Decision support systems and expert systems for risk and safety analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baybutt, P.

1986-01-01

During the last 1-2 years, rapid developments have occurred in the development of decision support systems and expert systems to aid in decision making related to risk and safety of industrial plants. These activities are most noteworthy in the nuclear industry where numerous systems are under development with implementation often being made on personal computers. An overview of some of these developments is provided, and an example of one recently developed decision support system is given. This example deals with CADET, a system developed to aid the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission in making decisions related to the topical issue of source terms resulting from degraded core accidents in light water reactors. The paper concludes with some comments on the likely directions of future developments in decision support systems and expert systems to aid in the management of risk and safety in industrial plants. (author)

Safety Research Opportunities Post-Fukushima. Initial Report of the Senior Expert Group

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baek, Won-Pil; Yang, Joon-Eon; Ball, Joanne; Glowa, Glenn; Bisconti, Giulia; Peko, Damian; Bolshov, Leonid; Burgazzi, Luciano; De Rosa, Felice; Conde, Jose M.; Cook, Gary; Evrard, Jean-Michel; Jacquemain, Didier; Funaki, Kentaro; Uematsu, Mari Marianne; Miyoshi, Katsumasa; Tatematsu, Atsushi; Hirano, Masashi; Hoshi, Harutaka; Kawaragi, Chie; Kobayashi, Youko; Sakamoto, Kazunobu; Journeau, Christophe; Kim, Han-Chul; Klein-Hessling, Walter; Sonnenkalb, Martin; Koganeya, Toshiyuki; White, Andrew; ); Lind, Terttaliisa; Zimmermann, Martin; Lindholm, Ilona; Castelo Lopez, Carlos; Nagase, Fumihisa; Washiya, Tadahiro; Oima, Hirofumi; Okada, Hiro; Richards, Stuart; West, Steven; Sandberg, Nils; Suzuki, Shunichi; Vitanza, Carlo; Yamanaka, Yasunori

2017-02-01

One of the imperatives following the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station is for the nuclear science and industry communities to ensure that knowledge gaps in nuclear safety are identified and that research programs to address these gaps are being instituted. In recognition of broad international interest in additional information that could be gained from post-accident examinations related to Fukushima Daiichi, Japan recommended to the Committee on the Safety of Nuclear Installations (CSNI) in June 2013 that a process be developed to identify and follow up on opportunities to address safety research gaps. Consequently, a Senior Expert Group (SEG) on Safety Research Opportunities post-Fukushima (SAREF) was formed. The members of the group are senior technical experts from technical support organisations, nuclear regulatory authorities and Japanese organisations responsible for planning and execution of Fukushima Daiichi decommissioning. The domain of interest for the group is activities that address safety research knowledge gaps and also the needs of Fukushima Daiichi decommissioning. SEG on SAREF identified areas where these two interests intersect or overlap, and activities that could be undertaken to generate information of common benefit. The group's output is documented in this report; Chapter 2 describes the current status of the damaged units at Fukushima Daiichi NPS; Chapter 3 summarises safety research areas of common interest; Chapter 4 summarises the safety research activities recommended as short-term projects; Chapter 5 summarises those as long-term considerations; Chapter 6 supplies conclusions and recommendations. The appendix contains detailed information compiled by the SEG members on all safety research areas of interest

Use of expert systems in the structural safety assessment of of pressurized nuclear components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jovanovic, A.; Sturm, D.

1990-01-01

The paper describes research currently performed at MPA Stuttgart on development of expert systems and application of artificial intelligence methods and techniques, for structural safety assessment of power plant pressurized components. The research is done as an extension of preceding and existing large research programs of MPA, in the domain of structural safety of components. In this preceding research a waste amount of practical engineering knowledge and experience has been accumulated: development in the direction of AI-based systems is a way to use this knowledge more efficiently in future research and in the nuclear power plant practice. Applications on which the current research is focussed are expert systems applied for the leak-before-break analysis for the structural safety evaluation in high temperature regimes

Expert system for the investigation of safety system availability on a 900 MWe PWR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chauliac, C.; Deplanque, B.; To, L.H.

1988-01-01

A computer program of the expert system type would appear to be an elegant and effective tool for rapid diagnosis of safety system availability in accident situations. The expert system developed for this purpose by the Institut de Protection et de Surete Nucleaire (Institute for Nuclear Safety and Protection) has been described in this paper; its logic process has been examined in detail and illustrated by means of two examples. In its present form, this expert system monitors the availability of 21 main systems. In its final form (1989), 37 main systems will be tested. It will then include descriptions of between 1500 and 2000 objects and will utilize about 1000 rules. It will be run (as is presently the case) in a workstation with windowing facilities and graphic result displays which provide the highest degree of user-friendliness

Probabilistic safety assessment based expert systems in support of dynamic risk assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Varde, P.V.; Sharma, U.L.; Marik, S.K.; Raina, V.K.; Tikku, A.C.

2006-01-01

Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA) studies are being performed, world over as part of integrated risk assessment for Nuclear Power Plants and in many cases PSA insight is utilized in support of decision making. Though the modern plants are built with inherent safety provisions, particularly to reduce the supervisory requirements during initial period into the accident, it is always desired to develop an efficient user friendly real-time operator advisory system for handling of plant transients/emergencies which would be of immense benefit for the enhancement of operational safety of the plant. This paper discusses an integrated approach for the development of operator support system. In this approach, PSA methodology and the insight obtained from PSA has been utilized for development of knowledge based or rule based experts system. While Artificial Neural Network (ANN) approach has been employed for transient identification, rule-base expert system shell environment was used for the development of diagnostic module in this system. Attempt has been made to demonstrate that this approach offers an efficient framework for addressing requirements related to handling of real-time/dynamic scenario. (author)

Safety culture in regulatory expert organization : analysis result of survey for KINS employees

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, G. S.; Choi, Y. S.

2003-01-01

Much has been discussed on safety culture of operating organizations, however, little has been done on that of regulatory organization. Current issues and activities related to nuclear safety culture at IAEA, OECD/NEA, etc. were investigated and relevant literatures were reviewed. Elements essential for safety culture of regulatory organization were proposed and survey questionnaire for employees of regulatory expert organization, KINS, was developed based on the elements proposed. The survey result was presented and its implications were discussed. Based on the result, elements of safety culture in regulatory organization were proposed. The result of this survey can be used in developing safety culture model of regulatory organization, measurement method and also promotion of safety culture in regulatory organization

Common problems in the elicitation and analysis of expert opinion affecting probabilistic safety assessments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Meyer, M.A.; Booker, J.M.

1990-01-01

Expert opinion is frequently used in probabilistic safety assessment (PSA), particularly in estimating low probability events. In this paper, we discuss some of the common problems encountered in eliciting and analyzing expert opinion data and offer solutions or recommendations. The problems are: that experts are not naturally Bayesian. People fail to update their existing information to account for new information as it becomes available, as would be predicted by the Bayesian philosophy; that experts cannot be fully calibrated. To calibrate experts, the feedback from the known quantities must be immediate, frequent, and specific to the task; that experts are limited in the number of things that they can mentally juggle at a time to 7 {plus minus} 2; that data gatherers and analysts can introduce bias by unintentionally causing an altering of the expert's thinking or answers; that the level of detail the data, or granularity, can affect the analyses; and the conditioning effect poses difficulties in gathering and analyzing of the expert data. The data that the expert gives can be conditioned on a variety of factors that can affect the analysis and the interpretation of the results. 31 refs.

Expert forecast on emerging psychosocial risks related to occupational safety and health

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Milczarek, M.; Brun, E.; Houtman, I.; Goudswaard, A.; Evers, M.; Bovenkamp, M. van de; Roskams, N.; Op de Beeck, R.; Pahkin, K.; Berthet, M.; Morvan, E.; Kuhn, K.; Kaluza, K.; Hupke, M.; Hauke, A.; Reinert, D.; Widerszal-Bazyl, M.; Perez, J.; Oncins de Frutos, M.

2007-01-01

This report is in cooperation with TNO Work and Employment and the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work. The expert forecast on emerging psychosocial risks was carried out by means of the Delphi method. The main emerging psychosocial risks revealed were related to new forms of employment

Recommendations on the use of expert judgment in safety and reliability engineering studies. Two offshore case studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hokstada, Per; Oien, Knut; Reinertsen, Rune

1998-01-01

This paper provides guidance on the process of establishing input data to safety and reliability engineering analyses when no or little field data exist, and expert judgment is required. Some recommendations are directly related to a discussion of basic requirements for scientific work. Further, two case studies are discussed in order to highlight some actual problem areas that are experienced when using expert judgment, and some recommendations for handling these problems are given. The first case describes how expert judgment was used to analyse the safe operation of an umbilical on a semisubmersible drilling rig, and the second case is related to establishing generic failure rates/probabilities for components of offshore safety systems

Philosophy of safety assurance after the Fukushima Daiichi accident. From views of experts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hisada, Tsukasa

2014-01-01

Knowledge incorporating meetings were held to exchange views of experts in order to learn respective safety concept and philosophy of safety assurance except nuclear area, how should be prepared for beyond expectation and what was needed to build social credibility, and how to upgrade safety measures of nuclear power station after the Fukushima Daiichi accident. Meeting had been held twice a year since FY2012 and two lecturers were invited at each meeting to give a lecture on the specified theme such as safety assurance in aviation area and chemical plants, and 'safety target of engineering system'. Common or different views on safety assurance between nuclear and other areas were identified, and risk concept and sincere attitude of explaining engineer were mentioned quite important for preparation for beyond expectation and building social credibility. (T. Tanaka)

The Impact of Organizational Factors on Safety. The Perspective of Experts from the Spanish Nuclear Sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

German, S.; Silla, I.; Navajas, J.

2014-01-01

Previous research supports the importance of organizational factors on safety in high reliability organizations. This study aims to determine the impact of those factors in the Spanish nuclear sector. Particularly, this study focuses on examining the role of performance indicators, organizational culture, organizational factors, and organizational context. With that purpose, an electronic survey addressed to experts from the Spanish nuclear sector was carried out. Results showed that performance indicators are well-known among industry experts and are perceived as useful for improving performance. Behavioural norms that influence safety and some relevant factors that promote problem identification were identified. Additionally, findings suggested that organizational context must be taken into account to better understand the role of organizational culture. Moreover, industry experts pointed out organizational factors to be improved: organizational communication processes within the organization, positive reinforcement, and field supervisors practices. Finally, findings supported the influence of organizational context on safety. It is noteworthy the role of the social impact of international events (e.g., Chernobyl...), the relationship with the regulator and the legislative and governmental framework. (Author)

Safety analysis of an expert reactor protection system in nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Kafas, A.A.

1997-01-01

The purpose of the dissertation is to develop real time expert reactor protection system (ERPS) for operational safety of pressurized water reactor nuclear power plant. The system is developed to diagnose plant failures and for identification plant transients (with and without scram). For this erps, probabilistic safety analysis techniques are used to check the availability and priority of the recommended safety system in case of plant accidents. The real - time information during transients and accidents can be obtained to assess the operator in his decision - making. Also, the ERPS is able to give advice for the reactor operator to take the appropriate corrective action during abnormal situations. 5-15 figs., 42 refs

A guide on the elicitation of expert knowledge in constructing BBN for quantitative reliability assessment of safety critical software

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eom, H. S.; Kang, H. G.; Chang, S. C.; Ha, J. J.

2003-08-01

This report describes the methodology which could elicit probabilistic representation from the experts' knowledge or qualitative data. It is necessary to elicit expert's knowledge while we quantitatively assess the reliability of safety critical software using Bayesian Belief Nets(BBNs). Especially in composing the node probability table and in making out the input data for BBN model, experts' qualitative judgment or qualitative data should be converted into probabilistic representation. This conversion process is vulnerable to bias or error. The purpose of the report is to provide the guideline to avoid the occurrence of this kinds of bias/error or to eliminate them which is included in the existing data prepared by experts. The contents of the report are: o The types and the explanation of bias and error The types of bias and error which might be occur in the process of eliciting the expert's knowledge. o The procedure of expert's judgment elicitation. The process and techniques to avoid bias and error in eliciting the expert's judgments. o The examples of expert's knowledge appeared in the BBNs The examples of expert's knowledge (probability values) appeared in the BBNs for assessing the safety of digital system

Expert systems and nuclear safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beltracchi, L.

1990-01-01

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the Electric Power Research Institute have initiated a broad-based exploration of means to evaluate the potential applications of expert systems in the nuclear industry. This exploratory effort will assess the use of expert systems to augment the diagnostic and decision-making capabilities of personnel with the goal of enhancing productivity, reliability, and performance. The initial research effort is the development and documentation of guidelines for verifying and validating (V and V) expert systems. An initial application of expert systems in the nuclear industry is to aid operations and maintenance personnel in decision-making tasks. The scope of the decision aiding covers all types of cognitive behavior consisting of skill, rule, and knowledge-based behavior. For example, procedure trackers were designed and tested to support rule-based behavior. Further, these systems automate many of the tedious, error-prone human monitoring tasks, thereby reducing the potential for human error. The paper version of the procedure contains the knowledge base and the rules and thus serves as the basis of the design verification of the procedure tracker. Person-in-the-loop tests serve as the basis for the validation of a procedure tracker. When conducting validation tests, it is important to ascertain that the human retains the locus of control in the use of the expert system

An online expert network for high quality information on occupational safety and health: cross-sectional study of user satisfaction and impact

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rhebergen Martijn DF

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Many people have difficulties finding information on health questions, including occupational safety and health (OSH issues. One solution to alleviate these difficulties could be to offer questioners free-of-charge, online access to a network of OSH experts who provide tailored, high-quality information. The aim of this study was to assess whether network quality, respectively information quality, as perceived by the questioners, is associated with questioners' overall satisfaction and to explore the impact of the information received on questioners' knowledge, work and work functioning. Methods We evaluated the experiences of OSH questioners with the online network ArboAntwoord.com over a two-year period. In this network, approximately 80 qualified experts are available to answer OSH questions. By means of a questionnaire, we assessed questioners' overall satisfaction with the network, whether the network was user-friendly, easily accessible and easy to handle and whether the information provided was complete, applicable and received in a timely manner. The impact of the information on questioners' knowledge, work or work functioning was explored with seven questions. In the study period, 460 unique OSH questioners asked 851 OSH questions. In total, 205 of the 460 questioners completed the questionnaire (response rate 45%. Results Of the responders, 71% were satisfied with the ArboAntwoord network. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the applicability of the information had a positive influence on the questioners' overall satisfaction (OR = 16.0, 95% CI: 7.0-36.4. Also, user friendliness of the network (OR = 3.3, 95% CI: 1.3-8.6 and completeness of the information provided (OR = 3.0, 95% CI: 1.3-6.8 were positively related to the questioners' satisfaction. For 74% of the questioners, the information helped to increase their knowledge and understanding. Overall, 25% of the questioners indicated that the received

An online expert network for high quality information on occupational safety and health: cross-sectional study of user satisfaction and impact.

Science.gov (United States)

Rhebergen, Martijn D F; Lenderink, Annet F; van Dijk, Frank J H; Hulshof, Carel T J

2011-11-23

Many people have difficulties finding information on health questions, including occupational safety and health (OSH) issues. One solution to alleviate these difficulties could be to offer questioners free-of-charge, online access to a network of OSH experts who provide tailored, high-quality information. The aim of this study was to assess whether network quality, respectively information quality, as perceived by the questioners, is associated with questioners' overall satisfaction and to explore the impact of the information received on questioners' knowledge, work and work functioning. We evaluated the experiences of OSH questioners with the online network ArboAntwoord.com over a two-year period. In this network, approximately 80 qualified experts are available to answer OSH questions. By means of a questionnaire, we assessed questioners' overall satisfaction with the network, whether the network was user-friendly, easily accessible and easy to handle and whether the information provided was complete, applicable and received in a timely manner. The impact of the information on questioners' knowledge, work or work functioning was explored with seven questions. In the study period, 460 unique OSH questioners asked 851 OSH questions. In total, 205 of the 460 questioners completed the questionnaire (response rate 45%). Of the responders, 71% were satisfied with the ArboAntwoord network. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the applicability of the information had a positive influence on the questioners' overall satisfaction (OR = 16.0, 95% CI: 7.0-36.4). Also, user friendliness of the network (OR = 3.3, 95% CI: 1.3-8.6) and completeness of the information provided (OR = 3.0, 95% CI: 1.3-6.8) were positively related to the questioners' satisfaction. For 74% of the questioners, the information helped to increase their knowledge and understanding. Overall, 25% of the questioners indicated that the received information improved their work, work functioning

International nuclear safety experts conclude IAEA peer review of China's regulatory system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2010-01-01

Full text: An international team of senior experts on nuclear safety regulation today completed a two-week International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) review of the governmental and regulatory framework for nuclear safety in the People's Republic of China. The team identified good practices within the system and gave advice on areas for future improvements. The IAEA has conveyed the team's main conclusions to the Government of the People's Republic of China. The final report will be submitted to China by Autumn 2010. At the request of Chinese authorities, the IAEA assembled a team of 22 experts to conduct an Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) mission. This mission is a peer review based on the IAEA Safety Standards . It is not an inspection, nor an audit. The experts came from 15 different countries: Australia, Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Hungary, Japan, Pakistan, the Republic of Korea, Slovenia, South Africa, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Ukraine and the United States. Mike Weightman, the United Kingdom's Head of Nuclear Directorate, HSE and HM Chief Inspector of Nuclear Installations said: ''I was honoured and pleased to lead such a team of senior regulatory experts from around the world, and I was impressed by their commitment, experience and hard work to provide their best advice possible. We had very constructive interactions with the Chinese authority to maximize the beneficial impact of the mission.'' The scope of the mission included the regulation of nuclear and radiation safety of the facilities and activities regulated by the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) National Nuclear Safety Administration (NNSA). The mission was conducted from 18 to 30 July, mainly in Beijing. To observe Chinese regulatory activities, the IRRS team visited several nuclear facilities, including a nuclear power plant, a manufacturer of safety components for nuclear power plants, a research reactor, a fuel cycle facility, a waste management facility

International Nuclear Safety Experts Conclude IAEA Peer Review of Korea's Regulatory System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2011-01-01

Full text: An international team of senior nuclear safety experts concluded today a two-week mission to review the regulatory framework for nuclear safety in the Republic of Korea. The team identified good practices and gave advice on areas for future improvements. The IAEA has conveyed the team's main conclusions to the Government of Korea, while the final report will be submitted by the end of summer 2011. At the request of the Korean Government, the IAEA assembled a team of 16 senior regulatory experts from 14 nations to conduct the Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) mission involving the Korean Ministry for Education, Science and Technology (MEST) and the Korean Institute for Nuclear Safety (KINS). The mission is a peer-review based on the IAEA Safety Standards. ''This was the first IRRS mission organized after Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident and it included a review of the regulatory implications of that event,' explains Denis Flory, IAEA Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Nuclear Safety and Security. William Borchardt, Executive Director of Operations from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Team Leader of this mission commended the Korean authorities for their openness and commitment to sharing their experience with the world's nuclear safety community. ''IRRS missions such as the one that was just concluded here in the Republic of Korea are crucial to the enhancement of nuclear safety worldwide,'' he said. The IRRS team reviewed Korea's current regulatory framework while acknowledging the fact that the country's Government has already decided to establish, as of October 2011, a new independent regulatory body to be called Nuclear Safety Commission (NSC). As a consequence, KINS role will be as a regulatory expert organization reporting to the NSC, while MEST's role will be restricted to promoting the utilization of nuclear energy. The IRRS team identified particular strengths in the Korean regulatory system

The UK system of recognising qualified experts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bines, W.

2002-01-01

EURATOM Basic Safety Standards (BSS) Directives have long included requirements for the involvement of qualified experts, the definition of which has scarcely changed since at least 1976. The Directive requirement, in the definition of qualified expert,, for competent authorities to recognise the capacity to act as a qualified expert has been interpreted by Member States in widely differing ways, ranging from the minimalist or case by case to the highly detailed and prescriptive. In the United Kingdom (UK), the qualified expert for occupational radiation protection is the radiation protection adviser and the competent authority is the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The Ionising Radiations Regulations 1985, which largely implemented the 1980 BSS Directive, required an employer to appoint one or more radiation protection advisers for the purpose of advising him as to the observance of these Regulations and other health and safety matters in connection with ionising radiation. The Regulations addressed the question of recognition by forbidding an employer to appoint a person as a radiation protection adviser unless: that person was suitably qualified and experienced; the employer had notified the Health and Safety Executive in writing of the intended appointment at least 28 days in advance, giving the name of the person and particulars of his qualifications and experience and the scope of the advice he would be required to give; and the employer had received from HSE an acknowledgement in writing of the notification. This system allowed HSE to follow up and query any apparently unsuitable potential appointments while applying a light overall administrative touch. The Approved Code of Practice supporting the Regulations included advice on the qualifications, experience and qualities that the employer should look for in a suitable radiation protection adviser

International Nuclear Safety Experts Conclude IAEA Peer Review of Swiss Regulatory Framework

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2011-01-01

Full text: A team of international nuclear safety experts today completed a two-week International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) review of the regulatory framework for nuclear safety in Switzerland. The Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) mission noted good practices in the Swiss system and also made recommendations for the nation's nuclear regulatory authority, the Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate (ENSI). ''Our team developed a good impression of the independent Swiss regulator - ENSI - and the team considered that ENSI deserves particular credit for its actions to improve Swiss safety capability following this year's nuclear accident in Japan,'' said IRRS Team Leader Jean-Christophe Niel of France. The mission's scope covered the Swiss nuclear regulatory framework for all types of nuclear-related activities regulated by ENSI. The mission was conducted from 20 November to 2 December, mainly at ENSI headquarters in Brugg. The team held extensive discussions with ENSI staff and visited many Swiss nuclear facilities. IRRS missions are peer reviews, not inspections or audits, and are conducted at the request of host nations. For the Swiss review, the IAEA assembled a team of 19 international experts from 14 countries. The experts came from Belgium, Brazil, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Republic of Korea, Norway, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States. ''The findings of the IRRS mission will help us to further improve our work. That is part of our safety culture,'' said ENSI Director General Hans Wanner. ''As Switzerland argued at international nuclear safety meetings this year for a strengthening of the international monitoring of nuclear power, we will take action to fulfil the recommendations.'' The IRRS team highlighted several good practices of the Swiss regulatory system, including the following: ENSI requires Swiss nuclear operators to back-fit their facilities by continuously upgrading

How many employees receive safety training during their first year of a new job?

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Peter M; Mustard, Cameron A

2007-02-01

To describe the provision of safety training to Canadian employees, specifically those in their first year of employment with a new employer. Three repeated national Canadian cross-sectional surveys. 59 159 respondents from Statistics Canada's Workplace and Employee Surveys (1999, 2001 and 2003), 5671 who were in their first year of employment. Receiving occupational health and safety training, orientation training or office or non-office equipment training in either a classroom or on-the-job in the previous 12 months. Only 12% of women and 16% of men reported receiving safety training in the previous 12 months. Employees in their first 12 months of employment were more likely to receive safety training than employees with >5 years of job tenure. However, still only one in five new employees had received any safety training while with their current employer. In a fully adjusted regression model, employees who had access to family and support programs, women in medium-sized workplaces and in manufacturing, and men in large workplaces and in part-time employment all had an increased probability of receiving safety training. No increased likelihood of safety training was found in younger workers or those in jobs with higher physical demands, both of which are associated with increased injury risk. From our results, it would appear that only one in five Canadian employees in their first year of a new job received safety training. Further, the provision of safety training does not appear to be more prevalent among workers or in occupations with increased risk of injuries.

How many employees receive safety training during their first year of a new job?

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Peter M; Mustard, Cameron A

2007-01-01

Objective To describe the provision of safety training to Canadian employees, specifically those in their first year of employment with a new employer. Design Three repeated national Canadian cross‐sectional surveys. Subjects 59 159 respondents from Statistics Canada's Workplace and Employee Surveys (1999, 2001 and 2003), 5671 who were in their first year of employment. Main outcome Receiving occupational health and safety training, orientation training or office or non‐office equipment training in either a classroom or on‐the‐job in the previous 12 months. Results Only 12% of women and 16% of men reported receiving safety training in the previous 12 months. Employees in their first 12 months of employment were more likely to receive safety training than employees with >5 years of job tenure. However, still only one in five new employees had received any safety training while with their current employer. In a fully adjusted regression model, employees who had access to family and support programs, women in medium‐sized workplaces and in manufacturing, and men in large workplaces and in part‐time employment all had an increased probability of receiving safety training. No increased likelihood of safety training was found in younger workers or those in jobs with higher physical demands, both of which are associated with increased injury risk. Conclusions From our results, it would appear that only one in five Canadian employees in their first year of a new job received safety training. Further, the provision of safety training does not appear to be more prevalent among workers or in occupations with increased risk of injuries. PMID:17296687

International experts conclude IAEA peer review of Iran's safety regulation of Bushehr NPP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2010-01-01

Full text: An international team of nuclear safety experts today completed an IAEA mission to review the effectiveness of Iran's safety regulation of its first nuclear power plant and to identify possible improvements before the plant begins operation. Upon invitation of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) assembled a team of senior regulators from seven Member States for an Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) mission. The scope of the mission was limited to the safety regulation of Bushehr nuclear power plant (BNPP-1). The IRRS review took place from 20 February to 2 March at the INRA offices in Tehran and included a technical visit to the BNPP-1 site. The mission was an objective peer review based on IAEA safety standards, and was neither an inspection, nor an audit. Ms. Olena Mykolaichuk, IRRS Team Leader and Head of the State Nuclear Regulatory Committee of Ukraine, commended her INRA counterparts: 'The regulatory work performed on the Bushehr construction and in preparation for commissioning has demonstrated significant progress of INRA as a nuclear regulatory authority,' she said. Philippe Jamet, Director of the IAEA's Nuclear Installation Safety Division, added: 'Through this IRRS mission, both Iran and the international experts contribute to the enhancement of nuclear safety and worldwide experience sharing.' In the course of its review the IRRS team identified the following strengths: - INRA has a dedicated, conscientious staff, demonstrating clear commitments to further improvements. - INRA clearly recognizes the value of peer reviews and international cooperation regarding nuclear safety. - Despite a shortage of staff, INRA demonstrated strong leadership while performing both review and assessment and inspection tasks during the BNPP-1 construction and pre-commissioning. - INRA has developed an excellent computerized documentation control system. Recommendations and suggestions to improve INRA's regulatory

International nuclear safety experts complete IAEA peer review of German regulatory system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2008-01-01

Full text: An international expert team has today completed a two-week IAEA review of Germany's nuclear regulatory system. The team identified good practices within the system and gave advice on some areas for further improvement. The IAEA has conveyed the initial findings to German authorities but the final report will be submitted within two months. At the request of the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) assembled a team of 14 experts to conduct an Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) mission. This is a peer review based on IAEA Standards. It is not an inspection, nor an audit. The scope of the mission was limited to the safety regulation of nuclear power plants. Experts from Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Japan, the Netherlands, Republic of Korea, Spain, Switzerland, the UK, the US and from the IAEA took part in the mission, which was conducted from 7 to 19 September in Bonn, Stuttgart and Berlin. The main basis for the review was a well-prepared self-assessment made by the Federal Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) and the Ministry of Environment of the federal state of Baden-Wuerttemberg (UM BW). 'The team members were impressed by the extensive preparation and dedication of the staff both at BMU and UM BW to excellence in nuclear safety,' said Mike Weightman, IRRS Team Leader and Chief Inspector of the UK nuclear regulatory body, the Nuclear Directorate of the Health and Safety Executive. 'We hope the IRRS mission will facilitate further improvements in the safety regulation of nuclear power in Germany and throughout the world.' 'Germany's invitation to undergo such a detailed review is a clear demonstration of its openness and commitment to continuously improve nuclear safety regulation,' said Philippe Jamet, Director of the IAEA's Nuclear Installation Safety Division. Among the particular strengths of BMU and UM BW associated with their

Safety Tips from the Expert Witness.

