem identification simulators, Computer-Based Training (CBT), multi-media simulations, etc., to capture/transfer critical knowledge; regular competence evaluation, refresher training, introduction of a formal human performance improvement programme, if applicable; use of coaching and mentoring approaches, informal meetings
KM for a Strong Safety Culture 5. Clear definition of work activities and degree to which plant personnel carry out these work activities role and responsibilities One of the main areas in KM is review and reformulation of organizational processes
KM for a Strong Safety Culture 7. Plant personnel understanding of plant design and systems, and the phenomena and events that bear on the safe and reliable operation of the plant technical knowledge manage the risk of losing critical knowledge
Good Practices Regulator requirements on Safety Culture (NRC)
Good Practices Regular Knowledge Loss Risk Assessment (Slovenske Elektrarne)
Good Practices Systematic Knowledge Preservation Activities (South Texas Project) 24.04.2012
IAEA examples The IAEA Methodology and guidance for introducing systematic KM
IAEA examples Preserving Unique Knowledge (FRKOS, Knowledge Package on WWER RPV Embrittlement)
IAEA examples IAEA Advisory Services on NKM (Assist Visits)
Looking ahead Nuclear Power requires very specific competences, based on knowledge and understanding as well as on skills and behavior. Common nuclear safety culture is necessary worldwide in a variety of sectors, ranging from nuclear power and fuel-cycle industries to medical applications of ionising radiations. 27
To take away: Safety is a condition for producing electricity; knowledge is a prerequisite for producing electricity safely KM is the practical and visible implementation of Safety Culture in a Nuclear Organization
THANK YOU Questions? Atoms for Peace 2012, Rome, April 16-18 24.04.2012