Science.gov (United States)

Gray, Gary R.

1995-01-01

Many physical educators and coaches use the potential for liability to guide their decisions about conducting activities. By understanding expert witnesses' roles in negligence actions, surer planning, teaching, and coaching are possible. The paper describes issues that expert witnesses examine in negligence actions against physical educators,…

Safety Experts Complete IAEA Nuclear Regulatory Review of the United States

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2010-01-01

Full text: An international team of senior nuclear safety experts today completed a two-week International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) review of the governmental and regulatory framework for nuclear safety in the United States. The team identified good practices within the U.S. system and offered suggestions for ways the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) could improve. The IAEA has conveyed the team's main conclusions to the NRC, and a final report will be submitted to the NRC in about two months. At the request of the United States, the IAEA assembled a team of 19 international experts to conduct an Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) mission. This mission was a peer review based on the IAEA Safety Standards. It was not an inspection, nor an audit. The experts came from 14 different countries: Canada, China, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Republic of Korea, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Team leader Jukka Laaksonen of Finland said: ''We found a comprehensive, consistent, and mature regulatory system run by the NRC, which has a strong drive for continuous improvement.' The scope of the mission included the U.S. regulatory framework and the regulation of the nuclear plant operation. The mission was conducted from 18 to 29 October, mainly at NRC headquarters outside of Washington, D.C. To study U.S. regulatory activities, the mission conducted a series of interviews and discussions with NRC staff and other organizations to help assess the effectiveness of the regulatory system. In addition, the team observed regulatory activities at two operating nuclear power reactors and an emergency preparedness exercise. The IAEA's IRRS coordinator Gustavo Caruso said, ''This mission represents a milestone for the IRRS program because the U.S. regulatory system is the largest in the world and many nations look to it. The IRRS is a useful tool that allows host nations to gain guidance from experienced

Safety analysis of an expert reactor protection system in nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

EL-Kafas, A.E.A.E.

1996-01-01

the purpose of the dissertation is to develop a real time expert reactor protection system (ERPS) for operational safety of pressurized water reactor nuclear power plant. The system is developed to diagnose plant failures and for identification of plant transients (with and without scram). for this ERPS. probabilistic safety analysis techniques are used to check the availability and priority of the recommended safety system in case of plant accidents . the real- time information during transients and accidents can be obtained to asses the operator in his decision - making . Also, the ERPS is able to give advice for the reactor operator to take the appropriate corrective action during abnormal situations. The system model consists of the dynamic differential equations for reactor core, pressurizer, steam generator, turbine and generator, piping and plenums. The system of equations can be solved by appropriate codes also displayed directly from sensors of the plant. All scenarios of transients, accidents and fault tress for plant systems are learned to ERPS

Developing Expert Teams with a Strong Safety Culture

Science.gov (United States)

Rogers, David G.

2010-01-01

Would you like to lead a world renowned team that draws out all the talents and expertise of its members and consistently out performs all others in the industry? Ever wonder why so many organizations fail to truly learn from past mistakes only to repeat the same ones at a later date? Are you a program/project manager or team member in a high-risk organization where the decisions made often carry the highest of consequences? Leadership, communication, team building, critical decision-making and continuous team improvement skills and behaviors are mere talking points without the attitudes, commitment and strategies necessary to make them the very fabric of a team. Developing Expert Teams with a Strong Safety Culture, will provide you with proven knowledge and strategies to take your team soaring to heights you may have not thought possible. A myriad of teams have applied these strategies and techniques within their organization team environments: military and commercial aviation, astronaut flight crews, Shuttle flight controllers, members of the Space Shuttle Program Mission Management Team, air traffic controllers, nuclear power control teams, surgical teams, and the fire service report having spectacular success. Many industry leaders are beginning to realize that although the circumstances and environments of these teams may differ greatly to their own, the core elements, governing principles and dynamics involved in managing and building a stellar safety conscious team remain identical.

Can fire safety in hotels be improved? Results from the survey of a panel of experts in Spain.

Science.gov (United States)

Rubio-Romero, Juan Carlos; Márquez-Sierra, Francisco; Suárez-Cebador, Manuel

2016-06-08

The hotel industry is an important driver of the European labour market with over 250,000 hotels employing some 2 million people. In Spain, 240 workers were injured by fires in hotels from 2004 to 2008. Fire is considered to be the most important risk in the hotel industry, but the lack of an EU-wide data recording system for hotels makes it difficult to give exact figures for fire events. We analysed the state of fire prevention systems in hotels in Spain with the aim of proposing strategies to improve fire safety. A 10-item questionnaire was administered from 2007 to 2009 to 15 Spanish experts in fire safety. The questions were measured using a Likert scale and classified into 4 sections: current state of installations, influence of establishment characteristics, application of regulations and priority ranking of actions. Descriptive statistics summarized the data and t-tests evaluated the agreement foreach statement in the questionnaire. The statistical analysis showed homogeneity in the responses by the experts in all four categories: current state of fire safety installations, influence of establishment characteristics, application of regulations, and priority of actions. There was consensus among the experts over the necessity to improve the enforcement of regulations and also regarding the existence of an association between the hotel category (in Spain they are ranked using a 1 to 5 "star" rating system) and the level of fire safety; hotels with a higher category had higher levels of safety. There is a need to identify ways to apply fire safety standards to older hotels so that they comply with new regulations, to standardize regulations for different regions and countries, to improve the maintenance of installations and equipment, to increase the effectiveness of inspections conducted by government bodies, and to raise the general awareness of stakeholders involved in hotel fire prevention.

Use of expert systems in nuclear safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-02-01

One dominant aspect of improvement in safe nuclear power plant operation is the very high speed in the development and introduction of computer technologies. This development commenced recently when advanced control technology was incorporated into the nuclear industry. This led to an increasing implementation of information displays, annunciator windows and other devices inside the control room, eventually overburdening the control room operator with detailed information. Expert systems are a further step in this direction being designed to apply large knowledge bases to solve practical problems. These ''intelligent'' systems have to incorporate enough knowledge to reach expert levels of importance and represent a very advanced man-machine interface. The aims of the Technical Committee were addressed by the three Working Groups and summarized in Sections 2, 3 and 4 of this report. Section 2 summarizes the results and discussions on the current capabilities of expert systems and identifies features for the future development and use of Expert Systems in Nuclear Power Plants. Section 3 provides an overview of the discussions and investigations into the current status of Expert Systems in NPPs. This section develops a method for assessing the overall benefit of different applications and recommends a broad strategy for priority developments of Expert Systems in NPPs. Section 4 assesses the overall use of PSA type studies in Expert Systems in NPPs and identifies specific features to be adopted in the design of these systems in future applications. The conclusions of the three Working Groups are presented in Section 5. The 15 papers presented at the meeting formed the Annex of this document. A separate abstract was prepared for each of these papers. Refs, figs, tabs and pictures

After Chernobyl - Consequences for energy policy, nuclear safety, radiation and environmental protection. Report of the Expert Group for Nuclear Safety and the environment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1986-01-01

Chapter B contains a report on the current situation with regard to international nuclear power development, nuclear safety programmes. Swedish emergency preparedness planning, and the phasing out of nuclear power. Chapter C explains the causes of the Chernobyl accident and its course and effects in the Soviet Union. The chapter also contains a summary of earlier reactor accidents, a comparison between the Chernobyl reactor and Swedish reactors, and a discussion of the conclustions that can be drawn with respect to the Swedish reactor safety programme. Chapter D begins with an account of certain basic concepts related to radioactive substances and radiation, our radiological environment, and the effects of radiation. Then follows an account of the risks of nuclear power, and in particular the effects of the Chernobyl accident in Sweden. The Expert Group urges that careful consideration be given to the question of further reinforcement of and other measures concerning preparedness for nuclear power accidents on the basis of the material now available, including the evaluation of emergency operations after the Chernobyl accident. Twelve nuclear power blocks now in operation may be used insofar as safety criteria permit. The Expert Group presents the conditions for and consequences of some alternative, faster phase-out schedules. Chapter E begins with an account of the available substitutes for nuclear power. Different phase-out schedules are then presented. The chapter closes with an estimate of the consequences for the national economy. In Chapter F the Expert Group present a description of risks and environmental problems in relation to the alternative phase-out schedules. (authors).

International Expert Team Concludes IAEA Peer Review of Slovakia's Regulatory Framework for Nuclear Safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2012-01-01

Full text: An international team of senior nuclear safety and radiation protection experts today concluded an 11-day mission to review the regulatory framework for nuclear safety in Slovakia. At the request of the Slovak Government, the IAEA assembled a team of 12 senior regulatory experts from 12 nations to conduct the Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) mission involving the Nuclear Regulatory Authority of the Slovak Republic (UJD SR). The international experts also met officials from the Public Health Authority of the Slovak Republic (UVZ SR) regarding the regulation of occupational radiation protection in nuclear facilities. The mission is a peer review based on the IAEA Safety Standards. Marta Ziakova, Chairperson of the Nuclear Regulatory Authority of Slovak Republic, declared that ''The IRRS mission has a great value for the future development and orientation of the UJD SR.'' ''Slovakia has established a regulatory framework for nuclear safety which is in line with international standards and practice,'' said Mission Team Leader Andrej Stritar, Director of the Slovenian Nuclear Safety Administration. The main observations of the IRRS Review team included: UJD SR operates with independence and transparency; UJD SR has developed and implemented a systematic training approach to meet its competence needs; and in response to the accident at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, UJD SR has reacted and communicated to interested parties, including the public. The good practices identified by the IRRS Review Team include: UJD SR has a comprehensive and well-formalized strategic approach to informing and consulting interested parties; UJD SR has developed and implemented a structured approach to training and developing its staff; and Detailed legal requirements provide a solid basis for on-site and off-site response in nuclear emergencies coordinated with local authorities. The IRRS Review team identified areas for further improvement and believes

Expert staff in reactor safety, and the decision to opt out of the peaceful use of nuclear power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

2000-01-01

Also the German federal parliament looked into the attitude of the federal government in matters of preserving competence in nuclear technology in Germany and the possible consequences to this country as a location of research and industry resulting from the loss of know-how in this sector and the potential shortage of expert personnel arising as a consequence. Following an initiative launched by the parliamentary group of the FDP (Liberal Democrats) in the federal parliament in connection with a parliamentary query by Members of Parliament Ulrike Flach, Cornelia Pieper, Birgit Homburger, other members, and the FDP parliamentary group, the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety responded to the catalog of questions on August 21, 2000. The topics covered include questions about the expected development of personnel in public research, and of students of nuclear and nuclear engineering disciplines, and the resultant number of expert personnel available to industry, regulatory authorities, and expert consultants, as well as questions of possible national and international dependencies in nuclear technology, nuclear safety, and the plants currently in operation. (orig.) [de

Partners for development: Expert assistant in Malaysia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daud, A.H.

1996-01-01

This report reviews the expert assignments received by Malaysia under the TC programme over the 1980-95 time period. It provides data about the type of assignments and expert services, the institutions receiving the experts, and duration of the assignment. Also reviewed is the process of requesting and implementing an expert assignment in Malaysia, as well as the country's related objectives and plans

Enhancing Transparency in Multidisciplinary Expert Communication

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hukki, Kristiina; Pulkkinen, Urho

2003-01-01

Faced with problems of public acceptance most nuclear waste management organisations now acknowledge the importance of transparency in their pursuit of solutions for high-level nuclear waste disposal. To make progress the implementing organizations need the trust of other stakeholders in the decision-making process. For such trust these outside stakeholders need knowledge on the grounds for the judgments and decisions made in different scientific and technical disciplines. Transparency is, however, at least as important for the multidisciplinary expert communication itself. As a matter of fact, the transparency of the internal expert interaction processes is a prerequisite for the true transparency of the communication between the implementer and the external stakeholder groups. The introduced conceptual framework has been developed for the identification of the requirements of safety-informed communication in multidisciplinary expert work in nuclear waste management. The framework offers a common thinking model and common concepts which can be utilized in the development of the communication practices. The basis of the framework is on the possibility to understand the safety-critical significance of one's work. The transparency of communication is, for its part, based on making explicit the relevant knowledge necessary for gaining the understanding. This supplementary knowledge, which is related to the substance issues but is not scientific-technical by nature, enhances the experts' awareness of the context of their own contribution and of the background of the other experts' contributions. The common conceptualization and modelling of the knowledge-related dependencies between the tasks make it possible to realize the significance of the supplementary knowledge for transparent communication in actual situations. They also facilitate the recognition of the need for different types of supplementary knowledge in the interfaces between the tasks. By enhancing mutual

An expert system approach for safety diagnosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Erdmann, R.C.; Sun, B.K.H.

1988-01-01

An expert system was developed with the intent to provide real-time information about an accident to an operator who is in the process of diagnosing and bringing that accident under control. Explicit use was made of probabilistic risk analysis techniques and plant accident response information in constructing this system. The expert system developed contains 70 logic rules and provides contextual messages during simulated accident sequences and logic sequence information on the entire sequence in graphical form for accident diagnosis. The present analysis focuses on integrated control system-related transients with Babcock and Wilcox-type reactors. While the system developed here is limited in extent and was built for a composite reactor, it demonstrates that an expert system may enhance the operator's capability in the control room

Being an expert

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brechet, Y.; Musseau, O.; Bruna, G.; Sperandio, M.; Roulleaux-Dugage, M.; Andrieux, S.; Metteau, L.

2014-01-01

This series of short articles are dedicated to the role of the expert in the enterprise. There is an important difference between a scientific counsellor and an expert, the expert, recognized by his peers, can speak publicly in his field of expertise but has a duty of transparency while the job of a scientific counsellor requires confidentiality. The making and the use of an expert in an enterprise requires a dedicated organization. The organization of the expertise in 5 enterprises in nuclear industry are considered: CEA (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission), IRSN (Institute of Radioprotection and Nuclear Safety), AREVA, ANDRA (National Radioactive Waste Management Agency) and EDF (Electricity of France)

Plutonium - the ultrapoison? An expert's opinion about an expert opinion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stoll, W.; Becker, K.

1989-01-01

In an expert opinion written by Professor H. Kuni, Marburg, for the North Rhine-Westphalian state government, plutonium is called by far the most dangerous element in the Periodic Table. The Marburg medical expert holds that even improved legal instruments are unable to warrant effective protection of the workers handling this material, in the light of the present standards of industrial safety, because of radiological conditions and measuring problems with plutonium isotopes. In this article by an internationally renowned expert in the field, the ideas expressed in the expert opinion about the toxicity of plutonium, the cause-and-effect relationship in radiation damage by plutonium, and recent findings about the toxicity are subjected to a critical review. On the basis of results of radiation protection and of case studies, the statements in the expert opinion are contrasted with facts which make them appear in a very different light. (orig./RB) [de

Expert systems for assisting the analysis of hazards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Evrard, J.M.; Martinez, J.M.; Souchet, Y.

1990-01-01

The advantage of applying expert systems in the analysis of safety in the operation of nuclear power plants is discussed. Expert systems apply a method based on a common representation of nuclear power plants. The main steps of the method are summarized. The applications given concern in the following fields: the analysis of hazards in the electric power supplies of a gas-graphite power plant; the evaluation of the availability of safety procedures in a PWR power plant; the search for the sources of leakage in a PWR power plant. The analysis shows that expert systems are a powerful tool in the study of safety of nuclear power plants [fr

A formal process for elicitation and validation of expert judgments for safety case in the context of spent nuclear fuel management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hukki, K.

2008-09-01

The report introduces a proposal for a formal expert judgment elicitation and validation process for Posiva in the construction of the safety case of the spent fuel disposal facility at Olkiluoto. The procedure has been developed by adopting a systemic, interaction-based approach to elicitation and validation. By taking this view the approach differs from other approaches to formal expert judgment. The concept for the formal procedure has been developed by taking the support for collaboration as the primary requirement for the development. The procedure provides systematic practices and a forum for joint assessment and makes it possible for the domain experts to participate in the discussions and decisions on the validity of the input data. In addition to the experts, also the safety analysts are elicited, in a way. The two-way elicitation enhances mutual understanding between the participants and assures collaboration of equal parties. The procedure provides also conceptual tools that support decision making in validation by enhancing transparency of reasoning. The predefined forms and descriptions serve as shared frames of references and enhance the comprehension of, e.g., the nature and impact of the uncertainties of the input data, the ways of thinking underlying the different disciplines and the significance of one's role as part of the construction of the safety case. Enhanced motivation and transparency of reasoning contribute to improved transfer and integration of knowledge across the disciplinary boundaries and, as a consequence, makes it easier to reach a consensus between the participants. (orig.)

SEMPaC - an expert system prototype associated with safety parameter display system of a nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirama, K.

1989-01-01

This work presents SEMPaC, an expert system prototype: it provides means to support diagnosis and to make decisions during abnormal transients that cause the trip of nuclear power plant. The system operation is associated with Safety Parameter Display System - SPDS that was recommended by U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) after the Three-Mile Island (TMI) accident analysis. (author)

International Nuclear and Radiation Safety Experts Conclude IAEA Peer Review of Slovenia's Regulatory System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2011-01-01

Full text: An international team of senior nuclear safety experts today concluded a 10-day mission to review the regulatory framework for nuclear and radiation safety in Slovenia. The team identified good practices and gave advice on areas for future improvements. The IAEA has conveyed the team's main conclusions to the Government of Slovenia and a final report will be submitted by the end of 2011. At the request of the Slovenian Government, the IAEA assembled a team of 10 senior regulatory experts from nine nations to conduct the Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) mission involving the Slovenian Nuclear Safety Administration (SNSA). The mission is a peer review based on the IAEA Safety Standards. Andrej Stritar, Director of Slovenian Nuclear Safety Administration, stressed ''how important it is for a small country like Slovenia to tightly follow international standards in the area of nuclear safety.'' He also expressed his gratitude to the IAEA, and the countries from which team members came, for their support and for their intensive work during the last ten days. Mission Team Leader Colin Patchett, Deputy Chief Inspector from the UK's Office for Nuclear Regulation commended ''the Slovenian authorities for their commitment to nuclear and radiation safety regulation and for sharing their experience.'' The IRRS team reviewed Slovenia's current regulatory framework and all SNSA-regulated facilities and activities, as well as the regulatory implications of the TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi accident. The IRRS team identified particular strengths in the Slovenian regulatory system, including: Through its legal framework, the Slovenian government has appointed SNSA to regulate its nuclear safety program and SNSA has in place an effective process for carrying out this responsibility; and Slovenia's response to the accident at the TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi power plant has been prompt and effective. Communications with the public, development of actions for improvement

Expert Opinion in SR 97 and the SKI/SSI Joint Review of SR 97

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hora, Stephen

2002-09-01

The role of sensitivity and uncertainty analyses for radioactive waste disposal assessments is reviewed. The report covers a description of the these concepts were applied in the authorities' review of the safety report SR 97. With regard to the use of expert knowledge, the most significant weakness of SR 97 is absence of any standards, procedures, and even definitions for expert judgment. This situation needs to be dealt with by SKB in the near future as it denigrates the portions of the study that are well done. In developing expert judgment processes, SSI should ensure that SKB creates procedures that guarantee traceability and transparency. This will become very important as the repository system matures and receives greater public scrutiny. Both in the area of scenario creation and expert judgement, there are processes that have gained international acceptance. It would be in the best interest of SKB, and the public, to adhere these accepted approaches.

Expert Opinion in SR 97 and the SKI/SSI Joint Review of SR 97

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hora, Stephen

2002-09-01

The role of sensitivity and uncertainty analyses for radioactive waste disposal assessments is reviewed. The report covers a description of the these concepts were applied in the authorities' review of the safety report SR 97. With regard to the use of expert knowledge, the most significant weakness of SR 97 is absence of any standards, procedures, and even definitions for expert judgment. This situation needs to be dealt with by SKB in the near future as it denigrates the portions of the study that are well done. In developing expert judgment processes, SSI should ensure that SKB creates procedures that guarantee traceability and transparency. This will become very important as the repository system matures and receives greater public scrutiny. Both in the area of scenario creation and expert judgement, there are processes that have gained international acceptance. It would be in the best interest of SKB, and the public, to adhere these accepted approaches

Ignalina NPP its environment, safety and future, prospects of the energetic, ethnic and cultural situation: expert evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morkunas, Z. V.; Ciuzas, A.; Jonaitis, V.; Sutiniene, I.

1995-01-01

According to the tasks defined in the 'Atomic Energy and the Environment' program an expert evaluative survey was done for the first time in Lithuania concerning the Ignalina NPP and its consequences and perspectives according to the concept which was prepared. The results of survey analysis, done by Lithuanian experts, are presented. Investigation involved these problems: evolution of the technical state safety, use and prospects of the nuclear power plant; evaluation of the activities of governmental and social institutions in connection with the nuclear power plant; Ignalina NPP and the environment; the effect of the nuclear power plant on agricultural activities and development; evolution of the ethnic and cultural situation; conclusions and recommendations for regulations of those areas. (author). 2 refs., 11 figs

A method for using expert judgement in PSA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pulkkinen, U.; Holmberg, J.

1997-03-01

The report discusses an expert judgement methodology development for applications at all levels of probabilistic safety assessment (PSA). The main applications are expected to be at PSA-levels 1 and 2. The method consists of several phases, including the selection and training of the experts, elicitation of experts' judgements, probabilistic modeling and combination of experts' judgements and documentation of the judgement process. The expert training and elicitation process is rather similar to that applied in the NUREG-1150 study. The combination of experts judgements is based on a Bayesian framework utilizing hierarchic models. The posterior distributions of the variables under analysis can be interpreted as a Bayesian counterpart of the combined or aggregated (consensus) distributions, and they are determined by applying Markov chain Monte-Carlo methods. The properties of the method are illustrated by some simple examples. The method is tested in a case study belonging to the benchmark exercise on the use of expert judgement in level 2 PSA, organized as a concerted action of European Commission Fourth Framework Programme on Nuclear Fission Safety. (14 refs.)

Safety experts complete second IAEA regulatory review of UK nuclear regulator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2009-01-01

Full text: Nuclear safety experts today concluded a 10-day mission to peer-review the UK Nuclear Regulator: Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Nuclear Directorate (ND). At the request of the UK Government, the International Atomic Energy Agency assembled a team of ten high-level regulatory experts from eight nations to conduct the Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) mission. The mission was the second of three planned IRRS missions for the United Kingdom. The first was held in March 2006 to begin a process to assess the nation's readiness to regulate and license new reactor designs, considered as a result of the Energy Policy review initiated by the British Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (DTI) in 2005. The IRRS team leader Mr. William Borchardt, Executive Director of Operations from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, stated, ''The IAEA IRRS serves an important role in both benchmarking against its safety standards and in promoting dialogue between nuclear safety regulators from around the world.'' During the 2nd mission the IRRS the team reviewed HSE/ND progress since the first IRRS mission and recent regulatory developments, the regulation of operating power plants and fuel cycle facilities, the inspection and enforcement programme for nuclear power plants and fuel cycle facilities, and the emergency preparedness and response programme. The IAEA found that HSE/ND has made significant progress toward improving its effectiveness in regulating existing nuclear power plants and in preparing to license new nuclear reactors designs. Many of the findings identified in the 2006 report had been fully addressed and therefore could be considered closed, the others are being addressed in accordance with a comprehensive action plan. IRRS team members visited the Heysham 1 Nuclear Power Plant near Lancaster, the Sellafield site at Cumbria and the Strategic Control Centre at Hutton, and they met senior managers from HSE and a UK

Safety considerations in design of fast spectrum ads for transuranic or minor actinide burning: a status report on activities of the OECD/Nea expert group

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wade, D.C.

2001-01-01

The Nuclear Development Committee of the OECD/NEA convened an expert group for a 'Comparative Study of Accelerator Driven Systems (ADS) and Fast Reactors (FR) in Advanced Nuclear Fuel Cycles'. The expert group has studied complexes (i.e. energy parks) of fission-based energy production and associated waste management facilities comprised of thermal and fast reactors, and ADS. With a goal to minimise transuranic (TRU) flows to the repository per unit of useful energy provided by the complex, the expert group has studied homogenous and heterogeneous recycle of TRU and minor actinides (MA) in the facilities of the complex using aqueous or dry recycle in single and double strata architectures. In the complexes considered by the expert group the ADS is always assigned a TRU or MA (and sometimes a LLFP) incineration mission - with useful energy production only as a secondary ADS goal to partially offset the cost of its construction and operation. Ancillary issues have also been considered - including ADS safety challenges and strategies for resolving them. This paper reports on the status of the expert group's considerations of ADS safety strategy. (author)

Causal Relationship Analysis of the Patient Safety Culture Based on Safety Attitudes Questionnaire in Taiwan

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, Pei-Shan; Huang, Chih-Hsuan

2018-01-01

This study uses the decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory method to identify critical dimensions of the safety attitudes questionnaire in Taiwan in order to improve the patient safety culture from experts' viewpoints. Teamwork climate, stress recognition, and perceptions of management are three causal dimensions, while safety climate, job satisfaction, and working conditions are receiving dimensions. In practice, improvements on effect-based dimensions might receive little effects when a great amount of efforts have been invested. In contrast, improving a causal dimension not only improves itself but also results in better performance of other dimension(s) directly affected by this particular dimension. Teamwork climate and perceptions of management are found to be the most critical dimensions because they are both causal dimensions and have significant influences on four dimensions apiece. It is worth to note that job satisfaction is the only dimension affected by the other dimensions. In order to effectively enhance the patient safety culture for healthcare organizations, teamwork climate, and perceptions of management should be closely monitored. PMID:29686825

Expert system for USNRC emergency response

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sebo, D.E.; Bray, M.A.; King, M.A.

1986-01-01

The Reactor Safety Assessment System (RSAS) is an expert system under development for the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC). RSAS is intended for use at the NRC's Operations Center in the event of a serious incident at a licensed nuclear power plant. RSAS is a situation assessment expert system which uses plant parametric data to generate conclusions for use by the NRC Reactor Safety Team. RSAS uses multiple rule bases and plant specific setpoint files in order to be applicable to all licensed power plants. RSAS currently covers several generic reactor types and power plants within those classes

Do Good Without Causing Undue Harm. Experts Tackle Patient Radiation Safety During IAEA's Scientific Forum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Henriques, Sasha

2011-01-01

Worldwide, about four billion X-ray exams, 35 million nuclear medicine exams and eight million radiation therapy treatment courses are undertaken each year. With millions exposed to ionizing radiation for medical purposes, and developing countries acquiring more machines to treat and diagnose cancer, the safety of patients is an ever-increasing concern. During the IAEA´s Scientific Forum, cancer experts and regulators put their heads together to explore the problems and possible solutions relating to the safe and appropriate use of new radiation medicine technology in developed and developing countries

Risk-Informed SSCs Categorization: Elicitation Method of Expert's Opinion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hwang, Mee Jeong; Yang, Joon Eon; Kim, Kil Yoo

2005-01-01

The regulations have been performing by deterministic way since nuclear power plants have been operating. However, some SSCs identified as safety-significance by deterministic way, were turned out to be low or non safety-significant and some SSCs identified as non-safety significance were turned out to be high safety-significant according to the results of PSA. Considering these risk insights, Regulatory Guide 1.174 and 10CFR50.69 were drawn up, and we can re-categorize the SSCs according to their safety significance. Therefore, a study and an interest about the risk-informed SSCs re-categorization and treatment has been continued. The objective of this regulatory initiative is to adjust the scope of equipment subject to special regulatory treatment to better focus licensee and regulatory attention and resources on equipment that has safety significance. Current most regulations define the plant equipment necessary to meet deterministic regulatory basis as 'safety-related.' This equipment is subject to special treatment regulations. Other plant equipment is categorized as 'non-safety related,' and is not subject to a select number of special treatment requirement or a subset of those requirement. However, risk information is not a magic tool making a decision but a supporting tool to categorize SSCs. This is because only small parts of a plant are modeled in PSA model. Thus, engineering and deterministic judgments are also used for risk-informed SSCs categorization, and expert opinion elicitation is very important for risk-informed SSCs categorization. Therefore, we need a rational method to elicit the expert's opinions, and in this study, we developed a systematic method for expert elicitation to categorize the nuclear power plants' SSCs. Current states for SSCs categorization of the USA and the existing methods for expert elicitation were surveyed and more systematic way eliciting the expert opinions and combining was developed. To validate the developed method

Requirements to obtain the recognition of radiological protection experts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arguelles, R.; Villarroel, R.; Senderos, V.; Campos, R.; Pinos, M.; Ponjuan, G.; Franco, P.; Rueda, D.

2003-01-01

The scope of this paper is to summarize the general requirements related to education, training and skill of the individual to obtain the recognition of radiological protection experts on ionizing radiation (experts on radiological protection- RP). There has been established two levels according to the grade of responsibility: Qualified expert provided with a diploma given by de Nuclear Safety Council. Technician expert on radiological protection whose certification is made by the Qualified expert that supervise their work. To obtain the diploma of qualified expert is required an official degree, a title of Architecture, Engineering or equivalent in case of no national degrees; specific training on radiological protection (300 hours) and the knowledge on safety and radiological protection of the facilities to be supervised. Three years of experience on radiological protection must be proved. To get the recognition of technician expert on radiological protection is required Formacion Profesional de Grado Superior or equivalent and specific training on safety and radiological protection. Knowledge on basis and principles of radiological protection are required. According to the type of the facilities to be supervised there are two models: A model: to deal with facilities included in RD 1836/1999 (nuclear and radioactive facilities). B model: to deal with medical X rays facilities approved under RD 1891/1991 three months of experience on the selected model must be proved. (Author)

History of nuclear power plants safety in France (1945-2000) - Engineer techniques, expert evaluation, topical issue

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Foasso, Cyrille

2003-01-01

This doctoral dissertation relates the history of the mastery of risks in civil nuclear plants in France. Since 1960, it's known as the 'surete nucleaire'. Over a fifty-year period separating the discovery or the atomic fission and its industrial application on a large scale this PhD shows which technical means were used over the years by engineers to handle this risk which is said to be huge. It also studies the various processes in expert evaluation and in decision making elaborated to evaluate if the risk was acceptable or not. Beyond the conflicts between nuclear advocates and opponents, this thesis shows how ever among nuclear engineer the growing distinction between roles (promoters, experts and controlling authorities) and the various jobs (designers, builders and plant operators) triggered different estimations as far as the methods to obtain a satisfactory safety. Thanks to the progress of knowledge through research programs, thanks to the lessons drawn from the functioning or dysfunction of nuclear plants, thanks to the reinforcement of regulations (which more or less reflects the public's opinion concerning this industry) the safety has progressively improved. Thus, this historical study is multiple: a technical history of technology, a history of scientific, industrial and administrative organization, a social history and finally an international and comparative history since the nuclear energy history quickly developed beyond national boundaries. (author) [fr

An online expert network for high quality information on occupational safety and health: cross-sectional study of user satisfaction and impact

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rhebergen, Martijn D. F.; Lenderink, Annet F.; van Dijk, Frank J. H.; Hulshof, Carel T. J.

2011-01-01

Many people have difficulties finding information on health questions, including occupational safety and health (OSH) issues. One solution to alleviate these difficulties could be to offer questioners free-of-charge, online access to a network of OSH experts who provide tailored, high-quality

Risk communication activities toward nuclear safety in Tokai: your safety is our safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsuchiya, T.

2007-01-01

As several decades have passed since the construction of nuclear power plants began, residents have become gradually less interested in nuclear safety. The Tokai criticality accident in 1909, however, had roused residents in Tokai-Mura to realize that they live with nuclear technology risks. To prepare a field of risk communication, the Tokai-Mura C 3 project began as a pilot research project supported by NISA. Alter the project ended, we are continuing risk. communication activities as a non-profit organisation. The most important activity of C 3 project is the citizen's inspection programme for nuclear related facilities. This programme was decided by participants who voluntarily applied to the project. The concept of the citizen's inspection programme is 'not the usual facility tours'. Participants are involved from the planning stage and continue to communicate with workers of the inspected nuclear facility. Since 2003, we have conducted six programmes for five nuclear related organisations. Participants evaluated that radiation protection measures were near good but there were some problems concerning the worker's safety and safety culture, and proposed a mixture of advice based on personal experience. Some advice was accepted and it did improve the facility's safety measures. Other suggestions were not agreed upon by nuclear organisations. The reason lies in the difference of concept between the nuclear expert's 'safety' and the citizen's 'safety'. Residents do not worry about radiation only, but also about the facility's safety as a whole including the worker's safety. They say, 'If the workers are not safe, you also are unable to protect us'. Although the disagreement remained, the participants and the nuclear industry learned much about each other. Participating citizens received a substantial amount of knowledge about the nuclear industry and its safety measures, and feel the credibility and openness of the nuclear industry. On the other hand, the nuclear

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Program-Expert Safety Assessments of Cosmetic Ingredients in an Open Forum.

Science.gov (United States)

Boyer, Ivan J; Bergfeld, Wilma F; Heldreth, Bart; Fiume, Monice M; Gill, Lillian J

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) is a nonprofit program to assess the safety of ingredients in personal care products in an open, unbiased, and expert manner. Cosmetic Ingredient Review was established in 1976 by the Personal Care Products Council (PCPC), with the support of the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) and the Consumer Federation of America (CFA). Cosmetic Ingredient Review remains the only scientific program in the world committed to the systematic, independent review of cosmetic ingredient safety in a public forum. Cosmetic Ingredient Review operates in accordance with procedures modeled after the USFDA process for reviewing over-the-counter drugs. Nine voting panel members are distinguished, such as medical professionals, scientists, and professors. Three nonvoting liaisons are designated by the USFDA, CFA, and PCPC to represent government, consumer, and industry, respectively. The annual rate of completing safety assessments accelerated from about 100 to more than 400 ingredients by implementing grouping and read-across strategies and other approaches. As of March 2017, CIR had reviewed 4,740 individual cosmetic ingredients, including 4,611 determined to be safe as used or safe with qualifications, 12 determined to be unsafe, and 117 ingredients for which the information is insufficient to determine safety. Examples of especially challenging safety assessments and issues are presented here, including botanicals. Cosmetic Ingredient Review continues to strengthen its program with the ongoing cooperation of the USFDA, CFA, the cosmetics industry, and everyone else interested in contributing to the process.

Developing a Web-Based Advisory Expert System for Implementing Traffic Calming Strategies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amir Falamarzi

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Lack of traffic safety has become a serious issue in residential areas. In this paper, a web-based advisory expert system for the purpose of applying traffic calming strategies on residential streets is described because there currently lacks a structured framework for the implementation of such strategies. Developing an expert system can assist and advise engineers for dealing with traffic safety problems. This expert system is developed to fill the gap between the traffic safety experts and people who seek to employ traffic calming strategies including decision makers, engineers, and students. In order to build the expert system, examining sources related to traffic calming studies as well as interviewing with domain experts have been carried out. The system includes above 150 rules and 200 images for different types of measures. The system has three main functions including classifying traffic calming measures, prioritizing traffic calming strategies, and presenting solutions for different traffic safety problems. Verifying, validating processes, and comparing the system with similar works have shown that the system is consistent and acceptable for practical uses. Finally, some recommendations for improving the system are presented.

From Risk Analysis to the Safety Case. Values in Risk Assessments. A Report Based on Interviews with Experts in the Nuclear Waste Programs in Sweden and Finland. A Report from the RISCOM II Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Drottz Sjoeberg, Britt-Marie

2004-06-01

The report focuses on values in risk assessment, and is based on interviews with safety assessment experts and persons working at the national authorities in Sweden and Finland working in the area of nuclear waste management. The interviews contained questions related to definitions of risk and safety, standards, constraints and degrees of freedom in the work, data collections, reliability and validity of systems and the safety assessments, as well as communication between experts, and experts and non-experts. The results pointed to an increased amount of data and relevant factors considered in the analyses over time, changing the work content and process from one of risk analysis to a multifaceted teamwork towards the assessment of 'the safety case'. The multifaceted systems approach highlighted the increased importance of investigating assumptions underlying e.g. integration of diverse systems, and simplification procedures. It also highlighted the increased reliance on consensus building processes within the extended expert group, the importance of adequate communication abilities within the extended expert group, as well as the importance of transparency and communication relative the larger society. The results are discussed with reference to e.g. Janis 'groupthink' theory and Kuhns ideas of paradigmatic developments in science. It is concluded that it is well advised, in addition to the ordinary challenges of the work, to investigate also the implicit assumptions involved in the work processes to further enhance the understanding of safety assessments

From Risk Analysis to the Safety Case. Values in Risk Assessments. A Report Based on Interviews with Experts in the Nuclear Waste Programs in Sweden and Finland. A Report from the RISCOM II Project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Drottz Sjoeberg, Britt-Marie [Norwegian Univ. of Science and Technology, Trondheim (Norway). Dept. of Psychology

2004-06-01

The report focuses on values in risk assessment, and is based on interviews with safety assessment experts and persons working at the national authorities in Sweden and Finland working in the area of nuclear waste management. The interviews contained questions related to definitions of risk and safety, standards, constraints and degrees of freedom in the work, data collections, reliability and validity of systems and the safety assessments, as well as communication between experts, and experts and non-experts. The results pointed to an increased amount of data and relevant factors considered in the analyses over time, changing the work content and process from one of risk analysis to a multifaceted teamwork towards the assessment of 'the safety case'. The multifaceted systems approach highlighted the increased importance of investigating assumptions underlying e.g. integration of diverse systems, and simplification procedures. It also highlighted the increased reliance on consensus building processes within the extended expert group, the importance of adequate communication abilities within the extended expert group, as well as the importance of transparency and communication relative the larger society. The results are discussed with reference to e.g. Janis 'groupthink' theory and Kuhns ideas of paradigmatic developments in science. It is concluded that it is well advised, in addition to the ordinary challenges of the work, to investigate also the implicit assumptions involved in the work processes to further enhance the understanding of safety assessments.

Expert robots in nuclear plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Byrd, J.S.; Fisher, J.J.; DeVries, K.R.; Martin, T.P.

1987-01-01

Expert robots enhance a safety and operations in nuclear plants. E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Savannah River Laboratory, is developing expert mobile robots for deployment in nuclear applications at the Savannah River Plant. Knowledge-based expert systems are being evaluated to simplify operator control, to assist in navigation and manipulation functions, and to analyze sensory information. Development work using two research vehicles is underway to demonstrate semiautonomous, intelligence, expert robot system operation in process areas. A description of the mechanical equipment, control systems, and operating modes is presented, including the integration of onboard sensors. A control hierarchy that uses modest computational methods is being used to allow mobile robots to autonomously navigate and perform tasks in known environments without the need for large computer systems

Expert robots in nuclear plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Byrd, J.S.; Fisher, J.J.; DeVries, K.R.; Martin, T.P.

1987-01-01

Expert robots will enhance safety and operations in nuclear plants. E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Savannah River Laboratory, is developing expert mobile robots for deployment in nuclear applications at the Savannah River Plant. Knowledge-based expert systems are being evaluated to simplify operator control, to assist in navigation and manipulation functions, and to analyze sensory information. Development work using two research vehicles is underway to demonstrate semiautonomous, intelligent, expert robot system operation in process areas. A description of the mechanical equipment, control systems, and operating modes is presented, including the integration of onboard sensors. A control hierarchy that uses modest computational methods is being used to allow mobile robots to autonomously navigate and perform tasks in known environments without the need for large computer systems

An expert system for USNRC emergency response

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sebo, D.E.; Bray, M.A.; King, M.A.

1986-01-01

The Reactor Safety Assessment System (RSAS) is an expert system under development for the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC). RSAS is intended for use at the NRO's Operations Center in the event of a serious incident at a licensed nuclear power plant. RSAS is a situation assessment expert system which uses plant parametric data to generate conclusions for use by the NRC Reactor Safety Team. RSAS uses multiple rule bases and plant specific setpoint files in order to be applicable to all licensed power plants. RSAS currently covers several generic reactor types and power plants within those classes

Expert opinion vs. empirical evidence

OpenAIRE

Herman, Rod A; Raybould, Alan

2014-01-01

Expert opinion is often sought by government regulatory agencies when there is insufficient empirical evidence to judge the safety implications of a course of action. However, it can be reckless to continue following expert opinion when a preponderance of evidence is amassed that conflicts with this opinion. Factual evidence should always trump opinion in prioritizing the information that is used to guide regulatory policy. Evidence-based medicine has seen a dramatic upturn in recent years sp...

IAEA Expert Team Completes Mission to Review Japan's Nuclear Power Plant Safety Assessment Process, 31 January 2012, Tokyo, Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2012-01-01

Full text: A team of international nuclear safety experts today completed a review of Japan's two-stage process for assessing nuclear safety at the nation's nuclear power plants. The team began its work on 23 January and delivered a Preliminary Summary Report to Japanese officials today and plans to finish the final report by the end of February. National safety assessments and their peer review by the IAEA are a key component of the IAEA's Action Plan on Nuclear Safety, which was approved by the Agency's 152 Member States following last year's nuclear accident at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. At the request of the Government of Japan, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) organized a 10-person team to review the Japanese Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency's (NISA) approach to the Comprehensive Assessments for the Safety of Existing Power Reactor Facilities and how NISA examines the results submitted by nuclear operators. The IAEA safety review mission consisted of five IAEA and three international nuclear safety experts. To help its review, the team held meetings in Tokyo with officials from NISA, the Japanese Nuclear Energy Safety (JNES) Organization, and the Kansai Electric Power Company (KEPCO), and the team visited the Ohi Nuclear Power Station to see an example of how Japan's Comprehensive Safety Assessment is being implemented by nuclear operators. 'We concluded that NISA's instructions to power plants and its review process for the Comprehensive Safety Assessments are generally consistent with IAEA Safety Standards', said team leader James Lyons, director of the IAEA's Nuclear Installation Safety Division. In its Preliminary Summary Report delivered today, the team highlighted a number of good practices and identified some improvements that would enhance the overall effectiveness of the Comprehensive Safety Assessment process. Good practices identified by the mission team include: Based on NISA instructions and commitments of the

An expert judgment model applied to estimating the safety effect of a bicycle facility.

Science.gov (United States)

Leden, L; Gårder, P; Pulkkinen, U

2000-07-01

This paper presents a risk index model that can be used for assessing the safety effect of countermeasures. The model estimates risk in a multiplicative way, which makes it possible to analyze the impact of different factors separately. Expert judgments are incorporated through a Bayesian error model. The variance of the risk estimate is determined by Monte-Carlo simulation. The model was applied to assess the safety effect of a new design of a bicycle crossing. The intent was to gain safety by raising the crossings to reduce vehicle speeds and by making the crossings more visible by painting them in a bright color. Before the implementations, bicyclists were riding on bicycle crossings of conventional Swedish type, i.e. similar to crosswalks but delineated by white squares rather than solid lines or zebra markings. Automobile speeds were reduced as anticipated. However, it seems as if the positive effect of this was more or less canceled out by increased bicycle speeds. The safety per bicyclist was still improved by approximately 20%. This improvement was primarily caused by an increase in bicycle flow, since the data show that more bicyclists at a given location seem to benefit their safety. The increase in bicycle flow was probably caused by the new layout of the crossings since bicyclists perceived them as safer and causing less delay. Some future development work is suggested. Pros and cons with the used methodology are discussed. The most crucial parameter to be added is probably a model describing the interaction between motorists and bicyclists, for example, how risk is influenced by the lateral position of the bicyclist in relation to the motorist. It is concluded that the interaction seems to be optimal when both groups share the roadway.

Development of an expert system for radioactive material transportation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tamanoi, K.; Ishitobi, M.; Shinohara, Y.

1990-01-01

An expert system to deal with radioactive material transportation was developed. This expert system is based on 'Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material' by IAEA issued 1985. IAEA published the regulations under such environments that safety transportation has become increasingly being focused as uses of radioactive materials are more pervasive, not only in nuclear field but also in non-nuclear purposes. Attentions are payed for operators and environment to establish safety in handling radioactive materials. In the 1985 regulations, detailed categorization of radioactive materials and, correspondingly, new classification of packages are introduced. This categorization is more complicated than old regulations, leading us to develop an expert system to evaluate easily the packages categorization. (author)

IAEA Sends International Fact-finding Expert Mission to Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2011-01-01

Full text: The International Atomic Energy Agency will dispatch an international expert fact-finding mission to Japan. Based upon the agreement between the IAEA and the Government of Japan, the mission, comprising nearly 20 international and IAEA experts from a dozen countries, will visit Japan between 24 May and 2 June 2011. Under the leadership of Mr. Mike Weightman, HM Chief Inspector of Nuclear Installations of the United Kingdom, the mission will conduct fact-finding activities at Tokyo Electric Power Company's Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station (NPS) site and in other locations. The expert mission will make a preliminary assessment of the safety issues linked with TEPCO's Fukushima Dai-ichi NPS accident following the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. During the mission, areas that need further exploration or assessment based on the IAEA safety standards will also be identified. In the course of the IAEA mission, the international experts will become acquainted with the Japanese lessons learned from the accident and will share their experience and expertise in their fields of competence with the Japanese authorities. Mr. Weightman will present the mission's report at the Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Safety organised by the IAEA in Vienna from 20 to 24 June 2011, as an important input in the process of reviewing and strengthening the global nuclear safety framework that will be launched by the Conference. (IAEA)

Statement on the safety of glucosamine for patients receiving coumarin anticoagulants

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tetens, Inge

2011-01-01

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) asked the Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies to provide a scientific statement on the safety of glucosamine for patients receiving coumarin anticoagulants. More than 40 case reports have been collected by drug-monitoring agencies...... cases haemorrhage occurred in a variety of organs, and in one case this resulted in a persistent vegetative state. The evidence for an interaction between glucosamine and coumarin anticoagulants is strengthened by the observation that in the majority of cases the INR began to fall to normal values when...... glucosamine intake was discontinued. There is insufficient information to conclude on a mechanism for an interaction between glucosamine and coumarin anticoagulants. There are also insufficient data in the case reports to derive a dose-response relationship for glucosamine and to assess the level of risk...

Risk-Informed SSCs Categorization: Elicitation Method of Expert's Opinion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hwang, Mee Jeong; Yang, Joon Eon; Kim, Kil Yoo

2005-01-15

The regulations have been performing by deterministic way since nuclear power plants have been operating. However, some SSCs identified as safety-significance by deterministic way, were turned out to be low or non safety-significant and some SSCs identified as non-safety significance were turned out to be high safety-significant according to the results of PSA. Considering these risk insights, Regulatory Guide 1.174 and 10CFR50.69 were drawn up, and we can re-categorize the SSCs according to their safety significance. Therefore, a study and an interest about the risk-informed SSCs re-categorization and treatment has been continued. The objective of this regulatory initiative is to adjust the scope of equipment subject to special regulatory treatment to better focus licensee and regulatory attention and resources on equipment that has safety significance. Current most regulations define the plant equipment necessary to meet deterministic regulatory basis as 'safety-related.' This equipment is subject to special treatment regulations. Other plant equipment is categorized as 'non-safety related,' and is not subject to a select number of special treatment requirement or a subset of those requirement. However, risk information is not a magic tool making a decision but a supporting tool to categorize SSCs. This is because only small parts of a plant are modeled in PSA model. Thus, engineering and deterministic judgments are also used for risk-informed SSCs categorization, and expert opinion elicitation is very important for risk-informed SSCs categorization. Therefore, we need a rational method to elicit the expert's opinions, and in this study, we developed a systematic method for expert elicitation to categorize the nuclear power plants' SSCs. Current states for SSCs categorization of the USA and the existing methods for expert elicitation were surveyed and more systematic way eliciting the expert opinions and combining was developed. To

Involving patients in patient safety programmes: A scoping review and consensus procedure by the LINNEAUS collaboration on patient safety in primary care.

Science.gov (United States)

Trier, Hans; Valderas, Jose M; Wensing, Michel; Martin, Helle Max; Egebart, Jonas

2015-09-01

Patient involvement has only recently received attention as a potentially useful approach to patient safety in primary care. To summarize work conducted on a scoping review of interventions focussing on patient involvement for patient safety; to develop consensus-based recommendations in this area. Scoping review of the literature 2006-2011 about methods and effects of involving patients in patient safety in primary care identified evidence for previous experiences of patient involvement in patient safety. This information was fed back to an expert panel for the development of recommendations for healthcare professionals and policy makers. The scoping review identified only weak evidence in support of the effectiveness of patient involvement. Identified barriers included a number of patient factors but also the healthcare workers' attitudes, abilities and lack of training. The expert panel recommended the integration of patient safety in the educational curricula for healthcare professionals, and expected a commitment from professionals to act as first movers by inviting and encouraging the patients to take an active role. The panel proposed a checklist to be used by primary care clinicians at the point of care for promoting patient involvement. There is only weak evidence on the effectiveness of patient involvement in patient safety. The recommendations of the panel can inform future policy and practice on patient involvement in safety in primary care.

The Study of Expert System Utilization for the Accelerator Operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Budi-Santosa; Slamet-Santosa; Subari-Santosa

2000-01-01

The utilization of expert system in the accelerator laboratory has been studied. The study covers the utilization of expert system in the setting up experiment (tuning parameter), controlling system, safety or warning system. The results study shows, that using the expert system in the accelerator would be easy to operate the accelerator for user and operator. Increasing the skill of expert system could be updated without logical mechanism modification. (author)

Expert opinion vs. empirical evidence

Science.gov (United States)

Herman, Rod A; Raybould, Alan

2014-01-01

Expert opinion is often sought by government regulatory agencies when there is insufficient empirical evidence to judge the safety implications of a course of action. However, it can be reckless to continue following expert opinion when a preponderance of evidence is amassed that conflicts with this opinion. Factual evidence should always trump opinion in prioritizing the information that is used to guide regulatory policy. Evidence-based medicine has seen a dramatic upturn in recent years spurred by examples where evidence indicated that certain treatments recommended by expert opinions increased death rates. We suggest that scientific evidence should also take priority over expert opinion in the regulation of genetically modified crops (GM). Examples of regulatory data requirements that are not justified based on the mass of evidence are described, and it is suggested that expertise in risk assessment should guide evidence-based regulation of GM crops. PMID:24637724

Expert systems for assisting in design reviews

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brtis, J.S.; Johnson, W.J.; Weber, N.; Naser, J.

1990-01-01

This paper discusses Sargent and Lundy's (S and L's) use of expert system technologies to computerize the procedures used for engineering design reviews. This paper discusses expert systems and the advantages that result from using them to computerize the decision-making process. This paper also discusses the design review expert systems that S and L has developed to perform fire protection and ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable) design reviews, and is currently developing for the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) to perform 10 CFR 50.59 safety reviews

Experts and equipment: The IAEA programme in 1965

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1965-01-01

Nearly 100 projects are being assisted by Agency experts and equipment in 38 countries under the 1965 programme to be financed from Agency funds, which the Board of Governors approved at its meeting in February, together with four other countries where projects previously approved extend into 1965. In addition, further work is being financed under the UN Expanded Programme of Technical Assistance, including several important regional projects. Under the Agency's long-term programme, it is desirable that all types of technical assistance, whether training, research, or expert advice, should be combined as far as possible. Each country will therefore be asked, in respect of its 1966 programme, to make its requests for experts, equipment, fellowships, scientific visits and research grants as a single submission. The Agency then prepares a country programme of technical assistance, in collaboration with the Government. The number of requests for experts and equipment continues to grow year by year, and it has not been possible to finance them all. This increase is largely because a number of Member States have now set up research reactors and established a nucleus of laboratories under bilateral arrangements; they then turn to the Agency for assistance in developing their programmes. The estimated cost of experts and equipment being provided from Agency resources is $874 000 in 1965, of which $596 800 is for experts, and $277 200 is for equipment and supplies. The Agency also assists some Member States in making arrangements to receive technical assistance directly from other Member States. The work covers a wide range, with isotopes predominating; about 30 projects deal with production of isotopes, their applications in medicine, agriculture and hydrology, in food preservation and industry. A number of projects are concerned with various aspects of reactor construction and use; others deal with health and safety, instrumentation, special branches of chemistry and

Expert system technology for nondestructive waste assay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Becker, G.K.; Determan, J.C.

1998-01-01

Nondestructive assay waste characterization data generated for use in the National TRU Program must be of known and demonstrable quality. Each measurement is required to receive an independent technical review by a qualified expert. An expert system prototype has been developed to automate waste NDA data review of a passive/active neutron drum counter system. The expert system is designed to yield a confidence rating regarding measurement validity. Expert system rules are derived from data in a process involving data clustering, fuzzy logic, and genetic algorithms. Expert system performance is assessed against confidence assignments elicited from waste NDA domain experts. Performance levels varied for the active, passive shielded, and passive system assay modes of the drum counter system, ranging from 78% to 94% correct classifications

International Expert Team Concludes IAEA Peer Review of Poland's Regulatory Framework for Nuclear and Radiation Safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2013-01-01

Full text: International safety experts last week concluded a two-week International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) mission to review the regulatory framework for nuclear and radiation safety in Poland. In its preliminary report, the Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) mission team found that Poland's nuclear regulator, Panstwowa Agencja Atomistyki (PAA), has a clear commitment to safety, a high level of transparency, competent staff and leadership, and a good recognition of challenges ahead related to Poland's efforts to develop nuclear power. ''Poland's regulatory framework and the work of PAA give high confidence of strong radiation protection for the Polish people. Further, there has been significant progress in the development of Poland's regulatory framework in preparation for the challenge of regulating nuclear power,'' said team leader Robert Lewis, a senior executive in the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The mission was conducted at the request of the Government of Poland from 15-25 April. The team was made up of 11 regulatory experts from Belgium, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, the Republic of Korea, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as five IAEA staff members. The IRRS review team was very thorough in its review, and we welcome its advice on how to continue to improve our programmes to protect people and the environment , said Janusz Wlodarski, President of PAA. The team interviewed members of PAA and officials from various ministries, as well as key players in the Polish safety framework. Such IRRS missions are peer reviews based on IAEA Safety Standards, not inspections or audits. Among its main observations the IRRS review team identified the following good practices: Applying the considerable experience of PAA's senior management to regulatory issues; The introduction of changes to Poland's laws and regulations following broad public consultation at an early stage in

Regional brain changes occurring during disobedience to "experts" in financial decision-making.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Victoria Y M Suen

Full Text Available It is well recognized that individuals follow "Expert" advice, even when flawed and offers no advantage, and sometimes leads to disadvantages. The neurobiology underlying this is uncertain, and in particular there is an incomplete understanding of which brain regions are most involved when individuals chose to disobey an expert. To study this we examined functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI differences during an investment game where subjects received differentially credible investment advice. Participants (n = 42; 32 males played an investment game, in which they could Buy or Not Buy a sequence of stocks. The better they did, the more money they made. Participants received either "Expert" advice or "Peer" advice. Those receiving Expert advice were told the advice came from a certified financial "Expert". Those receiving Peer Advice were told the advice was that of the student administering the scans, who deliberately dressed and acted casually. Both streams of advice were predetermined and identical. The advice was scripted to be helpful initially, but progressively worse as the task continued, becoming 100% wrong by the end of the task. Subjects receiving Expert Advice followed the advice significantly longer on average, even though this was progressively worse advice. Thus, following Expert advice had poorer consequences for individuals, but this did not dissuade them from continuing to follow the advice. In contrast, when subjects disobeyed Expert advice they exhibited significant anterior cingulate cortex (ACC and superior frontal gyrus activation relative to those disobeying Peer advice. These findings may suggest that in subjects who defy authority, or believe they are doing so (in this case by disobeying an "Expert" there is increased activation of these two brain regions. This may have relevance to several areas of behavior, and the potential role of these two brain regions in regard to disobedience behavior requires further

Ask-the-expert: Active Learning Based Knowledge Discovery Using the Expert

Science.gov (United States)

Das, Kamalika; Avrekh, Ilya; Matthews, Bryan; Sharma, Manali; Oza, Nikunj

2017-01-01

Often the manual review of large data sets, either for purposes of labeling unlabeled instances or for classifying meaningful results from uninteresting (but statistically significant) ones is extremely resource intensive, especially in terms of subject matter expert (SME) time. Use of active learning has been shown to diminish this review time significantly. However, since active learning is an iterative process of learning a classifier based on a small number of SME-provided labels at each iteration, the lack of an enabling tool can hinder the process of adoption of these technologies in real-life, in spite of their labor-saving potential. In this demo we present ASK-the-Expert, an interactive tool that allows SMEs to review instances from a data set and provide labels within a single framework. ASK-the-Expert is powered by an active learning algorithm for training a classifier in the backend. We demonstrate this system in the context of an aviation safety application, but the tool can be adopted to work as a simple review and labeling tool as well, without the use of active learning.

Use of expert systems in nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uhrig, R.E.

1989-01-01

The application of technologies, particularly expert systems, to the control room activities in a nuclear power plant has the potential to reduce operator error and increase plant safety, reliability, and efficiency. Furthermore, there are a large number of nonoperating activities (testing, routine maintenance, outage planning, equipment diagnostics, and fuel management) in which expert systems can increase the efficiency and effectiveness of overall plant and corporate operations. This document presents a number of potential applications of expert systems in the nuclear power field. 36 refs., 2 tabs

The long term storage of radioactive waste: Safety and sustainability. A position paper of international experts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2003-06-01

The purpose of the report is to reflect the currently prevailing views among experts in the field of radioactive waste storage and disposal. It is intended for use as a central and authoritative reference point for national discussions and policy papers. It is therefore potentially useful to national committees and bodies concerned with the management of radioactive waste. It may also be of value to concerned members of the public since it is written in language that should be comprehensible to the informed lay person. It was produced as a result of several meetings of experts in the first part of 2002. Since then, it has been reviewed by the international Waste Safety Standards Committee (WASSC), by the WASSC Subgroup on Principles and Criteria for the Disposal of Radioactive Waste at its meeting in October 2000 and by a technical committee convened specifically to review the paper at a meeting held in November 2002. Finally, the essential conclusions of the paper were presented to and discussed with participants to the International Conference on Issues and Trends in Radioactive Waste Management, held in Vienna in December 2002.

The long term storage of radioactive waste: Safety and sustainability. A position paper of international experts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-06-01

The purpose of the report is to reflect the currently prevailing views among experts in the field of radioactive waste storage and disposal. It is intended for use as a central and authoritative reference point for national discussions and policy papers. It is therefore potentially useful to national committees and bodies concerned with the management of radioactive waste. It may also be of value to concerned members of the public since it is written in language that should be comprehensible to the informed lay person. It was produced as a result of several meetings of experts in the first part of 2002. Since then, it has been reviewed by the international Waste Safety Standards Committee (WASSC), by the WASSC Subgroup on Principles and Criteria for the Disposal of Radioactive Waste at its meeting in October 2000 and by a technical committee convened specifically to review the paper at a meeting held in November 2002. Finally, the essential conclusions of the paper were presented to and discussed with participants to the International Conference on Issues and Trends in Radioactive Waste Management, held in Vienna in December 2002

Patient safety incident reporting: a qualitative study of thoughts and perceptions of experts 15 years after 'To Err is Human'.

Science.gov (United States)

Mitchell, Imogen; Schuster, Anne; Smith, Katherine; Pronovost, Peter; Wu, Albert

2016-02-01

One of the key recommendations of the Institute of Medicine's (IOM) report, To Err is Human, 15 years ago was for greater attention to incident reporting in healthcare, analogous to the role it has played in aviation and other high-risk industries. With the passage of time and maturation of the patient safety field, we conducted semistructured interviews with 11 international patient safety experts with knowledge of the US healthcare and meeting at least one of the following criteria: (1) involved in the development of the IOM's recommendations, (2) responsible for the design and/or implementation of national or regional incident reporting systems, (3) conducted research on patient safety/incident reporting at a national level. Five key challenges emerged to explain why incident reporting has not reached its potential: poor processing of incident reports (triaging, analysis, recommendations), inadequate engagement of doctors, insufficient subsequent visible action, inadequate funding and institutional support of incident reporting systems and inadequate usage of evolving health information technology. Leading patient safety experts acknowledge the current challenges of incident reports. The future of incident reporting lies in targeted incident reporting, effective triaging and robust analysis of the incident reports and meaningful engagement of doctors. Incident reporting must be coupled with visible, sustainable action and linkage of incident reports to the electronic health record. If the healthcare industry wants to learn from its mistakes, miss or near miss events, it will need to take incident reporting as seriously as the health budget. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

The recourse to experts. Political reasons and uses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dumoulin, L.; La Branche, St.; Robert, C.; Warin, Ph.

2005-01-01

The need of reliable knowledge is necessary to draw adequate public policies. The role of experts is more and more important in any field, the expert brings his own specialized knowledge to the political world, he can define looming threads, can predict catastrophes, can highlight the long-term responsibility of particular choices but he can also contribute to the drawing of adequate solutions. The limit of expert's power lays in his ability to make a synthesis of plural knowledge. This book presents the role and weight of experts in our society from justice to economics via natural risks. A lot of examples of public policies based on expert valuation is given, in particular the recourse to experts of the European Union when it was to deal with the upgrading of nuclear safety standard in eastern countries. (A.C.)

International nuclear safety experts conclude IAEA peer review of Canada's regulatory system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2009-01-01

Full text: An international team of nuclear safety experts today completed a two-week IAEA review of the regulatory framework and effectiveness of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC). The team identified good practices within the system and gave advice on some areas for improvement. The IAEA has conveyed initial findings to Canadian authorities; the final report will be submitted by autumn. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) assembled a team of nuclear, radiation, and waste safety experts at the request of the Government of Canada, to conduct an Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) mission. The mission from 31 May to 12 June was a peer review based on IAEA Standards, not an inspection, nor an audit. The scope of the mission included sources, facilities and activities regulated by the CNSC: the operation of nuclear power plants (NPPs), research reactors and fuel cycle facilities; the refurbishment or licensing of new NPPs; uranium mining; radiation protection and environmental protection programmes; and the implementation of IAEA Code of Conduct on Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources. The 21-member team from 13 IAEA States and from the IAEA itself reviewed CNSC's work in all relevant areas: legislative and governmental responsibilities; responsibilities and functions; organization; activities of the regulatory body, including the authorization process, review and assessment, inspection and enforcement, the development of regulations, as well as guides and its the management system of CNSC. The basis for the review was a well-prepared self-assessment by the CNSC, including an evolution of its strengths and proposed actions to improve its regulatory effectiveness. Mr. Shojiro Matsuura, IRRS Team Leader and President of the Japanese Nuclear Safety Research Association, said the team 'was impressed by the extensive preparation at all CNSC staff levels.' 'We identified a number of good practices and made recommendations and suggestions

Safety and immunogenicity of yellow fever 17D vaccine in adults receiving systemic corticosteroid therapy: an observational cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kernéis, Solen; Launay, Odile; Ancelle, Thierry; Iordache, Laura; Naneix-Laroche, Véronique; Méchaï, Frédéric; Fehr, Thierry; Leroy, Jean-Philippe; Issartel, Bertrand; Dunand, Jean; van der Vliet, Diane; Wyplosz, Benjamin; Consigny, Paul-Henri; Hanslik, Thomas

2013-09-01

To assess the safety and immunogenicity of live attenuated yellow fever (YF) 17D vaccine in adults receiving systemic corticosteroid therapy. All adult travelers on systemic corticosteroid therapy who had received the YF17D vaccine in 24 French vaccination centers were prospectively enrolled and matched with healthy controls (1:2) on age and history of YF17D immunization. Safety was assessed in a self-administered standardized questionnaire within 10 days after immunization. YF-specific neutralizing antibody titers were measured 6 months after vaccination in patients receiving corticosteroids. Between July 2008 and February 2011, 102 vaccine recipients completed the safety study (34 receiving corticosteroids and 68 controls). The median age was 54.9 years (interquartile range [IQR] 45.1-60.3 years) and 45 participants had a history of previous YF17D immunization. The median time receiving corticosteroid therapy was 10 months (IQR 1-67 months) and the prednisone or equivalent dosage was 7 mg/day (IQR 5-20). Main indications were autoimmune diseases (n = 14), rheumatoid arthritis (n = 9), and upper respiratory tract infections (n = 8). No serious adverse event was reported; however, patients receiving corticosteroids reported more frequent moderate/severe local reactions than controls (12% and 2%, respectively; relative risk 8.0, 95% confidence interval 1.4-45.9). All subjects receiving corticosteroids who were tested (n = 20) had neutralizing antibody titers >10 after vaccination. After YF17D immunization, moderate/severe local reactions may be more frequent in patients receiving systemic corticosteroid therapy. Immunogenicity seems satisfactory. Large-scale studies are needed to confirm these results. Copyright © 2013 by the American College of Rheumatology.

Securing the second front: achieving first receiver safety and security through competency-based tools.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Jamal; Staub, Judith; Seymore, Andrew; Scott, Lancer A

2014-12-01

Limited research has focused on the safety and security of First Responders and Receivers, including clinicians, hospital workers, public safety officials, community volunteers, and other lay personnel, during public health emergencies. These providers are, in some cases, at greater peril during large-scale disasters due to their lack of training and inadequate resources to handle major influxes of patients. Exemplified in the 1995 Tokyo sarin gas attacks and the 2008 Wenchuan earthquakes, lack of training results in poor outcomes for both patients and First Receivers. The improvement of knowledge and comfort level of First Receivers preparing for a medical disaster via an affordable, repeatable emergency preparedness training (EPT) curriculum. A 5-hour EPT curriculum was developed including nine learning objectives, 18 competencies, and 34 performance objectives. Following brief didactic and small group sessions, interprofessional teams of four to six trainees were observed in a large patient simulator designed to recreate environmentally challenging (ie, flood evacuation), multi-patient scenarios using a novel technique developed to utilize trainees as actors. Trained observers assessed successful completion of 16 individual and 18 team performance objectives. Prior to training, team members completed a 24-question knowledge assessment, a demographic survey, and a comfort level self-assessment. Following training, trainees repeated the 24 questions, self-assessment, and course assessment. One hundred ninety-five participants completed the course between November 2012 and August 2013. One hundred ninety-one (98.5%), 150 (76.9%), and 66 (33.8%) participants completed the pretest, post-test, and course assessment, respectively. The mean (SD) percentage of correct answers between the pretest and post-test increased from 46.3 (13.4) to 75.3 (12.2), P safety and security of the "Second Front.

Expert knowledge as defined by the X-Ray Ordinance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-01-01

The radiation protection officer or any person responsible for radiation safety have to give proof of their expert knowledge in accordance with sections 3, 4 of the X-Ray Ordinance. Proof of expert knowledge has to be furnished within the procedure of appointment (sec. 13, sub-sec. (3) X-Ray Ordinance). The directive defines the scope of the expert knowledge required, and the scope of expert knowledge persons must have, or acquire, who are responsible for radiation protection within the preview of sec. 23, no. 2, 4 and sec. 29, sub-sec. 1, no. 3 of the X-Ray Ordinance. (orig./HP) [de

The technical qualified expert on radiation protection in Spain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marco Arboli, M.; Rodriguez Suarez, M.

2002-01-01

Education and training is considered an important tool for promoting safety culture and improving the level of competence of workers. In the different disciplines involved in Radiation Protection (PR), training programmes are being revised to ensure effective protection of individuals. In the European Union framework, the new normative and its adaptation in the Member States, as well as the past actions in each country, make the community to conclude that harmonization of educational programmes and European recognition of the qualification must be reached. An important point of these actions is the definition of the European Qualified Expert. Article 38 of the EURATOM Basic Safety Standards imposes requirements on training and education of the qualified experts and their exchange within the European Union. Since then, there has been many initiatives to seek to harmonization of the qualified expert requirements. In the Spanish education system, there has been a standard training and competent authority recognition of the high level qualified experts on radiation protection since 1986, whose programme is continuously being updating and improving. Taking into account the European actions to define the qualified expert training requirements, it has been designed an educational course for the Technical Qualified Expert on Radiation Protection. This pilot course has being carried out during May, 2002. The results of this project is shown in this paper. (Author)

Expert software for accident identification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dobnikar, M.; Nemec, T.; Muehleisen, A.

2003-01-01

Each type of an accident in a Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) causes immediately after the start of the accident variations of physical parameters that are typical for that type of the accident thus enabling its identification. Examples of these parameter are: decrease of reactor coolant system pressure, increase of radiation level in the containment, increase of pressure in the containment. An expert software enabling a fast preliminary identification of the type of the accident in Krsko NPP has been developed. As input data selected typical parameters from Emergency Response Data System (ERDS) of the Krsko NPP are used. Based on these parameters the expert software identifies the type of the accident and also provides the user with appropriate references (past analyses and other documentation of such an accident). The expert software is to be used as a support tool by an expert team that forms in case of an emergency at Slovenian Nuclear Safety Administration (SNSA) with the task to determine the cause of the accident, its most probable scenario and the source term. The expert software should provide initial identification of the event, while the final one is still to be made after appropriate assessment of the event by the expert group considering possibility of non-typical events, multiple causes, initial conditions, influences of operators' actions etc. The expert software can be also used as an educational/training tool and even as a simple database of available accident analyses. (author)

Prescribing safety, negotiating expertise

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rolina, Gregory

2010-01-01

Owing to their presumed impact on the safety of high-risk installations, the interactions between regulators and the regulated are a major but seldom explored subject of research in risk management. A study by experts on human and organizational factors in nuclear safety sheds light on the various phases (and their effects) of the process whereby experts produce assessments. Light is shed on a 'negotiated expertise' typical of the French style of safety regulations in nuclear installations. It is based on an ongoing technical dialog between experts and operators ('French cooking' for Anglo-Saxons). This analysis of 'expertise' and thus of the 'logics of action' implemented by experts proposes a typology of actions that can be transposed to other sorts of risk or other fields of activity. It hands us the keys for understanding a very contemporary activity. (author)

BWR recirculation pump diagnostic expert system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiang, S.C.; Morimoto, C.N.; Torres, M.R.

2004-01-01

At General Electric (GE), an on-line expert system to support maintenance decisions for BWR recirculation pumps for nuclear power plants has been developed. This diagnostic expert system is an interactive on-line system that furnishes diagnostic information concerning BWR recirculation pump operational problems. It effectively provides the recirculation pump diagnostic expertise in the plant control room continuously 24 hours a day. The expert system is interfaced to an on-line monitoring system, which uses existing plant sensors to acquire non-safety related data in real time. The expert system correlates and evaluates process data and vibration data by applying expert rules to determine the condition of a BWR recirculation pump system by applying knowledge based rules. Any diagnosis will be automatically displayed, indicating which pump may have a problem, the category of the problem, and the degree of concern expressed by the validity index and color hierarchy. The rules incorporate the expert knowledge from various technical sources such as plant experience, engineering principles, and published reports. These rules are installed in IF-THEN formats and the resulting truth values are also expressed in fuzzy terms and a certainty factor called a validity index. This GE Recirculation Pump Expert System uses industry-standard software, hardware, and network access to provide flexible interfaces with other possible data acquisition systems. Gensym G2 Real-Time Expert System is used for the expert shell and provides the graphical user interface, knowledge base, and inference engine capabilities. (author)

Radiological safety and quality paradigms in leadership and innovation

CERN Document Server

Lau, Lawrence

2013-01-01

This book is the product of a unique collaboration by experts from leading international, regional and national agencies and professional organizations discussing on the current 'hot' issue on the judicious use and safety of radiation in radiology. There have been several cases involving radiation overexposure that have received international attention. Strategies and solutions to guide readers how to maximize the benefits and minimize the risks when using radiation in medicine are covered.

Task Force Report, Safety of Personnel in LHC underground areas following the accident of 19th September 2008

CERN Document Server

Delille, B; Inigo-Golfin, J; Lindell, G; Roy, G; Tavian, L; Thomas, E; Trant, R; Völlinger, C

2009-01-01

In January 2009, the Task Force on Safety of Personnel in the LHC underground areas following the accident in sector 3-4 of 19th September 2008 (Safety Task Force) received from the CERN Director General the mandate to investigate the impact of the accident of 19th September 2008 on the safety of personnel working in the LHC underground areas. This mandate includes the elaboration of preventive and/or corrective measures, if deemed necessary. This report gives the conclusions and recommendations of the Safety Task Force which have been reviewed by an external advisory committee of safety experts.

A study on expert system applications for nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huh, Young Hwan; Kim, Yeong Jin; Park, Nam Seog; Dong, In Sook; Choi, In Seon

1987-12-01

The application of artificial intelligence techniques to nuclear power plants such as expert systems is rapidly emerging. expert systems can contribute significantly to the availability and the improved operation and safety of nuclear power plants. The objective of the project is to develop an expert system in a selected application area in the nuclear power plants. This project will last for 3 years. The first year's tasks are: - Information collection and literature survey on expert systems. - Analysis of several applicable areas for applying AI technologies to the nuclear power plants. - Conceptual design of a few selected domains. - Selection of hardware and software tools for the development of the expert system

Methodologies for verification and validation of expert systems as a function of component, criticality and life-cycle phase

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miller, L.

1992-01-01

The review of verification and validation (V and V) methods presented here is based on results of the initial two tasks of a contract with the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Electric Power Research Institute to Develop and Document Guidelines for Verifying and Validating Expert Systems. The first task was to review the applicability of conventional software techniques to expert systems; the second was to directly survey V and V practices associated with development of expert systems. Subsequent tasks will focus on selecting, synthesizing or developing V and V methods appropriate for the overall system, for specific expert systems components, and for different phases of the life-cycle. In addition, final guidelines will most likely be developed for each of three levels of expert systems: safety-related (systems whose functions directly relate to system safety, so-called safety-critical systems), important-to-safety (systems which support the critical safety functions), and non-safety (systems which are unrelated to safety functions). For the present purposes of categorizing and discussing various types of V and V methods, the authors simplify the life-cycle and consider only two aspects - systems validation phase. The authors identified a number of techniques for the first, combined, phase and two general classes of V and V techniques for the latter phase: static testing techniques, which do not involve execution of the system code, and dynamic testing techniques, which do. In the next two sections the author reviews first the applicability to expert systems of conventional V and V techniques and, second, the techniques expert system developers actually use. In the last section the authors make some general observations

Omalizumab for treating chronic spontaneous urticaria: an expert review on efficacy and safety.

Science.gov (United States)

Giménez-Arnau, Ana M

2017-03-01

Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is characterized by the recurrence of itchy hives and/or angioedema for greater than six weeks, with no known external trigger. Omalizumab, a humanized, recombinant, monoclonal anti-IgE antibody, is the only approved add-on therapy for H1-antihistamine refractory CSU patients. Areas covered: The objective of this article is to discuss the mechanism of action, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of omalizumab for the treatment of CSU. The review also summarizes efficacy and safety data from proof-of-concept, phase II (X-CUISITE, MYSTIQUE), and pivotal phase III omalizumab studies (ASTERIA I, ASTERIA II, and GLACIAL). Expert opinion: Omalizumab is a clinically effective and safe biological therapy for treating H1-antihistamine refractory CSU patients. It significantly reduces CSU symptoms (hives, itch and angioedema), and improves patient health-related quality of life. While omalizumab is already integral to the treatment of antihistamine refractory CSU, widespread use will depend on legal and economic factors, as well as improvements in the early and accurate diagnosis of CSU patients who would benefit from treatment.

Toxicity management of angiogenesis inhibitors: resolution of expert panel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pavel O. Rumiantsev

2017-12-01

Full Text Available On 22 June 2017 in St. Petersburg the expert panel was held on the topic “Management of toxicity of angiogenesis inhibitors”, which discussed current issues of systemic therapy of advanced differentiated thyroid cancer resistant to radioactive iodine therapy, advanced kidney cancer and questions of efficacy and safety of new target drugs in the treatment of these diseases. The reports and discussions of experts raised the following questions: 1. Own experience of using lenvatinib in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer refractory to therapy with radioactive iodine and kidney cancer. 2. Profile of efficacy and safety of modern targeted therapy with multikinase inhibitors. 3. Prophylaxis and management of predictable toxicity.

OECD/NEA expert group on uncertainty analysis for criticality safety assessment: Results of benchmark on sensitivity calculation (phase III)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ivanova, T.; Laville, C. [Institut de Radioprotection et de Surete Nucleaire IRSN, BP 17, 92262 Fontenay aux Roses (France); Dyrda, J. [Atomic Weapons Establishment AWE, Aldermaston, Reading, RG7 4PR (United Kingdom); Mennerdahl, D. [E Mennerdahl Systems EMS, Starvaegen 12, 18357 Taeby (Sweden); Golovko, Y.; Raskach, K.; Tsiboulia, A. [Inst. for Physics and Power Engineering IPPE, 1, Bondarenko sq., 249033 Obninsk (Russian Federation); Lee, G. S.; Woo, S. W. [Korea Inst. of Nuclear Safety KINS, 62 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-338 (Korea, Republic of); Bidaud, A.; Sabouri, P. [Laboratoire de Physique Subatomique et de Cosmologie LPSC, CNRS-IN2P3/UJF/INPG, Grenoble (France); Patel, A. [U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Washington, DC 20555-0001 (United States); Bledsoe, K.; Rearden, B. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory ORNL, M.S. 6170, P.O. Box 2008, Oak Ridge, TN 37831 (United States); Gulliford, J.; Michel-Sendis, F. [OECD/NEA, 12, Bd des Iles, 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux (France)

2012-07-01

The sensitivities of the k{sub eff} eigenvalue to neutron cross sections have become commonly used in similarity studies and as part of the validation algorithm for criticality safety assessments. To test calculations of the sensitivity coefficients, a benchmark study (Phase III) has been established by the OECD-NEA/WPNCS/EG UACSA (Expert Group on Uncertainty Analysis for Criticality Safety Assessment). This paper presents some sensitivity results generated by the benchmark participants using various computational tools based upon different computational methods: SCALE/TSUNAMI-3D and -1D, MONK, APOLLO2-MORET 5, DRAGON-SUSD3D and MMKKENO. The study demonstrates the performance of the tools. It also illustrates how model simplifications impact the sensitivity results and demonstrates the importance of 'implicit' (self-shielding) sensitivities. This work has been a useful step towards verification of the existing and developed sensitivity analysis methods. (authors)

The use of expert opinion for estimation of component unavailability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jordan Cizelj, R.; Kljenak, I.

1998-01-01

When evaluating system safety with Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA), data of component reliability are necessary input data. Despite a significant effort which has been devoted to the collection and processing of reliability data during the last ten years, the quality of data available is still not satisfactory. In the present paper, a method for a suitable failure rate estimation with the help of expert judgement of maintenance people is proposed. Expert judgement about component state is combined with information gathered from a classical reliability database. With the proposed method, generic data are adapted to specific components with combination of probability and fuzzy logic theory.(author)

Expert systems for C3I. Volume 1. A user's introduction

Science.gov (United States)

Clapp, J. A.; Hockett, S. M.; Prelle, M. J.; Tallant, A. M.; Triant, D. D.

1985-10-01

There has been a tremendous burgeoning of interest in artificial intelligence (AI) over the last few years. Investments of commercial and government sponsors reflect a widespread belief that AI is now ready for practical applications. The area of AI currently receiving the greatest attention and investment is expert system technology. Most major high tech corporations have begun to develop expert systems, and many software houses specializing in expert system tools and applications have recently appeared. The defense community is one of the heaviest investors in expert system technology, and within this community one of the application areas receiving greatest attention is C3I. Many ESD programs are now beginning to ask whether expert system applications for C3I are ready for incorporation into ESD-developed systems, and, if so, what are the potential benefits and risks of doing so. This report was prepared to help ESD and MITRE personnel working on acquisition programs to address these issues and to gain a better understanding of what expert systems are all about. The primary intention of this report is to investigate what expert systems are and the advances that are being made in expert system technology for C3I applications. The report begins with a brief tutorial on expert systems, emphasizing how they differ from conventional software systems and what they are best at doing.

Industrial disasters - the expert systems solution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sachs, P.

1986-01-01

Six mistakes by the operators led to the accident at the Cherobyl nuclear reactor. These have been studied. It is suggested that an expert systems approach could prevent similar accidents. The expert system is a new approach to software programming where programs are required to perform intelligent analyses of complex situations. It separates the knowledge of a problem from the procedural code that performs the decision. An expert system will evaluate data and indicate a priority on alarms in real time. Now software systems can detect the cause of a problem in a process plant and present their findings to the operators in the control room. This should enable operators to make the correct decisions as they will know which underlying process faults are causing the alarms to operate. The Chernobyl post-mortem meeting made 13 proposals for improving safety. Two in particular are noted as relevant to expert advice systems; international collaboration on man-reactor relationships and a conference to explore the balance of automation and human action to minimise operating errors. (U.K.)

Advanced research workshop: nuclear materials safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jardine, L J; Moshkov, M M.

1999-01-01

The Advanced Research Workshop (ARW) on Nuclear Materials Safety held June 8-10, 1998, in St. Petersburg, Russia, was attended by 27 Russian experts from 14 different Russian organizations, seven European experts from six different organizations, and 14 U.S. experts from seven different organizations. The ARW was conducted at the State Education Center (SEC), a former Minatom nuclear training center in St. Petersburg. Thirty-three technical presentations were made using simultaneous translations. These presentations are reprinted in this volume as a formal ARW Proceedings in the NATO Science Series. The representative technical papers contained here cover nuclear material safety topics on the storage and disposition of excess plutonium and high enriched uranium (HEU) fissile materials, including vitrification, mixed oxide (MOX) fuel fabrication, plutonium ceramics, reprocessing, geologic disposal, transportation, and Russian regulatory processes. This ARW completed discussions by experts of the nuclear materials safety topics that were not covered in the previous, companion ARW on Nuclear Materials Safety held in Amarillo, Texas, in March 1997. These two workshops, when viewed together as a set, have addressed most nuclear material aspects of the storage and disposition operations required for excess HEU and plutonium. As a result, specific experts in nuclear materials safety have been identified, know each other from their participation in t he two ARW interactions, and have developed a partial consensus and dialogue on the most urgent nuclear materials safety topics to be addressed in a formal bilateral program on t he subject. A strong basis now exists for maintaining and developing a continuing dialogue between Russian, European, and U.S. experts in nuclear materials safety that will improve the safety of future nuclear materials operations in all the countries involved because of t he positive synergistic effects of focusing these diverse backgrounds of

A living PSA based on use of expert systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ancelin, C.; Bouissou, M.; Le, P.; De Saint-Quentin, S.; Villatte, N.

1989-01-01

This paper presents the expert systems that are developed by EDF in the framework of the French PSA. Aimed at automatically generating reliability models (fault trees, state graphs....), these expert systems are used for the reliability studies of safety systems in the Paluel nuclear power plant. Beyond the description of the implemented method, this paper insists on the new approach proposed to the reliability engineer, when using artificial intelligence techniques

IAEA Completes Expert Mission to Kori 1 Nuclear Power Plant in the Republic of Korea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2012-01-01

Full text: An international team of nuclear safety experts led by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has completed a review of safety practices at the Kori 1 Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) near Busan in the Republic of Korea. The IAEA assembled the team at the request of Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co., Ltd. (KHNP) following a station blackout event on 9 February 2012. The team - comprised of experts from Belgium, France, Sweden, United Kingdom and the IAEA - conducted its mission from 4 to 11 June 2012 under the leadership of the IAEA's Division of Nuclear Installation Safety. The expert mission applied the methodology of the IAEA's Operational Safety Review (OSART) missions and covered the areas of Management, Organization and Administration; Operations; Maintenance and Operating Experience. The conclusions of the review are based on the IAEA's Safety Standards, which are developed by the Agency to help nations improve their nuclear safety practices, which are the responsibility of every nation that undertakes nuclear-related activities. Throughout the review, the exchange of information between the experts and plant personnel was very open, professional and productive. Prior to the mission, Korea's Nuclear Safety and Security Commission completed an interim investigation, and it continues to perform additional investigations and technical reviews. The Commission identified corrective actions for the plant concerning reinforcing safety culture, emergency diesel generator reliability, configuration control and risk management during refueling outage, test and maintenance procedures and emergency action level declaration. The expert mission confirmed that some corrective actions have already been completed and others are in progress. The expert mission found the management and staff of Kori 1 NPP to be committed and working hard to complete all improvements. The root cause analysis of the event at Kori 1 NPP is still in progress and is expected to lead to

The Effect of Customer Empowerment on Adherence to Expert Advice

NARCIS (Netherlands)

N.M.A. Camacho (Nuno); M.G. de Jong (Martijn); S. Stremersch (Stefan)

2014-01-01

textabstractCustomers often receive expert advice related to their health, finances, taxes or legal procedures, to name just a few. A noble stance taken by some is that experts should empower customers to make their own decisions. In this article, we distinguish informational from decisional

The Impact of Organizational Factors on Safety. The Perspective of Experts from the Spanish Nuclear Sector; El Impacto de los Factores Organizativos en la Seguridad. La Vision de los Expertos del Sector Nuclear Espanol

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

German, S.; Silla, I.; Navajas, J.

2014-07-01

Previous research supports the importance of organizational factors on safety in high reliability organizations. This study aims to determine the impact of those factors in the Spanish nuclear sector. Particularly, this study focuses on examining the role of performance indicators, organizational culture, organizational factors, and organizational context. With that purpose, an electronic survey addressed to experts from the Spanish nuclear sector was carried out. Results showed that performance indicators are well-known among industry experts and are perceived as useful for improving performance. Behavioural norms that influence safety and some relevant factors that promote problem identification were identified. Additionally, findings suggested that organizational context must be taken into account to better understand the role of organizational culture. Moreover, industry experts pointed out organizational factors to be improved: organizational communication processes within the organization, positive reinforcement, and field supervisors practices. Finally, findings supported the influence of organizational context on safety. It is noteworthy the role of the social impact of international events (e.g., Chernobyl...), the relationship with the regulator and the legislative and governmental framework. (Author)

International Expert Team Concludes IAEA Peer Review of Bulgaria's Regulatory Framework for Nuclear and Radiation Safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2013-01-01

Full text: An international team of senior nuclear safety and radiation protection experts today concluded a 12-day mission to review the regulatory framework for nuclear and radiation safety in Bulgaria. The Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) mission, conducted at the request of the Government of Bulgaria, identified a series of good practices and made recommendations to help enhance the overall performance of the regulatory system. IRRS missions, which were initiated in 2006, are peer reviews based on the IAEA Safety Standards; they are not inspections or audits. ''Bulgaria has a clear national policy and strategy for safety, which are well in line with international standards and practices and contribute to a high level of nuclear safety,'' said Mission Team Leader Marta Ziakova, Chairperson of the Nuclear Regulatory Authority of the Slovak Republic. The mission team, which conducted the review from 8 to 19 April, was made up of 16 senior regulatory experts from 16 nations, and six IAEA staff. ''The results of the IRRS mission will be valuable for the future development and reinforcement of the Bulgarian Nuclear Safety Agency (BNRA). The use of international standards and good practices helps to improve global harmonization in all areas of nuclear safety and radiation protection,'' said Sergey Tzotchev, Chairman of the BNRA. Among the main observations in its preliminary report, the IRRS mission team found that BNRA operates as an independent regulatory body and conducts its regulatory processes in an open and transparent manner. In line with the IAEA Action Plan on Nuclear Safety, the mission reviewed the regulatory implications for Bulgaria of the March 2011 accident at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station in Japan. It found that the BNRA's response to the lessons learned from that accident was both prompt and effective. Strengths and good practices identified by the IRRS team include the following: A no-blame policy is enshrined in law for

Receiving Basin for Offsite Fuels and the Resin Regeneration Facility Safety Analysis Report, Executive Summary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shedrow, C.B.

1999-01-01

The Safety Analysis Report documents the safety authorization basis for the Receiving Basin for Offsite Fuels (RBOF) and the Resin Regeneration Facility (RRF) at the Savannah River Site (SRS). The present mission of the RBOF and RRF is to continue in providing a facility for the safe receipt, storage, handling, and shipping of spent nuclear fuel assemblies from power and research reactors in the United States, fuel from SRS and other Department of Energy (DOE) reactors, and foreign research reactors fuel, in support of the nonproliferation policy. The RBOF and RRF provide the capability to handle, separate, and transfer wastes generated from nuclear fuel element storage. The DOE and Westinghouse Savannah River Company, the prime operating contractor, are committed to managing these activities in such a manner that the health and safety of the offsite general public, the site worker, the facility worker, and the environment are protected

Receiving Basin for Offsite Fuels and the Resin Regeneration Facility Safety Analysis Report, Executive Summary

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shedrow, C.B.

1999-11-29

The Safety Analysis Report documents the safety authorization basis for the Receiving Basin for Offsite Fuels (RBOF) and the Resin Regeneration Facility (RRF) at the Savannah River Site (SRS). The present mission of the RBOF and RRF is to continue in providing a facility for the safe receipt, storage, handling, and shipping of spent nuclear fuel assemblies from power and research reactors in the United States, fuel from SRS and other Department of Energy (DOE) reactors, and foreign research reactors fuel, in support of the nonproliferation policy. The RBOF and RRF provide the capability to handle, separate, and transfer wastes generated from nuclear fuel element storage. The DOE and Westinghouse Savannah River Company, the prime operating contractor, are committed to managing these activities in such a manner that the health and safety of the offsite general public, the site worker, the facility worker, and the environment are protected.

Security vs. Safety.

Science.gov (United States)

Sturgeon, Julie

1999-01-01

Provides administrative advice on how some safety experts have made college campuses safer and friendlier without breaking the budget. Tips on security and advice on safety management that encompasses the whole environment are highlighted. (GR)

Best practice strategies to safeguard drug prescribing and drug administration: an anthology of expert views and opinions.

Science.gov (United States)

Seidling, Hanna M; Stützle, Marion; Hoppe-Tichy, Torsten; Allenet, Benoît; Bedouch, Pierrick; Bonnabry, Pascal; Coleman, Jamie J; Fernandez-Llimos, Fernando; Lovis, Christian; Rei, Maria Jose; Störzinger, Dominic; Taylor, Lenka A; Pontefract, Sarah K; van den Bemt, Patricia M L A; van der Sijs, Heleen; Haefeli, Walter E

2016-04-01

While evidence on implementation of medication safety strategies is increasing, reasons for selecting and relinquishing distinct strategies and details on implementation are typically not shared in published literature. We aimed to collect and structure expert information resulting from implementing medication safety strategies to provide advice for decision-makers. Medication safety experts with clinical expertise from thirteen hospitals throughout twelve European and North American countries shared their experience in workshop meetings, on-site-visits and remote structured interviews. We performed an expert-based, in-depth assessment of implementation of best-practice strategies to improve drug prescribing and drug administration. Workflow, variability and recommended medication safety strategies in drug prescribing and drug administration processes. According to the experts, institutions chose strategies that targeted process steps known to be particularly error-prone in the respective setting. Often, the selection was channeled by local constraints such as the e-health equipment and critically modulated by national context factors. In our study, the experts favored electronic prescribing with clinical decision support and medication reconciliation as most promising interventions. They agreed that self-assessment and introduction of medication safety boards were crucial to satisfy the setting-specific differences and foster successful implementation. While general evidence for implementation of strategies to improve medication safety exists, successful selection and adaptation of a distinct strategy requires a thorough knowledge of the institute-specific constraints and an ongoing monitoring and adjustment of the implemented measures.

NRC Information No. 90-18: Potential problems with Crosby safety relief valves used on diesel generator air start receiver tanks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rossi, C.E.

1992-01-01

On March 31, 1989, Cooper Industries was made aware of circumstances at Perry Unit 1 that led to the Division I EDG being declared inoperable. A Crosby safety relief valve on one of the two EDG starting air receiving tanks was inadvertently hit during maintenance activities. The force of the impact caused the valve to open and blow down both air receiving tanks. The safety relief valve did not reseat until approximately 30 psig below the EDG automatic start lockout signal. On January 12, 1990, Cooper Industries learned that a similar event had occurred at Comanche Peak. On January 17, 1990, Cooper Industries submitted a 10 CFR Part 21 report on the affected safety relief valves (Crosby style JMBU and JRU safety relief valves). Although Crosby-style JMBU and JRU safety relief valves were designed to meet the requirements of Section VIII of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, they were not seismically qualified. In addition, the blowdown characteristics of the valves were not consistent with the functional requirements of the system in which they were installed. Cooper Industries has recommended replacing these valves with seismically qualified valves that have the proper blowdown reseat characteristics

Taking ownership of safety. What are the active ingredients of safety coaching and how do they impact safety outcomes in critical offshore working environments?

Science.gov (United States)

Krauesslar, Victoria; Avery, Rachel E; Passmore, Jonathan

2015-01-01

Safety coaching interventions have become a common feature in the safety critical offshore working environments of the North Sea. Whilst the beneficial impact of coaching as an organizational tool has been evidenced, there remains a question specifically over the use of safety coaching and its impact on behavioural change and producing safe working practices. A series of 24 semi-structured interviews were conducted with three groups of experts in the offshore industry: safety coaches, offshore managers and HSE directors. Using a thematic analysis approach, several significant themes were identified across the three expert groups including connecting with and creating safety ownership in the individual, personal significance and humanisation, ingraining safety and assessing and measuring a safety coach's competence. Results suggest clear utility of safety coaching when applied by safety coaches with appropriate coach training and understanding of safety issues in an offshore environment. The current work has found that the use of safety coaching in the safety critical offshore oil and gas industry is a powerful tool in managing and promoting a culture of safety and care.

International exchange on nuclear safety related expert systems: The role of software verification and validation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun, B.K.H.

1996-01-01

An important lesson learned from the Three Mile Island accident is that human errors can be significant contributors to risk. Recent advancement in computer hardware and software technology helped make expert system techniques potentially viable tools for improving nuclear power plant safety and reliability. As part of the general man-machine interface technology, expert systems have recently become increasingly prominent as a potential solution to a number of previously intractable problems in many phases of human activity, including operation, maintenance, and engineering functions. Traditional methods for testing and analyzing analog systems are no longer adequate to handle the increased complexity of software systems. The role of Verification and Validation (V and V) is to add rigor to the software development and maintenance cycle to guarantee the high level confidence needed for applications. Verification includes the process and techniques for confirming that all the software requirements in one stage of the development are met before proceeding on to the next stage. Validation involves testing the integrated software and hardware system to ensure that it reliably fulfills its intended functions. Only through a comprehensive V and V program can a high level of confidence be achieved. There exist many different standards and techniques for software verification and validation, yet they lack uniform approaches that provides adequate levels of practical guidance which can be used by users for nuclear power plant applications. There is a need to unify different approaches for addressing software verification and validation and to develop practical and cost effective guidelines for user and regulatory acceptance. (author). 8 refs

Fuel safety criteria in NEA member countries - Compilation of responses received from member countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-03-01

In 2001 the Committee on the Safety of Nuclear Installations (CSNI) issued a report on Fuel Safety Criteria Technical Review. The objective was to review the present fuel safety criteria and judge to which extent they are affected by the 'new' design elements, such as different cladding materials, higher burnup, the use of MOX fuels, etc. The report stated that the current framework of fuel safety criteria remains generally applicable, being largely unaffected by the 'new' or modern design elements. The levels (numbers) in the individual safety criteria may, however, change in accordance with the particular fuel and core design features. Some of these levels have already been - or are continuously being - adjusted. The level adjustments of several other criteria (RIA, LOCA) also appears to be needed, on the basis of experimental data and the analysis thereof. As a follow-up, among its first tasks, the CSNI Special Expert Group on Fuel Safety Margins (SEG FSM) initiated the collection of information on the present fuel safety criteria used in NEA member states with the objective to solicit national practices in the use of fuel safety criteria, in particular to get information on their specific national levels/values, including their recent adjustments, and to identify the differences and commonalties between the different countries. Two sources of information were used to produce this report: a compilation of responses to a questionnaire prepared for the June 2000 CNRA meeting, and individual responses from the SEGFSM members to the new revised questionnaire issued by the task Force preparing this report. In accordance with the latter, the fuel safety criteria discussed in this report were divided into three categories: (A) safety criteria - criteria imposed by the regulator; (B) operational criteria - specific to the fuel design and provided by the fuel vendor as part of the licensing basis; (C) design criteria - limits employed by vendors and/or utilities for fuel

Classification of Listeria monocytogenes persistence in retail delicatessen environments using expert elicitation and machine learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Vangay, P; Steingrimsson, J; Wiedmann, M; Stasiewicz, M J

2014-10-01

Increasing evidence suggests that persistence of Listeria monocytogenes in food processing plants has been the underlying cause of a number of human listeriosis outbreaks. This study extracts criteria used by food safety experts in determining bacterial persistence in the environment, using retail delicatessen operations as a model. Using the Delphi method, we conducted an expert elicitation with 10 food safety experts from academia, industry, and government to classify L. monocytogenes persistence based on environmental sampling results collected over six months for 30 retail delicatessen stores. The results were modeled using variations of random forest, support vector machine, logistic regression, and linear regression; variable importance values of random forest and support vector machine models were consolidated to rank important variables in the experts' classifications. The duration of subtype isolation ranked most important across all expert categories. Sampling site category also ranked high in importance and validation errors doubled when this covariate was removed. Support vector machine and random forest models successfully classified the data with average validation errors of 3.1% and 2.2% (n = 144), respectively. Our findings indicate that (i) the frequency of isolations over time and sampling site information are critical factors for experts determining subtype persistence, (ii) food safety experts from different sectors may not use the same criteria in determining persistence, and (iii) machine learning models have potential for future use in environmental surveillance and risk management programs. Future work is necessary to validate the accuracy of expert and machine classification against biological measurement of L. monocytogenes persistence. © 2014 Society for Risk Analysis.

An expert panel approach to support risk-informed decision making

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pulkkinen, U.; Simola, K.

2000-01-01

The report describes the expert panel methodology developed for supporting risk-informed decision making. The aim of an expert panel is to achieve a balanced utilisation of information and expertise from several disciplines in decision-making including probabilistic safety assessment as one decision criterion. We also summarise the application of the methodology in the STUK's RI-ISI (Risk-Informed In-Service Inspection) pilot study, where the expert panel approach was used to combine the deterministic information on degradation mechanisms and probabilistic information on pipe break consequences. The expert panel served both as a critical review of the preliminary results and as a decision support for the final definition of risk categories of piping. (orig.)

Expert Systems: What Is an Expert System?

Science.gov (United States)

Duval, Beverly K.; Main, Linda

1994-01-01

Describes expert systems and discusses their use in libraries. Highlights include parts of an expert system; expert system shells; an example of how to build an expert system; a bibliography of 34 sources of information on expert systems in libraries; and a list of 10 expert system shells used in libraries. (Contains five references.) (LRW)

An expert system technology for work authorization information systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Munchausen, J.H.; Glazer, K.A.

1988-01-01

This paper describes the effort by Southern California Edison Company (SCE) and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) to develop an expert systems work station designed to support the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS). The expert systems work station utilizes IntelliCorp KEE (Knowledge Engineering Environment) and EPRI-IntelliCorp PLEXSYS (PLant EXpert SYStem) technology, and SCE Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams (P and ID's) and host-based computer applications to assist plant operations and maintenance personnel in the development of safety tagout boundaries. Of significance in this venture is the merging of conventional computer applications technology with expert systems technology. The EPRI PLEXSYS work station will act as a front-end for the SONGS Tagout Administration and Generation System (TAGS), a conventional CICS/COBOL mainframe computer application

Practical experience with digital I and C retrofit projects gathered by independent experts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zeck, Kurt; Schildheuer, Reinhard; Weich, Alfred

2005-01-01

As independent experts, we have accompanied a series of major projects where plant control systems have been retrofitted with digital I and C technology. As General Expert Inspectors of our authority, we have investigated, inspected and certified such projects - from defining the tasks at hand trough planning, approving, implementing and commissioning down to the regular operation of the equipment. Our special focus has been on the proper adherence to the relevant safety issues in nuclear plants in accordance with the current state-of-the-art in science and technology, and to the applicable codes of practice. In September 2004, at the international 'Nuclear Plant Instrumentation, Control and Human Machine Interface Technology' meeting in Columbus/Ohio, we presented some major retrofit projects and reported about how we, as independent official experts, accompany and monitor the activities of retrofitting plants with advanced digital safety I and C equipment, from the safety point of view. With current report, we would like to provide more detailed information about the practical experience gained with digital safety I and C retrofits and the conclusions drawn for currently ongoing retrofit projects. We will look at both the technical and licensing aspects of implementing such projects

The Effect of Customer Empowerment on Adherence to Expert Advice

OpenAIRE

Camacho, Nuno; Jong, Martijn; Stremersch, Stefan

2014-01-01

textabstractCustomers often receive expert advice related to their health, finances, taxes or legal procedures, to name just a few. A noble stance taken by some is that experts should empower customers to make their own decisions. In this article, we distinguish informational from decisional empowerment and study whether empowerment leads customers to adhere more or less to expert advice. We empirically test our model using a unique dataset involving 11,735 respondents in 17 countries on four...

Employing expert systems for process control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahrens, W.

1987-01-01

The characteristic features of expert systems are explained in detail, and the systems' application in process control engineering. Four points of main interest are there, namely: Applications for diagnostic tasks, for safety analyses, planning, and training and expert training. For the modelling of the technical systems involved in all four task fields mentioned above, an object-centred approach has shown to be the suitable method, as process control techniques are determined by technical objects that in principle are specified by data sheets, schematic representations, flow charts, and plans. The graphical surface allows these data to be taken into account, so that the object can be displayed in the way best suited to the individual purposes. (orig./GL) [de

A computerized expert system for mammography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jackson, V.P.; Dines, K.A.; Bassett, L.W.

1988-01-01

The authors have developed a computer-based expert system to aid in the interpretation of mammograms, breast sonograms, and clinical findings. The radiologist enters clinical and image data into the artificial intelligence system and receives a prediction of the etiology of lesions seen on breast imaging studies. This prototype interactive system has undergone preliminary clinical testing and evaluation. Ultimately, a more refined and complex system will be of value in mammography education, for general radiologists without ready access to mammography experts, for paramedical personnel, and for all mammographers in need of a breast imaging database and reporting systems

Computer aided safety analysis 1989

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-04-01

The meeting was conducted in a workshop style, to encourage involvement of all participants during the discussions. Forty-five (45) experts from 19 countries, plus 22 experts from the GDR participated in the meeting. A list of participants can be found at the end of this volume. Forty-two (42) papers were presented and discussed during the meeting. Additionally an open discussion was held on the possible directions of the IAEA programme on Computer Aided Safety Analysis. A summary of the conclusions of these discussions is presented in the publication. The remainder of this proceedings volume comprises the transcript of selected technical papers (22) presented in the meeting. It is the intention of the IAEA that the publication of these proceedings will extend the benefits of the discussions held during the meeting to a larger audience throughout the world. The Technical Committee/Workshop on Computer Aided Safety Analysis was organized by the IAEA in cooperation with the National Board for Safety and Radiological Protection (SAAS) of the German Democratic Republic in Berlin. The purpose of the meeting was to provide an opportunity for discussions on experiences in the use of computer codes used for safety analysis of nuclear power plants. In particular it was intended to provide a forum for exchange of information among experts using computer codes for safety analysis under the Technical Cooperation Programme on Safety of WWER Type Reactors (RER/9/004) and other experts throughout the world. A separate abstract was prepared for each of the 22 selected papers. Refs, figs tabs and pictures

Creation and preliminary validation of the screening for self-medication safety post-stroke scale (S-5).

Science.gov (United States)

Kaizer, Franceen; Kim, Angela; Van, My Tram; Korner-Bitensky, Nicol

2010-03-01

Patients with stroke should be screened for safety prior to starting a self-medication regime. An extensive literature review revealed no standardized self-medication tool tailored to the multi-faceted needs of the stroke population. The aim of this study was to create and validate a condition-specific tool to be used in screening for self-medication safety in individuals with stroke. Items were generated using expert consultation and review of the existing tools. The draft tool was pilot-tested on expert stroke clinicians to receive feedback on content, clarity, optimal cueing and domain omissions. The final version was piloted on patients with stroke using a structured interviewer-administered interview. The tool was progressively refined and validated according to feedback from the 11 expert reviewers. The subsequent version was piloted on patients with stroke. The final version includes 16 questions designed to elicit information on 5 domains: cognition, communication, motor, visual-perception and, judgement/executive function/self-efficacy. The Screening for Safe Self-medication post-Stroke Scale (S-5) has been created and validated for use by health professionals to screen self-medication safety readiness of patients after stroke. Its use should also help to guide clinicians' recommendations and interventions aimed at enhancing self-medication post-stroke.

Communications receivers principles and design

CERN Document Server

Rohde, Ulrich L; Zahnd, Hans

2017-01-01

This thoroughly updated guide offers comprehensive explanations of the science behind today’s radio receivers along with practical guidance on designing, constructing, and maintaining real-world communications systems. You will explore system planning, antennas and antenna coupling, amplifiers and gain control, filters, mixers, demodulation, digital communication, and the latest software defined radio (SDR) technology. Written by a team of telecommunication experts, Communications Receivers: Principles and Design, Fourth Edition, features technical illustrations, schematic diagrams, and detailed examples. Coverage includes: • Basic radio considerations • Radio receiver characteristics • Receiver system planning • Receiver implementation considerations • RF and baseband techniques for Software-Defined Radios • Transceiver SDR considerations • Antennas and antenna coupling • Mixers • Frequency sources and control • Ancillary receiver circuits • Performance measurement

Needs for evidence-based road safety decision making in Europe.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dupont, E. Muhlrad, N. Buttler, I. Gitelman, V. Giustiniani, G. Jähi, H. Machata, K. Martensen, H. Papadimitriou, E. Persia, L. Talbot, R. Vallet, G. Wijnen, W. & Yannis, G.

2012-01-01

The objective of this research is the assessment of current needs for evidence-based road safety decision making in Europe, through the consultation of a panel of road safety experts. The members of this Experts Panel have extensive knowledge of road safety management processes and needs in their

Expert judgment in analysis of human and organizational behaviour at nuclear power plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reiman, L [Finnish Centre for Radiation and Nuclear Safety, Helsinki (Finland). Dept. of Nuclear Safety

1994-12-01

Probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) of a nuclear power plant includes an assessment of the probability of each event sequence that can lead to a reactor core damage and of their consequences. Despite increasing maturity of PSA methods, there are still several problems in their use. These include the assessment of human reliability and the impact of organizational factors on plant safety. The assessment of both these issues is based on expert judgment. Therefore, the use of expert judgment in analysis of human and organizational behaviour was studied theoretically and in practical case studies in this thesis. Human errors were analysed in two case studies. In the first study cognitive actions of control room operators were analysed. For this purpose methods were developed for the qualitative and quantitative phases of the analysis. Errors of test and maintenance personnel were analysed in the second case study. Especially the dependence of errors between sequential tasks performed in redundant subsystems of a safety system was studied. A method to assess organizational behaviour was developed and applied in the third case study. The three case studies demonstrated that expert judgment can be used in the analysis of human reliability and organizational behaviour taking into account the observations made and the remarks presented in the study. However, significant uncertainties are related with expert judgment. Recommendations are presented concerning the use of different methods. Also, some insights are presented into how reliance on expert judgment could be reduced. (241 refs., 20 figs., 36 tabs.).

Expert judgment in analysis of human and organizational behaviour at nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reiman, L.

1994-12-01

Probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) of a nuclear power plant includes an assessment of the probability of each event sequence that can lead to a reactor core damage and of their consequences. Despite increasing maturity of PSA methods, there are still several problems in their use. These include the assessment of human reliability and the impact of organizational factors on plant safety. The assessment of both these issues is based on expert judgment. Therefore, the use of expert judgment in analysis of human and organizational behaviour was studied theoretically and in practical case studies in this thesis. Human errors were analysed in two case studies. In the first study cognitive actions of control room operators were analysed. For this purpose methods were developed for the qualitative and quantitative phases of the analysis. Errors of test and maintenance personnel were analysed in the second case study. Especially the dependence of errors between sequential tasks performed in redundant subsystems of a safety system was studied. A method to assess organizational behaviour was developed and applied in the third case study. The three case studies demonstrated that expert judgment can be used in the analysis of human reliability and organizational behaviour taking into account the observations made and the remarks presented in the study. However, significant uncertainties are related with expert judgment. Recommendations are presented concerning the use of different methods. Also, some insights are presented into how reliance on expert judgment could be reduced. (241 refs., 20 figs., 36 tabs.)

An expert system for diesel generator diagnostics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bley, D.C.; Read, J.W.; Kaplan, S.; Liming, J.K.; Brosee, N.M.; Hanley, D.W.

1987-01-01

The idea of developing artificial intelligence (AI) systems to capture the knowledge of human experts is receiving much attention these days. The idea is even more attractive when important expertise resides within a single individual, especially one who is nearing retirement and who has not otherwise recorded or passed along his important knowledge and thought processes. The diesel generators at Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station have performed exceptionally well, primarily due to the care and attention of one man. Therefore, the authors are constructing an expert system for the diagnosis of diesel generator problems at Pilgrim. This paper includes a description of the expert system design and operation, examples from the knowledge base, and sample diagnoses, so the reader can observe the process in action

Attribution of Foodborne Pathogens Using Structured Expert Elicitation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Havelaar, A.H.; Vargas Galindo, A.; Kurowicka, D.; Cooke, R.M.

2008-01-01

Objectives: To estimate the fraction of human cases of enterically transmitted illness by five major pathways (food, environment, direct animal contact, human–human transmission, and travel) and by 11 groups within the food pathway. Methods: Food safety experts were asked to provide their estimates

Developing and Testing the Health Care Safety Hotline: A Prototype Consumer Reporting System for Patient Safety Events.

Science.gov (United States)

Schneider, Eric C; Ridgely, M Susan; Quigley, Denise D; Hunter, Lauren E; Leuschner, Kristin J; Weingart, Saul N; Weissman, Joel S; Zimmer, Karen P; Giannini, Robert C

2017-06-01

This article describes the design, development, and testing of the Health Care Safety Hotline, a prototype consumer reporting system for patient safety events. The prototype was designed and developed with ongoing review by a technical expert panel and feedback obtained during a public comment period. Two health care delivery organizations in one metropolitan area collaborated with the researchers to demonstrate and evaluate the system. The prototype was deployed and elicited information from patients, family members, and caregivers through a website or an 800 phone number. The reports were considered useful and had little overlap with information received by the health care organizations through their usual risk management, customer service, and patient safety monitoring systems. However, the frequency of reporting was lower than anticipated, suggesting that further refinements, including efforts to raise awareness by actively soliciting reports from subjects, might be necessary to substantially increase the volume of useful reports. It is possible that a single technology platform could be built to meet a variety of different patient safety objectives, but it may not be possible to achieve several objectives simultaneously through a single consumer reporting system while also establishing trust with patients, caregivers, and providers.

Expert perspectives on Western European prison health services: do ageing prisoners receive equivalent care?

Science.gov (United States)

Bretschneider, Wiebke; Elger, Bernice Simone

2014-09-01

Health care in prison and particularly the health care of older prisoners are increasingly important topics due to the growth of the ageing prisoner population. The aim of this paper is to gain insight into the approaches used in the provision of equivalent health care to ageing prisoners and to confront the intuitive definition of equivalent care and the practical and ethical challenges that have been experienced by individuals working in this field. Forty interviews took place with experts working in the prison setting from three Western European countries to discover their views on prison health care. Experts indicated that the provision of equivalent care in prison is difficult mostly due to four factors: variability of care in different prisons, gatekeeper systems, lack of personnel, and delays in providing access. This lack of equivalence can be fixed by allocating adequate budgets and developing standards for health care in prison.

Prescribing safety, negotiating expertise. Building of nuclear safety human factors expertise

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rolina, Gregory

2008-01-01

This Ph.D thesis is dedicated to a specific type of expertise, the safety of nuclear installations in the field of human and organisational factors. Empirical work is at the foundation of this thesis: the monitoring of experts 'in action', allowed a detailed reconstruction of three cases they were examining. The analysis, at the core of which lies the definition of what an efficient expertise can be, emphasizes the incompleteness of the knowledge that links together the nuclear facilities' organisational characteristics and their safety. This leads us to identify the expert's three ranges of actions (rhetorical, cognitive, operative). Defined from objectives and constraints likely to influence the expert's behaviour, those three ranges each require specific skills. A conception of expertise based on these ranges seems adaptable to other sectors and allows an enrichment of models of expertise cited in literature. Historical elements from French institutions of nuclear safety are also called upon to take into consideration some of the determinants of the expertise; its efficiency relies on the upholding of a continuous dialogue between the regulators (the experts and the control authority) and the regulated (the operators). This type of historically inherited regulation makes up a specificity of the French system of external control of nuclear risks. (author) [fr

An expert display system and nuclear power plant control rooms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beltracchi, L.

1988-01-01

An expert display system controls automatically the display of segments on a cathode ray tube's screen to form an image of plant operations. The image consists of an icon of: 1) the process (heat engine cycle), 2) plant control systems, and 3) safety systems. A set of data-driven, forward-chaining computer stored rules control the display of segments. As plant operation changes, measured plant data are processed through the rules, and the results control the deletion and addition of segments to the display format. The icon contains information needed by control rooms operators to monitor plant operations. One example of an expert display is illustrated for the operator's task of monitoring leakage from a safety valve in a steam line of a boiling water reactor (BWR). In another example, the use of an expert display to monitor plant operations during pre-trip, trip, and post-trip operations is discussed as a universal display. The viewpoints and opinions expressed herein are the author's personal ones, and they are not to be interpreted as Nuclear Regulatory Commission criteria, requirements, or guidelines

Method of safety evaluation in nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuraszkiewicz, P.; Zahn, P.

1988-01-01

A novel quantitative technique for evaluating safety of subsystems of nuclear power plants based on expert estimations is presented. It includes methods of mathematical psychology recognizing the effect of subjective factors in the expert estimates and, consequently, contributes to further objectification of evaluation. It may be applied to complementing probabilistic safety assessment. As a result of such evaluations a characteristic 'safety of nuclear power plants' is obtained. (author)

Safety Principles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. A. Grinenko

2011-06-01

Full Text Available The offered material in the article is picked up so that the reader could have a complete representation about concept “safety”, intrinsic characteristics and formalization possibilities. Principles and possible strategy of safety are considered. A material of the article is destined for the experts who are taking up the problems of safety.

Research for enhancing reactor safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-05-01

Recent research for enhanced reactor safety covers extensive and numerous experiments and computed modelling activities designed to verify and to improve existing design requirements. The lectures presented at the meeting report GRS research results and the current status of reactor safety research in France. The GRS experts present results concerning expert systems and their perspectives in safety engineering, large-scale experiments and their significance in the development and verification of computer codes for thermohydraulic modelling of safety-related incidents, the advanced system code ATHLET for analysis of thermohydraulic processes of incidents, the analysis simulator which is a tool for fast evaluation of accident management measures, and investigations into event sequences and the required preventive emergency measures within the German Risk Study. (DG) [de

The IAEA safety standards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karbassioun, Ahmad

1995-01-01

During the development of the NUSS standards, wide consultation was carried out with all the Member States to obtain a consensus and the programme was supervised by a Senior Advisory Group consisting of senior safety experts from 13 countries. This group of senior regulators later became what is now known as the Nuclear Safety Standards Advisory Group (NUSSAG) and comprises of senior regulatory experts from 16 countries. The standards that were developed comprise of four types of documents: safety fundamentals; codes of practice; safety guides; and safety practices. The safety fundamentals set out the basic objectives, concepts and principles for nuclear safety in nuclear power plants. The codes of practice, are of a legislative nature, and establish the general objectives that must be fulfilled to ensure adequate nuclear power plant safety. They cover five areas: governmental organization; siting, design, operation and quality assurance. The safety guides, administrative in character, recommend procedures and acceptable technical solutions to implement the codes and guides by presenting further details gained from Member States, on the application and interpretation of individual concepts in the NUSS codes and guides. In total in the NUSS series there is currently one Fundamentals document, five Codes of Practice and fifty-six Safety Guides

Collective vs. Expert Rationality for Evaluation of New Technologies in Crowdsourcing Initiatives

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lauto, Giancarlo; Valentin, Finn

that experts? appraisal is substantially aligned with the outcome of the idea market. However, while inventions of senior employees tend to be better received by experts, the market appreciates more ideas for which the inventor provides rich information. Inventions that attract participants? comments tend...

Integrating natural language processing expertise with patient safety event review committees to improve the analysis of medication events.

Science.gov (United States)

Fong, Allan; Harriott, Nicole; Walters, Donna M; Foley, Hanan; Morrissey, Richard; Ratwani, Raj R

2017-08-01

Many healthcare providers have implemented patient safety event reporting systems to better understand and improve patient safety. Reviewing and analyzing these reports is often time consuming and resource intensive because of both the quantity of reports and length of free-text descriptions in the reports. Natural language processing (NLP) experts collaborated with clinical experts on a patient safety committee to assist in the identification and analysis of medication related patient safety events. Different NLP algorithmic approaches were developed to identify four types of medication related patient safety events and the models were compared. Well performing NLP models were generated to categorize medication related events into pharmacy delivery delays, dispensing errors, Pyxis discrepancies, and prescriber errors with receiver operating characteristic areas under the curve of 0.96, 0.87, 0.96, and 0.81 respectively. We also found that modeling the brief without the resolution text generally improved model performance. These models were integrated into a dashboard visualization to support the patient safety committee review process. We demonstrate the capabilities of various NLP models and the use of two text inclusion strategies at categorizing medication related patient safety events. The NLP models and visualization could be used to improve the efficiency of patient safety event data review and analysis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Application of expert systems in damage assessment of reinforced concrete structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fazel Zarandi, M. H.; Sobhani, J.

2003-01-01

Expert systems are receiving great attentions in construction industry to support decision making processes in diagnostics, design, repair and rehabilitation of the structures. Although several expert systems have been examined in engineering since the 1970's, their applications in construction industry are rate. This was largely due to the lack of expert system tools available to represent the domain knowledge. Lack of flexibility, applicability, and robustness of the classical models, have forced the scientists to discover the ability of the expert systems in problem solving of civil engineering. This paper present an expert system for diagnosis the deterioration of concrete structures. This expert system emphasizes on cracking distress in reinforced concrete elements. A case study has been presented to examine and evaluate the proposed expert system. The system demonstrates a straightforward method for diagnosing the cause of reinforced concrete elements cracking

Safety review advisor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boshers, J.A.; Uhrig, R.E.; Alguindigue, I.A.; Burnett, C.G.

1991-01-01

The University of Tennessee's Nuclear Engineering department, in cooperation with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), is evaluating the feasibility of utilizing an expert system to aid in 10CFR50.59 evaluations. This paper discusses the history of 10CFR50.59 reviews, and details the development approach used in the construction of a prototype Safety Review Advisor (SRA). The goals for this expert system prototype are to aid the engineer in the evaluation process by directing his attention to the appropriate critical issues, increase the efficiency, consistency, and thoroughness of the evaluation process, and provide a foundation of appropriate Safety Analysis Report (SAR) references for the reviewer

Global nuclear safety culture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-01-01

As stated in the Nuclear Safety Review 1996, three components characterize the global nuclear safety culture infrastructure: (i) legally binding international agreements; (ii) non-binding common safety standards; and (iii) the application of safety standards. The IAEA has continued to foster the global nuclear safety culture by supporting intergovernmental collaborative efforts; it has facilitated extensive information exchange, promoted the drafting of international legal agreements and the development of common safety standards, and provided for the application of safety standards by organizing a wide variety of expert services

Assessment of the effectiveness of the Hungarian nuclear safety regulatory authority by international expert teams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Voeroess, L.; Lorand, F.

2001-01-01

On the basis of the role nuclear regulatory authorities (NRA) have to fulfil and the new challenges affecting them, in the paper an overview is made on how the Hungarian NRA has evaluated and utilised the results of different international efforts in the enhancement of its effectiveness and efficiency. The reviews have been conducted by different groups of experts organised by highly recognised international organisations (e.g. IAEA, EC) and highly competent foreign regulatory bodies. The different reviews of activities and working conditions of the HAEA NSD have resulted in a generally positive picture, however, it also revealed weaknesses as well. They recognised the developments made in recent years and also appreciated the overall favourable level of nuclear safety in Hungary, identified 'good practices' and made recommendations and suggestions for the most important and most efficient ways for future improvements. These are cited or referenced in the paper. At the end, some recommendations have been formed based on the experiences gained from the review missions and from our self-assessment. (author)

IAEA establishes International Seismic Safety Centre

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2008-01-01

Full text: The IAEA today officially inaugurated an international centre to coordinate efforts for protecting nuclear installations against the effects of earthquakes. The International Seismic Safety Centre (ISSC), which has been established within the IAEA's Department of Nuclear Safety and Security, will serve as a focal point on seismic safety for nuclear installations worldwide. ISSC will assist countries on the assessment of seismic hazards of nuclear facilities to mitigate the consequences of strong earthquakes. 'With safety as our first priority, it is vital that we pool all expert knowledge available worldwide to assist nuclear operators and regulators to be well prepared for coping with major seismic events,' said Antonio Godoy, Acting Head of the IAEA's Engineering Safety Section and leader of the ISSC. 'The creation of the ISSC represents the culmination of three decades of the IAEA's active and recognized involvement in this matter through the development of an updated set of safety standards and the assistance to Member States for their application.' To further seismic safety at nuclear installations worldwide, the ISSC will: - Promote knowledge sharing among the international community in order to avoid or mitigate the consequences of extreme seismic events on nuclear installations; - Support countries through advisory services and training courses; and - Enhance seismic safety by utilizing experience gained from previous seismic events in member states. The centre is supported by a scientific committee of high-level experts from academic, industrial and nuclear safety authorities that will advise the ISSC on implementation of its programme. Experts have been nominated from seven specialized areas, including geology and tectonics, seismology, seismic hazard, geotechnical engineering, structural engineering, equipment, and seismic risk. Japan and the United States have both contributed initial funds for creation of the centre, which will be based at

Safety improvements of Temelin NPP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vita, J.

2000-01-01

A detailed overview is given of the efforts made to enhance the safety level of the plant considering recommendations of a number of assessment missions. A list is presented of 10 international missions of the IAEA at the Temelin plant, covering the period 1990 to 1998. For each mission the date and objective is given, the focus of the assessment is characterized, the international participation of experts is specified, and the main conclusions of the experts is reproduced. A commented list of 60 main design changes and safety improvements is also included, as they were implemented in the wake of various safety assessments. An overview of the Temelin safety improvement programme is attached, comprising brief descriptions of 30 planned improvement items together with the time schedules. (A.K.)

Reactor Safety Assessment System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sebo, D.E.; Bray, M.A.; King, M.A.

1987-01-01

The Reactor Safety Assessment System (RSAS) is an expert system under development for the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC). RSAS is designed for use at the USNRC Operations Center in the event of a serious incident at a licensed nuclear power plant. RSAS is a situation assessment expert system which uses plant parametric data to generate conclusions for use by the NRC Reactor Safety Team. RSAS uses multiple rule bases and plant specific setpoint files to be applicable to all licensed nuclear power plants in the United States. RSAS currently covers several generic reactor categories and multiple plants within each category

Reactor safety assessment system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sebo, D.E.; Bray, M.A.; King, M.A.

1987-01-01

The Reactor Safety Assessment System (RSAS) is an expert system under development for the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC). RSA is designed for use at the USNRC Operations Center in the event of a serious incident at a licensed nuclear power plant. RSAS is a situation assessment expert system which uses plant parametric data to generate conclusions for use by the NRC Reactor Safety Team. RSAS uses multiple rule bases and plant specific setpoint files to be applicable to all licensed nuclear power plants in the United States. RSAS currently covers several generic reactor categories and multiple plants within each category

Development of an accident management expert system for containment assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nelson, W.R.; Sebo, D.E.; Haney, L.N.

1987-01-01

The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRSC) is sponsoring a program at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) to develop an accident management expert system. The intended users of the system are the personnel of the NRC Operations Center in Washington, D.C. The expert system will be used to help NRC personnel monitor and evaluate the status and management of the containment during a severe reactor accident. The knowledge base will include severe accident knowledge regarding the maintenance of the critical safety functions, especially containment integrity, during an accident. This paper summarizes the concepts that have been developed for the accident management expert system, and the plans that have been developed for its implementation

Human factors considerations for expert systems in the nuclear industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nelson, W.R.

1988-01-01

This paper discusses the general human factors issues relative to the development and implementation of expert systems for the nuclear industry. It summarizes the relevant research that addresses these issues, and identifies those areas that need the most effort for success. Since much of the prominent work for the application of expert systems has focused on computerized aids for decision making in emergencies, this paper draws from this area for its examples. This area tends to highlight the issues because of the safety-critical nature of the application. The same issues, however, are relevant to other applications of expert systems in the nuclear industry as well, even though the consequences of failure may not be as dramatic

On Consistency Test Method of Expert Opinion in Ecological Security Assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Gong, Zaiwu; Wang, Lihong

2017-09-04

To reflect the initiative design and initiative of human security management and safety warning, ecological safety assessment is of great value. In the comprehensive evaluation of regional ecological security with the participation of experts, the expert's individual judgment level, ability and the consistency of the expert's overall opinion will have a very important influence on the evaluation result. This paper studies the consistency measure and consensus measure based on the multiplicative and additive consistency property of fuzzy preference relation (FPR). We firstly propose the optimization methods to obtain the optimal multiplicative consistent and additively consistent FPRs of individual and group judgments, respectively. Then, we put forward a consistency measure by computing the distance between the original individual judgment and the optimal individual estimation, along with a consensus measure by computing the distance between the original collective judgment and the optimal collective estimation. In the end, we make a case study on ecological security for five cities. Result shows that the optimal FPRs are helpful in measuring the consistency degree of individual judgment and the consensus degree of collective judgment.

Safety review advisor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boshers, J.A.; Alguindigue, I.E.; Uhrig, R.E.

1989-01-01

The University of Tennessee's Nuclear Engineering Department, in cooperation with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), is evaluating the feasibility of utilizing an expert system to aid in 10CFR50.59 evaluations. This paper discusses the history of 10CFR50.59 reviews, and details the development approach used in the construction of a prototype Safety Review Advisor (SRA). The goals for this expert system prototype are to (1) aid the engineer in the evaluation process by directing his attention to the appropriate critical issues, (2) increase the efficiency, consistency, and thoroughness of the evaluation process, and (3) provide a foundation of appropriate Safety Analysis Report (SAR) references for the reviewer. 6 refs., 2 figs

Radiation safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-04-01

Most of the ionizing radiation that people are exposed to in day-to-day activities comes from natural, rather than manmade, sources. The health effects of radiation - both natural and artificial - are relatively well understood and can be effectively minimized through careful safety measures and practices. The IAEA, together with other international and expert organizations, is helping to promote and institute Basic Safety Standards on an international basis to ensure that radiation sources and radioactive materials are managed for both maximum safety and human benefit

Price competition between an expert and a non-expert

OpenAIRE

Bouckaert, J.M.C.; Degryse, H.A.

1998-01-01

This paper characterizes price competition between an expert and a non-expert. In contrast with the expert, the non-expert’s repair technology is not always successful. Consumers visit the expert after experiencing an unsuccessful match at the non-expert. This re-entry affects the behaviour of both sellers. For low enough probability of successful repair at the non-expert, all consumers first visit the non-expert, and a ‘timid-pricing’ equilibrium results. If the non-expert’s repair technolog...

Final report of the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel amended safety assessment of Calendula officinalis-derived cosmetic ingredients.

Science.gov (United States)

Andersen, F Alan; Bergfeld, Wilma F; Belsito, Donald V; Hill, Ronald A; Klaassen, Curtis D; Liebler, Daniel C; Marks, James G; Shank, Ronald C; Slaga, Thomas J; Snyder, Paul W

2010-01-01

Calendula officinalis extract, C officinalis flower, C officinalis flower extract, C officinalis flower oil, and C officinalis seed oil are cosmetic ingredients derived from C officinalis. These ingredients may contain minerals, carbohydrates, lipids, phenolic acids, flavonoids, tannins, coumarins, sterols and steroids, monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, triterpenes, tocopherols, quinones, amino acids, and resins. These ingredients were not significantly toxic in single-dose oral studies using animals. The absence of reproductive/developmental toxicity was inferred from repeat-dose studies of coriander oil, with a similar composition. Overall, these ingredients were not genotoxic. They also were not irritating, sensitizing, or photosensitizing in animal or clinical tests but may be mild ocular irritants. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel concluded that these ingredients are safe for use in cosmetics in the practices of use and concentration given in this amended safety assessment.

Leadership and occupational safety and health (OSH): an expert analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Elsler, D.; Flintrop, J.; Kaluza, S.; Hauke, A.; Starren, A.; Drupsteen, L.; Bell, N.

2012-01-01

In EU legislation as well as in scientific literature ever more attention is being paid to the important role of leadership in the improvement of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH). Improving the safety behaviour of employees requires understanding of the good leadership practices that can help

Component aging evaluation with expert systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wiesemann, J.S.; Maguire, H.T. Jr.

1988-01-01

The age degradation of components involves a complex relationship between a variety of variables. These relationships are typically modeled using probabilistic and deterministic analyses. These methods depend upon a formal understanding of the underlying degradation mechanisms and a database of experience which allows statistical analyses to extract numerical trends. At present, not all age degradation mechanisms are adequately modeled and available data for age degradation is in most cases insufficient. In addition, these methods tend to focus upon answers to isolated questions (e.g., What is the component failure rate?) rather than the more pertinent questions concerning operations and maintenance (e.g., should the component be replaced at the next outage). Fortunately, knowledge in the form of personal experience does exist which allows plant personnel to make decisions concerning operations and maintenance. This knowledge can be modeled using expert systems. This paper discusses CAGES (Component Aging Expert System). It combines expert rules (heuristics), probabilistic models, and deterministic models to make evaluations of component aging; predict the implications for component life extension, operational readiness, maintenance effectiveness, and safety, and make recommendations for maintenance and operation

Information need about the safety of the final disposal of nuclear waste. Information receiver`s views in Eurajoki, Kuhmo and Aeaenekoski municipalities; Tiedontarve ydinjaetteen loppusijoituksen turvallisuudesta. Vastaanottajan naekoekulmia Eurajoella, Kuhmossa ja Aeaenekoskella

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hautakangas, H

1997-03-01

The study analyses the public`s information need about the safety issues related to the final disposal of spent nuclear fuel generated by the Finnish nuclear power stations. Locals in three municipalities that are studied as possible sites for final disposal were interviewed for the study. Earlier studies made in Finland had indicated that the public`s knowledge about safety issues related to the final disposal was almost opposite to the findings of the natural sciences. Also, the public had expressed a wish to receive more information from the safety authority, the Finnish Centre for Radiation and Nuclear Safety (STUK). This study therefore had two basic objectives: To find out what kind of safety information the locals need and what the safety authority`s role could be in providing information. The main results show interest and need especially for information concerning the disposal phases taking place on the ground level, such as nuclear waste transportation and encapsulation. Also, the interviews show a clear need and desire for an impartial actor such as STUK in the information and communication process. (author) (107 refs.).

Safety codes and guides for nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iansiti, E.

1976-01-01

The Codes of Practice and Safety Guides that are being developed by the International Atomic Energy Agency are divided in five topical areas: Governmental Organization, Siting, Design, Operation and Quality Assurance. In each area, a scientific secretary is responsible for developing the documents and five Technical Review Committees composed of 10 to 12 experts from various Members Countries revise the drafts at different stages. A Senior Advisory Group supervises the entire programme and revises the document. A scientific co-ordinator is responsible for the co-ordination within the programme with other sections of the IAEA, and with other international organizations. In preparing a document, information on the practice adopted by Member States is collected, a group of experts is convened for preparing a preliminary draft on the basis of this material and the draft is then reviewed by the appropriate Technical Review Committee. The document is translated into various languages, reviewed by the Senior Advisory Group and sent to Member States for comments. After the comments of Member States have been received, the Technical Review Committee and then the Senior Advisory Group are convened again for the final revision of the document. Some 25 drafts, are in different stages of development. The preparation of a document in its final form takes about two years. The programme started in 1975 and to date most of the safety codes and a few safety guides have been sent to Member States for comments. These documents will have gone through the entire development procedure by early 1977. The Senior Advisory Groups and the Technical Review Committees meet on the average four times a year for a week at a time. Until now these meetings have been mainly concerned with the development of new documents or with that part of the procedure which precedes the transmission of the draft to Member States for comments. The next series of meetings will deal with the revisions needed to

Expert system verification and validation for nuclear power industry applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naser, J.A.

1990-01-01

The potential for the use of expert systems in the nuclear power industry is widely recognized. The benefits of such systems include consistency of reasoning during off-normal situations when humans are under great stress, the reduction of times required to perform certain functions, the prevention of equipment failures through predictive diagnostics, and the retention of human expertise in performing specialized functions. The increased use of expert systems brings with it concerns about their reliability. Difficulties arising from software problems can affect plant safety, reliability, and availability. A joint project between EPRI and the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission is being initiated to develop a methodology for verification and validation of expert systems for nuclear power applications. This methodology will be tested on existing and developing expert systems. This effort will explore the applicability of conventional verification and validation methodologies to expert systems. The major area of concern will be certification of the knowledge base. This is expected to require new types of verification and validation techniques. A methodology for developing validation scenarios will also be studied

Playground Safety

Science.gov (United States)

... Prevention Fall Prevention Playground Safety Poisoning Prevention Road Traffic Safety Sports Safety Get Email Updates To receive ... at the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s Playground Safety website . References U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Injuries and ...

Handbook of advanced nuclear hydrogen safety. 1st edition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hino, Ryutaro; Takegami, Hiroaki; Ogawa, Toru

2017-03-01

In the aftermath of the Fukushima nuclear accident, safety measures against hydrogen in severe accident has been recognized as a serious technical problem in Japan. Therefore, efforts have begun to form a common knowledge base between nuclear engineers and experts on combustion and explosion, and to secure and improve future nuclear energy safety. As one of such activities, we have prepared the 'Handbook of Advanced Nuclear Hydrogen Safety'. A handbook committee consisting of Japanese experts in the fields of nuclear and combustion-explosion in universities, nuclear companies, electric companies and research institutes was established in 2012. The objective and consents of the handbook were determined, and the outline of the contents was decided. The concepts of the handbook are as follows: to show advanced nuclear hydrogen safety technologies that nuclear engineers should understand, to show hydrogen safety points to make combustion-explosion experts cooperate with nuclear engineers, to expand information on water radiolysis considering the situation from just after the Fukushima accidents and to the waste management necessary for decommissioning after the accident etc. Many experts have participated to manuscript preparation, which was the first step of forming a hydrogen community across the boundaries of fields. The hydrogen community is expected to grow along with its improvement to the knowledge base on nuclear hydrogen safety. (author)

Expert system technology for control integration in nuclear reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stabler, E.P. Jr.; Zimmerman, J.J.; Stratton, R.C.

1986-03-01

This report describes the role of expert system technology in nuclear power plant operation. The use of computers to assist operator decisions would greatly enhance the safety and efficiency of operation. A description of the necessary operator interfaces, data acquisition and validation, plant status and parameter diagnosis, and system reliability is presented. (FL)

NKS/SOS-1 seminar on safety analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lauridsen, K. [Risoe National Lab., Roskilde (Denmark); Anderson, K. [Karinta-Konsult (Sweden); Pulkkinen, U. [VTT Automation (Finland)

2001-05-01

The report describes presentations and discussions at a seminar held at Risoe on March 22-23, 2000. The title of the seminar was NKS/SOS-1 - Safety Analysis. It dealt with issues of relevance for the safety analysis for the entire nuclear safety field (notably reactors and nuclear waste repositories). Such issues were: objectives of safety analysis, risk criteria, decision analysis, expert judgement and risk communication. In addition, one talk dealt with criteria for chemical industries in Europe. The seminar clearly showed that the concept of risk is multidimensional, which makes clarity and transparency essential elements in risk communication, and that there are issues of common concern between different applications, such as how to deal with different kinds of uncertainty and expert judgement. (au)

The Feasibility and Safety of Surgery in Patients Receiving Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: A Retrospective Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexandra W. Elias

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI are revolutionizing care for cancer patients. The list of malignancies for which the Food and Drug Administration is granting approval is rapidly increasing. Furthermore, there is a concomitant increase in clinical trials incorporating ICI. However, the safety of ICI in patients undergoing surgery remains unclear. Herein, we assessed the safety of ICI in the perioperative setting at a single center. We conducted a retrospective review of patients who underwent planned surgery while receiving ICI in the perioperative setting from 2012 to 2016. We collected 30-day postoperative morbidity and mortality utilizing the Clavien–Dindo classification system. We identified 17 patients who received perioperative ICI in 22 operations. Patients were diagnosed with melanoma (n = 14, renal cell carcinoma (n = 2, and urothelial carcinoma (n = 1. Therapies included pembrolizumab (n = 10, ipilimumab (n = 5, atezolizumab (n = 5, and ipilimumab/nivolumab (n = 2. Procedures included cutaneous/subcutaneous resection (n = 6, lymph node resection (n = 5, small bowel resection (n = 5, abdominal wall resection (n = 3, other abdominal surgery (n = 3, orthopedic surgery (n = 1, hepatic resection (n = 1, and neurosurgery (n = 2. There were no Grade III–IV Clavien–Dindo complications. There was one death secondary to ventricular fibrillation in the setting of coronary artery disease. ICI appear safe in the perioperative setting, involving multiple different types of surgery, and likely do not need to be stopped in the perioperative setting. Further studies are warranted to confirm these findings.

The safety of the nuclear fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2005-01-01

The procurement and preparation of fuel for nuclear power reactors, followed by its recovery, processing and management subsequent to reactor discharge, are frequently referred to as the ''front end'' and ''back end'' of the nuclear fuel cycle. The facilities associated with these activities have an extensive and well-documented safety record accumulated over the past 50 years by technical experts and safety authorities. This information has enabled an in-depth analysis of the complete fuel cycle. Preceded by two previous editions in 1981 and 1993, this new edition of the Safety of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle represents the most up-to-date analysis of the safety aspects of the nuclear fuel cycle. It will be of considerable interest to nuclear safety experts, but also to those wishing to acquire extensive information about the fuel cycle more generally. (author)

The safety of the nuclear fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2005-10-01

The procurement and preparation of fuel for nuclear power reactors, followed by its recovery, processing and management subsequent to reactor discharge, are frequently referred to as the 'front end' and 'back end' of the nuclear fuel cycle. The facilities associated with these activities have an extensive and well-documented safety record accumulated over the past 50 years by technical experts and safety authorities. This information has enabled an in-depth analysis of the complete fuel cycle. Preceded by two previous editions in 1981 and 1993, this new edition of The Safety of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle represents the most up-to-date analysis of the safety aspects of the nuclear fuel cycle. It will be of considerable interest to nuclear safety experts, but also to those wishing to acquire extensive information about the fuel cycle more generally. (author)

Assessment of geomechanical properties of intact Opalinus Clay - Expert report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amann, F.; Vogelhuber, M.

2015-11-01

This comprehensive report published by the Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate ENSI presents an expert report published on the assessment of the geomechanical properties of intact Opalinus Clay. This review report addresses the conceptual constitutive framework for repositories in Opalinus Clay. The author addresses the geomechanical fundamentals that are necessary in order to adequately judge experiments on intact Opalinus Clay and the interpretation of the results. The report assesses in detail the various test series on intact Opalinus Clay carried out along with the interpretations made by experts and NAGRA. Further assessments are quoted including those on sample geometries tested, effective strength properties, undrained shear strength properties and elastic properties. The results of work done by other experts are also presented and discussed. The report is completed with a list of relevant literature

Assessment of geomechanical properties of intact Opalinus Clay - Expert report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Amann, F. [Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule ETHZ, Zürich (Switzerland); Vogelhuber, M. [Dr. von Moos AG, Geotechnisches Büro, Zürich (Switzerland)

2015-11-15

This comprehensive report published by the Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate ENSI presents an expert report published on the assessment of the geomechanical properties of intact Opalinus Clay. This review report addresses the conceptual constitutive framework for repositories in Opalinus Clay. The author addresses the geomechanical fundamentals that are necessary in order to adequately judge experiments on intact Opalinus Clay and the interpretation of the results. The report assesses in detail the various test series on intact Opalinus Clay carried out along with the interpretations made by experts and NAGRA. Further assessments are quoted including those on sample geometries tested, effective strength properties, undrained shear strength properties and elastic properties. The results of work done by other experts are also presented and discussed. The report is completed with a list of relevant literature.

International Expert Team Concludes IAEA Peer Review of Finland's Regulatory Framework for Nuclear and Radiation Safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2012-01-01

Full text: International safety experts today concluded a two-week International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) mission to review the regulatory framework for nuclear and radiation safety in Finland. In its preliminary report, the Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) mission team found that the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority of Finland (STUK) is a competent and highly credible regulator that is open and transparent and derives great strength from the technical competence of its staff. ''Finland's comprehensive regulatory framework allows STUK to operate in practice as an independent regulatory body,'' said team leader Philippe Jamet, a commissioner of the French regulatory body ASN. The mission was conducted at the request of the Government of Finland from 15-26 October. The team interviewed members of STUK and officials from various ministries, as well as key players in the Finnish safety framework. Such IRRS missions are peer reviews based on IAEA Safety Standards, not inspections or audits. The team was made up of 18 members from Bulgaria, Canada, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Romania, the Russian Federation, South Africa, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as six IAEA staff members. 'The IRRS mission and preparation for it was a unique occasion that involved the whole organization, provided motivation for improvement of the safety framework in Finland and assists STUK review its mission', said Tero Varjoranta, Director General of STUK. The IRRS team identified a number of good practices and achievements, including: - STUK's excellence in its safety assessment of nuclear power plants and waste repositories, in particular its demonstration that long-term political commitment is a necessity to sustain the creation of a waste repository as well as its regulatory oversight of medical applications of radiation sources; and - STUK's excellent record in

Site Wellenberg: ENSI's view on the expert report by Prof. Jon Mosar

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2011-08-01

A public consultation on Stage 1 of the Sectoral Plan 'Deep Geological Disposal' (SGT) aiming at identifying the best site location, took place in Switzerland. In the framework of the elaboration of a report on this consultation by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (BFE), the Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate (ENSI) had to discuss the safety relevant objections. In addition to its own memorandum, the government of the Canton of Nidwalden entered the expert report 'Assessment of the tectonics of the site region Wellenberg (Ct. NW/OW) with regard to a deep repository for low- and intermediate-level radioactive wastes' by Prof. Jon Mosar (University of Fribourg/CH). In his expert report, Mosar concludes that, globally considered, this site should be declared as inappropriate. In the present report, ENSI gives a detailed evaluation of this expert report. In its evaluation, ENSI was supported by the Swiss Seismological Service (SED) that checked Prof. Mosar's statements about the seismicity. SED came up to the conclusion that Prof. Mosar's statements are basically correct. But the allocation of the seismic events to single structural components, as Prof. Mosar did, is not possible because of the large inaccuracies in the localization of the hypocentres. From the SED statements it further comes out that the data set used earlier by the National Cooperative for the Disposal of Radioactive Waste (NAGRA) is in agreement with the seismic events that have been observed meanwhile. A series of smaller seismic events during the year 2005 in conjunction with strong rain falls in the region, constitutes, however, a notable exception. The strength of such a seismic activity is limited. The expert report by Prof. Mosar is restricted to the aspects of tectonics and seismicity. For a complete evaluation of the aptitude of the site region, all 13 safety technical criteria required by the Sectoral Plan SGT should be evaluated and that was not done in the present expert report

NESSUS/EXPERT - An expert system for probabilistic structural analysis methods

Science.gov (United States)

Millwater, H.; Palmer, K.; Fink, P.

1988-01-01

An expert system (NESSUS/EXPERT) is presented which provides assistance in using probabilistic structural analysis methods. NESSUS/EXPERT is an interactive menu-driven expert system that provides information to assist in the use of the probabilistic finite element code NESSUS/FEM and the fast probability integrator. NESSUS/EXPERT was developed with a combination of FORTRAN and CLIPS, a C language expert system tool, to exploit the strengths of each language.

Medical Physics expert and competence in radiation protection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vano, E.; Lamn, I. N.; Guerra, A. del; Van Kleffens, H. J.

2003-01-01

The Council Directive 97/43/EURATOM on health protection of individuals against the dangers of ionizing radiation in relation to medical exposure, defines the Medical Physical Expert as an expert in radiation physics or radiation technology applied to exposure, within the scope of the Directive, whose training and competence to act is recognized by the competent authorities; and who, as appropriate, acts or gives advice on patient dosimetry, on the development and use of complex techniques and equipment, on optimization, on quality assurance, including quality control, and on other matters relating to radiation protection, concerning exposure within the scope of this Directive. As a consequence, it might be implied that his competence in radiation protection should also cover the staff and the public. In fact, the training programmes of medical physics experts include all the aspects concerning these topics. Some confusion could arise in the medical area when the Qualified Expert defined in the Council Directive 96/29/Euratom laying down basic safety standards for the protection of the health of workers and the general public against the dangers arising from ionizing radiation is considered. The Qualified Expert is defined as a person having the knowledge and training needed to carry out physical, technical or radiochemical tests enabling doses to be assessed, and to give advice in order to ensure effective protection of individuals and the correct operation of protective equipment, whose capacity to act a qualified expert is recognized by the competent authorities. A qualified expert may be assigned the technical responsibility for the tasks of radiation protection of workers and members of the public. In Europe, the Qualified Expert is acting at present in the Medical Area in countries where there are not enough Medical Physics Experts or in countries where this role was established before the publication of the Council Directive 97/43/EURATOM. Now, the coherent

Opinions on Fresh Produce Food Safety and Quality Standards by Fresh Produce Supply Chain Experts from the Global South and North.

Science.gov (United States)

Jacxsens, Liesbeth; Van Boxstael, Sigrid; Nanyunja, Jessica; Jordaan, Danie; Luning, Pieternel; Uyttendaele, Mieke

2015-10-01

This study describes the results of an on-line survey of fresh produce supply chain experts who work with producers from the Global North (n = 41, 20 countries) and the Global South (n = 63, 29 countries). They expressed their opinion using 1 to 5 Likert scales on several items related to four types of food safety and quality standards and legislation: Codex Alimentarius standards, European Union legislation, national legislation, and private standards. The results reflect the different circumstances under which the Southern and Northern producers operate in relation to the local organization, regulation, and support of the sector; but they also indicate similar challenges, in particular, the challenge of private standards, which were perceived to demand a higher implementation effort than the other three types of standards. Private standards were also strongly perceived to exclude Southern and Northern small- and medium-scale producers from high-value markets, whereas European Union legislation was perceived to strongly exclude, in particular, small- and medium-scale Southern producers. The results further highlight concerns about costly control measures and third-party certification that are required by downstream buyers but that are mostly paid for by upstream suppliers. Food standards are seen in their dual role as a catalyst for implementation of structured food safety management systems on the one hand and as a nontariff barrier to trade on the other hand. The results of the survey also pointed up the advantages of enforcing food safety and food quality standards in terms of knowledge spillover to noncertified activities, increased revenues, and improved food safety of delivered produce. Survey results highlight the importance of technical assistance and support of producers by governments and producer cooperatives or trade associations in the implementation and certification of food standards, along with increased awareness of and training of individuals in

Expert panel evaluation of health information technology effects on adverse events.

Science.gov (United States)

Abramson, Erika L; Kern, Lisa M; Brenner, Samantha; Hufstader, Meghan; Patel, Vaishali; Kaushal, Rainu

2014-08-01

Adverse events (AEs) among hospitalized patients occur frequently and result in significant sequelae. Federal policy is incentivizing health information technology (HIT) use, although research demonstrating safety benefits from HIT is mixed. Our objective was to evaluate the potential effects of HIT on reducing 21 different inpatient AEs. Identifying AEs most likely to be reduced by HIT can inform the design of future studies evaluating its effectiveness. We conducted a modified Delphi panel of national experts in HIT and safety. We conducted a focused literature review to inform the experts. Using a novel framework, experts rated each AE as 'definitely reduced by health IT,' 'possibly reduced by health IT' and 'not likely to be reduced by health IT'. From our panel discussion, experts identified six AEs as 'definitely reduced by health IT': (1) adverse drug events (ADEs) associated with digoxin; (2) ADE associated with IV heparin; (3) ADE associated with hypoglycaemic agents; (4) ADE associated with low molecular weight heparin and factor Xa inhibitor; (5) contrast nephropathy associated with catheter angiography; and (6) ADE hospital-acquired antibiotic-associated Clostridium difficile. Understanding the effects of HIT on patient outcomes will be essential to ensuring that the significant federal investment results in anticipated improvements. This study serves as an important early step in helping with the design of future work evaluating level of HIT infrastructure and rates of inpatient AEs. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Basic Safety Standards for Radiation Protection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1962-01-01

Pursuant to the provisions of its Statute relevant to the adoption and application of safety standards for protection against radiation, the Agency convened a panel of experts which formulated the Basic Safety Standards set forth in this publication. The panel met under the chairmanship of Professor L. Bugnard, Director of the French Institut National d'Hygiene, and representatives of the United Nations and of several of its specialized agencies participated in its work. The Basic Safety Standards thus represent the result of a most careful assessment of the variety of complex scientific and administrative problems involved. Nevertheless, of course, they will need to be revised from time to time in the light of advances in scientific knowledge, of comments received from Member States and of the work of other competent international organizations. The Agency's Board of Governors in June 1962 approved the Standards as a first edition, subject to later revision as mentioned above, and authorized Director General Sigvard Eklund to apply the Standards in Agency and Agency-assisted operations and to invite Governments of Member States to take them as a basis in formulating national regulations or recommendations on protection against the dangers arising from ionizing radiations. It is mainly for this last purpose that the Basic Safety Standards are now being published in the Safety Series; but it is hoped that this publication will also interest a much wider circle of readers.

An Expert System Helps Students Learn Database Design

Science.gov (United States)

Post, Gerald V.; Whisenand, Thomas G.

2005-01-01

Teaching and learning database design is difficult for both instructors and students. Students need to solve many problems with feedback and corrections. A Web-based specialized expert system was created to enable students to create designs online and receive immediate feedback. An experiment testing the system shows that it significantly enhances…

Alcohol addiction - the safety of available approved treatment options.

Science.gov (United States)

Antonelli, Mariangela; Ferrulli, Anna; Sestito, Luisa; Vassallo, Gabriele A; Tarli, Claudia; Mosoni, Carolina; Rando, Maria M; Mirijello, Antonio; Gasbarrini, Antonio; Addolorato, Giovanni

2018-02-01

Alcohol Use Disorders (AUD) is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. At present disulfiram, naltrexone and acamprosate are approved for the treatment of AUD in U.S. and Europe. Nalmefene is approved in Europe and sodium oxybate is approved in Italy and Austria only. Baclofen received a 'temporary recommendation for use' in France. Areas covered: The safety of the above mentioned medications on liver, digestive system, kidney function, nervous system, pregnancy and lactation and their possible side effects are described and discussed. Expert opinion: Mechanism of action and metabolism of these drugs as well as patients' clinical characteristics can affect the safety of treatment. All approved medications are valid tools for the treatment of AUD in patients without advanced liver disease. For some drugs, attention should be paid to patients with renal failure and medications may be used with caution, adjusting the dosage according to kidney function. In patients with AUD and advanced liver disease, at present only baclofen has been formally tested in randomized controlled trials showing its safety in this population.

Considerations on the Application of the IAEA Safety Requirements for the Design of Nuclear Power Plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2016-05-01

Revised to take into consideration findings from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident, IAEA Safety Standards Series No. SSR-2/1 (Rev. 1), Safety of Nuclear Power Plants: Design, has introduced some new concepts with respect to the earlier safety standard published in the year 2000. The preparation of SSR-2/1 (Rev. 1) was carried out with constant and intense involvement of IAEA Member States, but some new requirements, because of the novelty of the concepts introduced and the complexity of the issues, are not always interpreted in a unique way. The IAEA is confident that a complete clarification and a full understanding of the new requirements will be available when the supporting safety guides for design and safety assessment of nuclear power plants are prepared. The IAEA expects that the effort devoted to the preparation of this publication, which received input and comments from several Member States and experts, will also facilitate and harmonize the preparation or revision of these supporting standards

A prototype expert system 'SMART' for water chemistry control in reactor water circuits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rangarajan, S.; Narasimhan, S.V.

1998-01-01

The operational safety of a power plant depends mainly on the material compatibility of the system materials with the environment. However, for an operating plant, the material is almost fixed and hence one can improve the safety by controlling the surrounding environment. From the economy point of view, the plant availability factor as well as plant life extension (PLEX) are important considerations and these necessitate a systematic approach for continuous parametric monitoring, rapid data analysis and diagnosis for controlling the water chemistry regime. A prototype expert system 'SMART' was developed in BASIC language. The expert system consists of four modules. The DATA HANDLER module controls all the data handling functions and graphical display of the data parameters. It also generates weekly and monthly reports of the water chemistry data. The DATA INTERPRETER module compares the experimental data with the theoretically calculated values and predicts the presence of impurity ingress in the system. The CHEMISTRY EXPERT contains the knowledge base about the various sub-systems. All the water chemistry specifications are translated in the form of IF... THEN.. rules and are stored in this module. The expert system inferences with the forward chain reasoning mechanism to identify the diagnostic parameters by consulting the knowledge base and applying the appropriate rules. The ACTION EXPERT module collects all the diagnostic parameters and suggests the operator, the remedial actions/counter measures that should be taken immediately. This rule based system can be expanded to accommodate different water chemistry regimes. (author)

STARS software tool for analysis of reliability and safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poucet, A.; Guagnini, E.

1989-01-01

This paper reports on the STARS (Software Tool for the Analysis of Reliability and Safety) project aims at developing an integrated set of Computer Aided Reliability Analysis tools for the various tasks involved in systems safety and reliability analysis including hazard identification, qualitative analysis, logic model construction and evaluation. The expert system technology offers the most promising perspective for developing a Computer Aided Reliability Analysis tool. Combined with graphics and analysis capabilities, it can provide a natural engineering oriented environment for computer assisted reliability and safety modelling and analysis. For hazard identification and fault tree construction, a frame/rule based expert system is used, in which the deductive (goal driven) reasoning and the heuristic, applied during manual fault tree construction, is modelled. Expert system can explain their reasoning so that the analyst can become aware of the why and the how results are being obtained. Hence, the learning aspect involved in manual reliability and safety analysis can be maintained and improved

The vulcain N expert fire system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roche, A.

1989-03-01

The Institute for Nuclear Safety and Protection (IPSN) has begun work on an expert system to aid in the diagnosis of fire hazards in nuclear installations. This system is called Vulcain N and is designed as a support tool for the analyses carried out by the IPSN. Vulcain N, is based on the Vulcain expert system already developed by Bertin for its own needs and incorporates the specific rules and know-how of the IPSN experts. The development of Vulcain N began in October 1986 with the drawing up of the technical specifications, and should be completed by the end of 1988. Vulcain N brings together knowledge from a number of different domains: the locations of the combustible materials, the thermal characteristics of the combustible materials and of the walls of the room, the ventilation conditions and, finally, knowledge of fire experts concerning the development of fire. The latter covers four levels of expert knowledge: standards and their associated calculations, the simplified physics of the fire enabling more precise values to be obtained for the figures given by the standards, the rules and knowledge which enables a certain number of deductions to be made concerning the development of the fire, and a numerical simulation code which can be used to monitor the variation of certain characteristic parameters with time. For a given fire out-break scenario, Vulcain N performs diagnosis of different aspects: development of fire, effect of ventilation, emergency action possibilities, propagation hazards, etc. Owing to its flexibility, it can be used in the analysis of fire hazards to simulate a number of possible scenarios and to very rapidly deduce the essential, predominant factors. It will also be used to assist in drafting emergency procedures for application in facilities with nuclear hazards

Nuclear Safety Regulations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Novosel, N.; Prah, M.

2008-01-01

Beside new Ordinance on the control of nuclear material and special equipment ('Official Gazette' No. 15/08), from 2006 State Office for Nuclear Safety (SONS) adopted Ordinance on performing nuclear activities ('Official Gazette' No. 74/06) and Ordinance on special requirements which expert organizations must fulfil in order to perform certain activities in the field of nuclear safety ('Official Gazette' No. 74/06), based on Nuclear Safety Act ('Official Gazette' No. 173/03). The Ordinance on performing nuclear activities regulates the procedure of notification of the intent to perform nuclear activities, submitting the application for the issue of a licence to perform nuclear activities, and the procedure for issuing decisions on granting a licence to perform a nuclear activity. The Ordinance also regulates the content of the forms for notification of the intent to perform nuclear activities, as well as of the application for the issue of a licence to perform the nuclear activity and the method of keeping the register of nuclear activities. According to the Nuclear Safety Act, nuclear activities are the production, processing, use, storage, disposal, transport, import, export, possession or other handling of nuclear material or specified equipment. The Ordinance on special requirements which expert organizations must fulfil in order to perform certain activities in the field of nuclear safety regulates these mentioned conditions, whereas compliance is established by a decision passed by the SONS. Special requirements which expert organizations must fulfil in order to perform certain activities in the field of nuclear safety are organizational, technical, technological conditions and established system of quality assurance. In 2007, State Office for Nuclear Safety finalized the text of new Ordinance on conditions for nuclear safety and protection with regard to the siting, design, construction, use and decommissioning of a facility in which a nuclear activity is

Safety research colloquium 2013-2014. Vol. 10

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pieper, Ralf

2015-01-01

Volume 10 of the safety research colloquium 2013-2014 covers the following issues: Design, ergonomics and safety in product development; Germany is searching a final repository site: concepts and status of the final disposal of nuclear waste; collaborating robots - status of research, standardization and validation; psychological workloads - empirical indications; psychological workloads - actual challenges; expert security by occupational health management - challenges to operational practice; expert security by occupational health management - example of a demographic program in the practical realization; challenges in employment legislation - reduction of the key staff; consideration of human factors in hazard assessment a a challenge for every safety engineer, innovative technologies for work equipment and working systems in the context of ambient intelligence and industry 4.0; challenges of functional safety in the automotive sector; nanotechnology - an example for successful technology assessment.

Radiation and waste safety: Strengthening national capabilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barretto, P.; Webb, G.; Mrabit, K.

1997-01-01

For many years, the IAEA has been collecting information on national infrastructures for assuring safety in applications of nuclear and radiation technologies. For more than a decade, from 1984-95, information relevant to radiation safety particularly was obtained through more than 60 expert missions undertaken by Radiation Protection Advisory Teams (RAPATs) and follow-up technical visits and expert missions. The RAPAT programme documented major weaknesses and the reports provided useful background for preparation of national requests for IAEA technical assistance. Building on this experience and subsequent policy reviews, the IAEA took steps to more systematically evaluate the needs for technical assistance in areas of nuclear and radiation safety. The outcome was the development of an integrated system designed to more closely assess national priorities and needs for upgrading their infrastructures for radiation and waste safety

Information need about the safety of the final disposal of nuclear waste. Information receiver's views in Eurajoki, Kuhmo and Aeaenekoski municipalities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hautakangas, H.

1997-03-01

The study analyses the public's information need about the safety issues related to the final disposal of spent nuclear fuel generated by the Finnish nuclear power stations. Locals in three municipalities that are studied as possible sites for final disposal were interviewed for the study. Earlier studies made in Finland had indicated that the public's knowledge about safety issues related to the final disposal was almost opposite to the findings of the natural sciences. Also, the public had expressed a wish to receive more information from the safety authority, the Finnish Centre for Radiation and Nuclear Safety (STUK). This study therefore had two basic objectives: To find out what kind of safety information the locals need and what the safety authority's role could be in providing information. The main results show interest and need especially for information concerning the disposal phases taking place on the ground level, such as nuclear waste transportation and encapsulation. Also, the interviews show a clear need and desire for an impartial actor such as STUK in the information and communication process. (author) (107 refs.)

New Nuclear Safety Regulations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Novosel, N.; Prah, M.; Cizmek, A.

2008-01-01

Beside new Ordinance on the control of nuclear material and special equipment (Official Gazette No. 15/08), from 2006 State Office for Nuclear Safety (SONS) adopted Ordinance on performing nuclear activities (Official Gazette No. 74/06) and Ordinance on special conditions for individual activities to be performed by expert organizations which perform activities in the area of nuclear safety (Official Gazette No. 74/06), based on Nuclear Safety Act (Official Gazette No. 173/03). The Ordinance on performing nuclear activities regulates the procedure of announcing the intention to perform nuclear activity, submitting an application for the issue of a license to perform nuclear activity, and the procedure for adoption a decision on issuing a nuclear activity license. The Ordinance also regulates the contents of the application form for the announcement of the intention to perform nuclear activity, as well as of the application for the issue of a nuclear activity license and the method of keeping a nuclear activity register. The Ordinance on special conditions for individual activities to be performed by expert organizations which perform activities in the area of nuclear safety regulates these mentioned conditions, whereas compliance is established by a decision passed by the SONS. Special conditions for individual activities to be performed by expert organizations which perform activities in the area of nuclear safety are organizational, technical, technological conditions and established system of quality assurance. In 2007, SONS finalized the text of new Ordinance on nuclear safety and protection conditions for location, design, construction, operation and decommissioning of facility in which nuclear activity is performed. This Ordinance regulates nuclear safety and protection conditions for location, design, construction, operation and decommissioning of facility in which nuclear activity is performed. This Ordinance defines facilities in which nuclear activity is

Expert systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haldy, P.A.

1988-01-01

The definitions of the terms 'artificial intelligence' and 'expert systems', the methodology, areas of employment and limits of expert systems are discussed. The operation of an expert system is described, especially the presentation and organization of knowledge as well as interference and control. Methods and tools for expert system development are presented and their application in nuclear energy are briefly addressed. 7 figs., 2 tabs., 6 refs

Development and assessment of an Al expert system for the monitoring and diagnosis of nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takeuchi, K.; Gagnon, A.; Cheung, A.C.; Meyer, P.E.

1988-01-01

Due to the rapid progress in microcomputer and software development, artificial intelligence (AI) expert systems of practical value can be built into microcomputers. An expert system for nuclear plant surveillance, diagnostics, and prognostics was developed using the Texas Instruments AI shell, Personal Consultant Plus (PC-plus) on an IBM PCAT. This expert system runs in a surveillance mode to find an abnormal operating condition. Once an abnormal behavior is found,it switches to a diagnostics mode to identify the cause of difficult, such as steam generator tube rupture (SGTR) and leak. Then, the prognostics mode can be activated to predict the consequences. For this purpose, the knowledge of experts at Westinghouse for nuclear safety has been collected and processed to construct parameters and rules within the framework of a logic tree. The expert system may be used in an on-line mode via a connection to the plant computer, safety parameter display system, or a plant simulator. In addition to evaluating the diagnosis of an event and providing appropriate information required to generate an event report, this tool can also be used to review the normal recorded plant data daily to assure that no abnormal events have occurred. A limited assessment of the expert system was performed and is presented

Status of Ignalina's safety analysis reports

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uspuras, E.

1999-01-01

Ignalina NPP is unique among RBMK type reactors in the scope and comprehensiveness of international studies which have been performed to verify its design parameters and analyze risk levels. International assistance took several forms, a very valuable mod of assistance utilized the knowledge of international experts in extensive international studies whose purpose was: collection, systematization and verification of plant design data; analysis of risk levels; recommendations leading to improvements in the safety lave; transfer of state of the art analytical methodology to Lithuanian specialists. The major large scale international studies include: probabilistic risk analysis; extensive international study meant to provide comprehensive overview of plant status with special emphasis on safety aspects; an extensive review of the Safety Analysis Report by an independent group of international experts. In spite of the safety improvements and analyses which have been performed at the Ignalina NPP, much remains to be done in the nearest future

The Expert System Application For Inspection Of The Power Plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Josowidagdo, L.

1997-01-01

This paper describes the application of expert system to evaluate and consider the problem encountered in this fields are complex and time consuming. As as example several factors affecting system voltage selections are load magnitude, distance from the main power supply, safety, standards, cost of utilization and service system equipment, and future load growth. The inspection deal with interactions between alternatives, uncertainties, and important non financial parameter. Several complex problems are multiple objective functions, multiple constraints, complex system interactions, the need for accuracy, the need for trade off, optimization, and coordination of the decision making process. ASDEP is one of the expert system for electric power plant design that describe the application of the artificial intelligence to design of a power plan's electrical auxiliary system. In this circumstance this paper will elaborate another aspect for using the expert system in the inspection

Practice guidelines for monitoring the safety of tofacitinib (according to the proceedings of the Expert Council resolution dated 14 October 2014, Moscow

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Article Editorial

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The Meeting of the Expert Council considered in detail the key aspects associated with the possible development of adverse reactions during therapy with tofacitinib (TOFA. Active discussion gave rise to a resolution that summarized the main facts concerning the safety of TOFA and gave practical recommendations for the screening and monitoring of infections, cardiovascular diseases and other key areas requiring that exclusive control should be exercised during this therapy. TOFA is the first drug from a new group of immunomodifying and anti-inflammatory drugs, intracellular kinase inhibitors. As of now, it is the only drug that belongs to a class of the so-called small molecules, which is approved for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in the Russian Federation and a number of other countries. TOFA is a low molecular weight drug for oral administration; however, its unique mechanism of action brings it close to that of biological agents. A broad spectrum of biological effects of TOFA and its potential effect on a number of important physiological processes demand for special attention to the safety of its therapy.

The safety of nuclear power: Strategy for the future

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-01-01

The conference took place in Vienna from 2 to 6 September 1991. It was attended by approximately 350 participants from about fifty countries and 12 international organizations. The conference was directed to decision makers on nuclear safety and energy policy at the technical policy level. Its objective was to review the nuclear power safety issues on which international consensus would be desirable, to address the concerns on nuclear safety expressed by the WCED, and to formulate recommendations for future actions by national and international authorities to advance nuclear safety to the highest level, including proposals for the IAEA's future activities for consideration by its governing bodies. Background Papers were prepared in advance of the conference by Expert Groups on the following five issues: Fundamental principles for the safe use of nuclear power; Ensuring and enhancing safety of operating plants; Treatment of nuclear power plants built to earlier safety standards; The next generation of nuclear power plants; Final disposal of radioactive waste. On the basis of comments received on these papers from IAEA Member States, significant topics for discussion were identified. These topics and the papers formed the basis of the discussions from which the conference arrived at recommendations for future action by national and international authorities. A separate abstract was prepared for the opening speeches, background papers, major findings of the conference and the President's closing statement. 2 figs, 1 tab

Can journalistic "false balance" distort public perception of consensus in expert opinion?

Science.gov (United States)

Koehler, Derek J

2016-03-01

Media critics have expressed concern that journalistic "false balance" can distort the public's perceptions of what ought to be noncontroversial subjects (e.g., climate change). I report several experiments testing the influence of presenting conflicting comments from 2 experts who disagree on an issue (balance condition) in addition to a complete count of the number of experts on a panel who favor either side. Compared with a control condition, who received only the complete count, participants in the balance condition gave ratings of the perceived agreement among the experts that did not discriminate as clearly between issues with and without strong expert consensus. Participants in the balance condition also perceived less agreement among the experts in general, and were less likely to think that there was enough agreement among experts on the high-consensus issues to guide government policy. Evidently, "false balance" can distort perceptions of expert opinion even when participants would seem to have all the information needed to correct for its influence. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Targeted road safety programmes : a promising approach in road safety. Paper presented at `the second conference on Asian road safety', Beijing, October 28-31, 1996.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wegman, F.C.M.

1996-01-01

This paper gives a broad overview on targeted road safety programmes, mainly based on the activities of a so-called OECD scientific expert group, whose report has been published in 1994 (see C 2845 S (IRRD 864087). Examples of targeted road safety programmes are given in some more detail of Finland,

Assessing food safety concepts on the dairy farm: the case of chemical hazards

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Valeeva, N.I.; Meuwissen, M.P.M.; Oude Lansink, A.G.J.M.; Bergevoet, R.H.M.; Huirne, R.B.M.

2004-01-01

Adaptive conjoint analysis was used to elicit farmers' and experts' preferences for attributes of improving food safety with respect to chemical hazards on the dairy farm. Groups of respondents were determined by cluster analysis based on similar farmers' and experts' perceptions of food safety

Expert Systems

OpenAIRE

Lucas, P.J.F.

2005-01-01

Expert systems mimic the problem-solving activity of human experts in specialized domains by capturing and representing expert knowledge. Expert systems include a knowledge base, an inference engine that derives conclusions from the knowledge, and a user interface. Knowledge may be stored as if-then rules, orusing other formalisms such as frames and predicate logic. Uncertain knowledge may be represented using certainty factors, Bayesian networks, Dempster-Shafer belief functions, or fuzzy se...

Fuel Receiving and Storage Station. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's safety evaluation report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1976-01-01

The safety evaluation report covers design of structures, components, equipment, and systems; nuclear criticality safety; radiological safety; accident analysis; conduct of operations; quality assurance; common defense and security; financial qualifications; financial protection and indemnity requirements; and technical specifications

Establishing research priorities for patient safety in emergency medicine: a multidisciplinary consensus panel.

Science.gov (United States)

Plint, Amy C; Stang, Antonia S; Calder, Lisa A

2015-01-01

Patient safety in the context of emergency medicine is a relatively new field of study. To date, no broad research agenda for patient safety in emergency medicine has been established. The objective of this study was to establish patient safety-related research priorities for emergency medicine. These priorities would provide a foundation for high-quality research, important direction to both researchers and health-care funders, and an essential step in improving health-care safety and patient outcomes in the high-risk emergency department (ED) setting. A four-phase consensus procedure with a multidisciplinary expert panel was organized to identify, assess, and agree on research priorities for patient safety in emergency medicine. The 19-member panel consisted of clinicians, administrators, and researchers from adult and pediatric emergency medicine, patient safety, pharmacy, and mental health; as well as representatives from patient safety organizations. In phase 1, we developed an initial list of potential research priorities by electronically surveying a purposeful and convenience sample of patient safety experts, ED clinicians, administrators, and researchers from across North America using contact lists from multiple organizations. We used simple content analysis to remove duplication and categorize the research priorities identified by survey respondents. Our expert panel reached consensus on a final list of research priorities through an in-person meeting (phase 3) and two rounds of a modified Delphi process (phases 2 and 4). After phases 1 and 2, 66 unique research priorities were identified for expert panel review. At the end of phase 4, consensus was reached for 15 research priorities. These priorities represent four themes: (1) methods to identify patient safety issues (five priorities), (2) understanding human and environmental factors related to patient safety (four priorities), (3) the patient perspective (one priority), and (4) interventions for

Final safety analysis report (FSAR) for waste receiving and processing (WRAP) facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weidert, J.R.

1997-01-01

This safety analysis report provides a summary description of the WRAP Facility, focusing on significant safety-related characteristics of the location and facility design. This report demonstrates that adherence to the safety basis wi11 ensure necessary operational safety considerations have been addressed sufficiently and justifies the adequacy of the safety basis in protecting the health and safety of the public, workers, and the environment

Proceedings of the Digital Systems Reliability and Nuclear Safety Workshop

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wallace, D. R.; Cuthill, B. B.; Ippolito, L. M. [National Inst. of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD (United States); Beltracchi, L. [Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC (United States) ed.

1994-03-01

The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), in cooperation with the National Institute of Standards and Technology conducted the.Digital Systems Reliability and Nuclear Safety Workshop on September 13--14, 1993, in Rockville, Maryland. The workshop provided a forum for the exchange of information among experts within the nuclear industry, experts from other industries, regulators and academia. The information presented at this workshop provided in-depth exposure of the NRC staff and the nuclear industry to digital systems design safety issues and also provided feedback to the NRC from outside experts regarding identified safety issues, proposed regulatory positions, and intended research associated with the use of digital systems in nuclear power plants. Technical presentations provided insights on areas where current software engineering practices may be inadequate for safety-critical systems, on potential solutions for development issues, and on methods for reducing risk in safety-critical systems. This report contains an analysis of results of the workshop, the papers presented panel presentations, and summaries of, discussions at this workshop. The individual papers have been cataloged separately.

State-of-the-art report on systematic approaches to safety management - Special Expert Group on Human and Organisational Factors (SEGHOF)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van den Berghe, Yves; Frischknecht, Albert; Gil, Benito; Martin, Anibal; McRobbie, Helen; Reiersen, Craig; Tasset, Daniel; Aastrand, Kaisa; Dahlgren-Persson, Kerstin; Pyy, Pekka; Mauny, Elisabeth

2006-02-01

There is a growing awareness of the significant contribution which human and organisational factors (HOF) make to nuclear safety. Within the HOF area, attention is increasingly focused on addressing management and organisational issues. This reflects an evolving recognition that the members of a nuclear licensee form part of a socio-technological system, and that their performance is influenced by the organisation and the culture within that organisation. A series of events across the nuclear industry and other sectors has reinforced the appreciation of the importance of robust safety management. Also, the management and organisation of nuclear installations is impacted by a number of current challenges such as deregulation, change in institutional ownership of the industry, contractorization and an ageing plant and workforce. It is in this context that the CSNI (Committee on Safety of Nuclear Installations) Special Experts' Group on Human and Organisational Factors (SEGHOF) was requested by the CNRA (Committee on Nuclear Regulatory Actions) to examine the role and influence of safety management in nuclear plant operations in 2000. A workshop on 'systematic approaches to safety management' was held in spring 2002 and this was followed by a survey in 2003-4 of relevant practices and developments across licensees and regulators. This report provides a brief explanation of the relationship between safety management and safety culture. It reinforces the need for nuclear licensees and regulators to take positive steps to ensure that licensees develop and sustain a robust safety management system as a part of their management systems as a whole. The report draws out the main findings of the workshop and presents the results of the survey in more detail. It seeks to identify current issues and areas warranting further consideration. The workshop explored the development of current organisational theories and their application to nuclear plant safety management. It

Kowledge-based dynamic network safety calculations. Wissensbasierte dynamische Netzsicherheitsberechnungen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kulicke, B [Inst. fuer Hochspannungstechnik und Starkstromanlagen, Berlin (Germany); Schlegel, S [Inst. fuer Hochspannungstechnik und Starkstromanlagen, Berlin (Germany)

1993-06-28

An important part of network operation management is the estimation and maintenance of the security of supply. So far the control personnel has only been supported by static network analyses and safety calculations. The authors describe an expert system, which is coupled to a real time simulation program on a transputer basis, for dynamic network safety calculations. They also introduce the system concept and the most important functions of the expert system. (orig.)

Expert opinion vs. empirical evidence: the precautionary principle applied to GM crops.

Science.gov (United States)

Herman, Rod A; Raybould, Alan

2014-01-01

Expert opinion is often sought by government regulatory agencies when there is insufficient empirical evidence to judge the safety implications of a course of action. However, it can be reckless to continue following expert opinion when a preponderance of evidence is amassed that conflicts with this opinion. Factual evidence should always trump opinion in prioritizing the information that is used to guide regulatory policy. Evidence-based medicine has seen a dramatic upturn in recent years spurred by examples where evidence indicated that certain treatments recommended by expert opinions increased death rates. We suggest that scientific evidence should also take priority over expert opinion in the regulation of genetically modified crops (GM). Examples of regulatory data requirements that are not justified based on the mass of evidence are described, and it is suggested that expertise in risk assessment should guide evidence-based regulation of GM crops.

Expert - Non-expert differences in visual behaviour during alpine slalom skiing.

Science.gov (United States)

Decroix, Marjolein; Wazir, Mohd Rozilee Wazir Norjali; Zeuwts, Linus; Deconinck, Frederik F J A; Lenoir, Matthieu; Vansteenkiste, Pieter

2017-10-01

The aim of this study was to investigate visual behaviour of expert and non-expert ski athletes during an alpine slalom. Fourteen non-experts and five expert slalom skiers completed an alpine slalom course in an indoor ski slope while wearing a head-mounted eye tracking device. Experts completed the slalom clearly faster than non-experts, but no significant difference was found in timing and position of the turn initiation. Although both groups already looked at future obstacles approximately 0,5s before passing the upcoming pole, the higher speed of experts implied that they shifted gaze spatially earlier in the bend than non-experts. Furthermore, experts focussed more on the second next pole while non-expert slalom skiers looked more to the snow surface immediately in front of their body. No difference was found in the fixation frequency, average fixation duration, and quiet eye duration between both groups. These results suggest that experts focus on the timing of their actions while non-experts still need to pay attention to the execution of these actions. These results also might suggest that ski trainers should instruct non-experts and experts to focus on the next pole and, shift their gaze to the second next pole shortly before reaching it. Based on the current study it seems unadvisable to instruct slalom skiers to look several poles ahead during the actual slalom. However, future research should test if these results still hold on a real outdoor slope, including multiple vertical gates. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Human engineering in the design of expert systems for microcomputer system troubleshooting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Easter, J.R.; Elm, W.C.

1988-01-01

The man-machine interfaces of the first generation of expert systems have usually received little or no explicit design effort. As a result, many of these systems when placed in their productive environment have only served to collect dust. One of the more aggravating attributes of such systems has been the demand that the user of such systems religiously follow the pre-determined and fixed problem solving path the domain expert designed in the expert system. Westinghouse has embarked on a program aimed at improving the productivity of the I and C maintenance staff responsible for caring for these new systems, the focus of which is the development of a computer based expert system to be used as a trouble-shooting aid. To date, Westinghouse has created a knowledge structure for such an expert system that describes the purposes or design objectives of the faulted microcomputer system

Gas-cooled breeder reactor safety

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chermanne, J.; Burgsmueller, P. [Societe Belge pour l' Industrie Nucleaire, Brussels

1981-01-15

The European Association for the Gas-cooled Breeder Reactor (G B R A), set-up in 1969 prepared between 1972 and 1974 a 1200 MWe Gas-cooled Breeder Reactor (G B R) commercial reference design G B R 4. It was then found necessary that a sound and neutral appraisal of the G B R licenseability be carried out. The Commission of the European Communities (C E C) accepted to sponsor this exercise. At the beginning of 1974, the C E C convened a group of experts to examine on a Community level, the safety documents prepared by the G B R A. A working party was set-up for that purpose. The experts examined a ''Preliminary Safety Working Document'' on which written questions and comments were presented. A ''Supplement'' containing the answers to all the questions plus a detailed fault tree and reliability analysis was then prepared. After a final study of this document and a last series of discussions with G B R A representatives, the experts concluded that on the basis of the evidence presented to the Working Party, no fundamental reasons were identified which would prevent a Gas-cooled Breeder Reactor of the kind proposed by the G B R A achieving a satisfactory safety status. Further work carried out on ultimate accident have confirmed this conclusion. One can therefore claim that the overall safety risk associated with G B R s compares favourably with that of any other reactor system.

The emphasis is on reactor safety research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1982-01-01

For the second time the Association for Reactor Safety mbH (GRS), Koeln, organised on behalf of the BMFT the conference 'Reactor safety research'. About 400 visitors took part. The public who were interested were given a review of the activities which are being undertaken by the BMFT in the programme 'Research and safety of light-water reactors'. The series of conference papers initiated by the BMFT is to be developed into a permanent information source which will be of interest to those working on nuclear questions such as official quarters, industry and high schools, and experts who have to give judgements. The most important statements by various research groups in industry, high schools and also associations of experts, are summarised. (orig.) [de

Application of fuzzy set theory for safety culture and safety management assessment of Kartini research reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Syarip; Hauptmanns, U.

2000-01-01

The safety culture status of nuclear power plant is usually assessed through interview and/or discussions with personnel and management in plant, and an assessment of the pertinent documentation. The approach for safety culture assessment described in IAEA Safety Series, make uses of a questionnaire composed of questions which require 'Yes' or 'No' as an answer. Hence, it is basically a check-list approach which is quite common for safety assessments in industry. Such a procedure ignores the fact that the expert answering the question usually has knowledge which goes far beyond a mere binary answer. Additionally, many situations cannot readily be described in such restricted terms. Therefore, it was developed a checklist consisting of questions which are formulated such that they require more than a simple 'yes' or 'no' as an answer. This allows one to exploit the expert knowledge of the analyst appropriately by asking him to qualify the degree of compliance of each of the topics examined. The method presented has proved useful in assessing the safety culture and quality of safety management of the research reactor. The safety culture status and the quality of safety management of Kartini research reactor is rated as 'average'. The method is also flexible and allows one to add questions to existing areas or to introduce new areas covering related topics

Reactor Safety Analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arien, B.

1998-01-01

The objective of SCK-CEN's programme on reactor safety is to develop expertise in probabilistic and deterministic reactor safety analysis. The research programme consists of four main activities, in particular the development of software for reliability analysis of large systems and participation in the international PHEBUS-FP programme for severe accidents, the development of an expert system for the aid to diagnosis; the development and application of a probabilistic reactor dynamics method. Main achievements in 1999 are reported

Lay and Expert Perceptions of Planetary Protection

Science.gov (United States)

Race, Margaret S.; MacGregor, Donald G.; Slovic, Paul

2000-01-01

As space scientists and engineers plan new missions to Mars and other planets in our solar system, they will face critical questions about the potential for biological contamination of planetary surfaces. In a society that places ever-increasing importance on the role of public involvement in science and technology policy, questions about risks of biological contamination will be examined and debated in the media, and will lead to the formation of public perceptions of planetary-contamination risks. These perceptions will, over time, form an important input to the development of space policy. Previous research in public and expert perceptions of technological risks and hazards has shown that many of the problems faced by risk-management organizations are the result of differing perceptions of risk (and risk management) between the general public and scientific and technical experts. These differences manifest themselves both as disagreements about the definition (and level) of risk associated with a scientific, technological or industrial enterprise, and as distrust about the ability of risk-management organizations (both public and private) to adequately protect people's health and safety. This report presents the results of a set of survey studies designed to reveal perceptions of planetary exploration and protection from a wide range of respondents, including both members of the general public and experts in the life sciences. The potential value of this research lies in what it reveals about perceptions of risk and benefit that could improve risk-management policies and practices. For example, efforts to communicate with the public about Mars sample return missions could benefit from an understanding of the specific concerns that nonscientists have about such a mission by suggesting areas of potential improvement in public education and information. Assessment of both public and expert perceptions of risk can also be used to provide an advanced signal of

Development of safety review advisory system for nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, M. W.; Lee, H. C.; Park, S. O.; Park, W. J.; Lee, J. I.; Hur, K. Y.; Choi, S. S.; Lee, S. J.; Kang, C. M.

2001-01-01

For the development of an expert system supporting the safety review of nuclear power plants, the application program was implemented after gathering necessary theoretical background and practical requirements. The general and the detail functional specifications were established, and they were investigated by the safety review experts at KINS. Safety Review Advisory System (SRAS), the windows application on client-server environment was developed according to the above specifications. Reviewers can do their safety reviewing regardless of speciality or reviewing experiences because SRAS is operated by the safety review plans which are converted to standardized format. When the safety reviewing is carried out by using SRAS, the results of safety reviewing are accumulated in the database and may be utilized later usefully, and we can grasp safety reviewing progress. Users of SRAS are categorized into three groups, administrator, project manager, and reviewer. Each user group has appropriate access capability. The function and some screen shots of SRAS are described in this paper

Effectiveness of User- and Expert-Driven Web-based Hypertension Programs: an RCT.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Sam; Brooks, Dina; Thomas, Scott G; Eysenbach, Gunther; Nolan, Robert P

2018-04-01

The effectiveness of self-guided Internet-based lifestyle counseling (e-counseling) varies, depending on treatment protocol. Two dominant procedures in e-counseling are expert- and user-driven. The influence of these procedures on hypertension management remains unclear. The objective was to assess whether blood pressure improved with expert-driven or user-driven e-counseling over control intervention in patients with hypertension over a 4-month period. This study used a three-parallel group, double-blind randomized controlled design. In Toronto, Canada, 128 participants (aged 35-74 years) with hypertension were recruited. Participants were recruited using online and poster advertisements. Data collection took place between June 2012 and June 2014. Data were analyzed from October 2014 to December 2016. Controls received a weekly e-mail newsletter regarding hypertension management. The expert-driven group was prescribed a weekly exercise and diet plan (e.g., increase 1,000 steps/day this week). The user-driven group received weekly e-mail, which allowed participants to choose their intervention goals (e.g., [1] feel more confident to change my lifestyle, or [2] self-help tips for exercise or a heart healthy diet). Primary outcome was systolic blood pressure measured at baseline and 4-month follow-up. Secondary outcomes included cholesterol, 10-year Framingham cardiovascular risk, daily steps, and dietary habits. Expert-driven groups showed a greater systolic blood pressure decrease than controls at follow-up (expert-driven versus control: -7.5 mmHg, 95% CI= -12.5, -2.6, p=0.01). Systolic blood pressure reduction did not significantly differ between user- and expert-driven. Expert-driven compared with controls also showed a significant improvement in pulse pressure, cholesterol, and Framingham risk score. The expert-driven intervention was significantly more effective than both user-driven and control groups in increasing daily steps and fruit intake. It may be

Safety for all: The new INSAG

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meserve, Richard; Brockman, Kenneth

2004-01-01

In 1985, the IAEA Director General identified the need for an advisory committee to the IAEA in the area of nuclear safety. The group that was subsequently chartered was called the International Nuclear Safety Advisory Group (INSAG). The nuclear community knew it over the years for the sage counsel and advice that it provided to, and through, the Agency. Between 1985 and 2002, INSAG membership ranged from 13 to 15 experts from around the world. Individuals whose names are synonymous with a commitment to nuclear safety led the group during these years. Over these 17 years, INSAG produced numerous studies that provided the foundation for advances in nuclear safety. These studies included evaluations of design and operational safety at nuclear power plants, consideration of the impacts of radiological exposures, and the examination of how best to develop and maintain a proper safety culture. While INSAG publications were recognized throughout the nuclear community as authoritative and insightful reflections on topics relating to nuclear safety, some believed the Group was limited by its charter obligation to provide advice solely to the IAEA. Other international groups of experts, most notably the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP), evolved with much broader responsibilities. As result, the organization and Terms of Reference for the ICRP were seen to provide a model to emulate if one wanted to have an expert group that could serve all concerned stake holders. It was in response to this desire that the current INSAG was chartered. The IAEA has issued a collection of reports on nuclear safety under the INSAG framework. They include the world's fi rst authoritative account of the 1986 nuclear accident at Chernobyl, and an update issued in 1993. Other reports have focused on topics including basic safety principles; safety culture; regulatory decision-making; knowledge management; safe management of radioactive sources; and the defence

The Chemistry of iodine in reactor safety: summary and conclusions: OECD Workshop

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-01-01

About seventy experts from fourteen OECD member countries attended this Fourth OECD Workshop on the chemistry of iodine in reactor safety, as well as experts from Latvia and the Commission of the European Communities. Thirty four papers were presented, in five sessions: national and international programmes (integral and intermediate-scale experiments), experimental homogeneous phase chemistry, surface processes, thermodynamic and kinetic studies, safety applications. A final session is devoted to a general discussion on remaining research studies relevant to reactor safety

Nuclear energy and risk - experts meeting in November 1977 in Munich

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Danzmann, H J

1978-02-01

As nuclear energy in public discussion is assessed not only by its benefit for the national economy, but above all by its risk, the interest in the subject was demonstrated by experts and public alike. The central point of the meeting was the German reactor safety study, apostrophized as 'Birkmussen Report', as in this report - under the leadership of A. Birkhofer - the applicability of the results of the American reactor safety study WASH-1400, the 'Rasmussen Report' (the final version of which appeared two years ago) on German conditions is investigated.

Elicitation of expert knowledge on controlling Salmonella in the pork chain

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gaag, v.d. M.; Huirne, R.B.M.

2002-01-01

Salmonella is one of the most important risks for food safety, and pork is one of the sources of human salmonellosis. A chain approach is essential to reduce Salmonella in pork products. A survey was carried out among Dutch and Danish experts in the field of Salmonella to evaluate the entire pork

An expert system for emergency response

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sebo, D.

1989-01-01

An expert system, the Reactor Safety Assessment System (RSAS), is being developed by the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory and the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for the NRC Operations Center. The RSAS is intended to aid the reactor safety team (RST) at the operations center in monitoring and projecting core and containment status during an emergency at a licensed nuclear power plant. The RSAS system development has two major aspects. The first is the compilation and storage of knowledge required for RST assessment tasks. The knowledge structure used by RSAS is a goal tree-success tree (GTST) model. The upper level structure of the GTST model is generic in nature. This allows development of models for generic plant-specific GTST models. The second aspect of the RSAS is the development of inferencing techniques for the access, display, and manipulation of the knowledge to meet RST requirements in a real-time manner during the activation of the operations center. This objective is achieved by critical safety function and success path monitoring. This basic strategy is used to determine the current status and estimate future challenges to the status of the reactor, identify procedures and equipment required to maintain or regain the critical safety functions, identify critical equipment, determine information requirements, and display pertinent information concerning current reactor status

Simulation research to enhance patient safety and outcomes: recommendations of the Simnovate Patient Safety Domain Group

OpenAIRE

Pucher, PH; Tamblyn, R; Boorman, D; Dixon-Woods, Mary Margaret; Donaldson, L; Draycott, T; Forster, A; Nadkarni, V; Power, C; Sevdalis, N; Aggarwal, R

2017-01-01

The use of simulation-based training has established itself in healthcare but its implementation has been varied and mostly limited to technical and non-technical skills training. This article discusses the possibilities of the use of simulation as part of an overarching approach to improving patient safety, and represents the views of the Simnovate Patient Safety Domain Group, an international multidisciplinary expert group dedicated to the improvement of patient safety. The application and ...

Do expert assessments converge? An exploratory case study of evaluating and managing a blood supply risk.

Science.gov (United States)

Eyles, John; Heddle, Nancy; Webert, Kathryn; Arnold, Emmy; McCurdy, Bronwen

2011-08-24

Examining professional assessments of a blood product recall/withdrawal and its implications for risk and public health, the paper introduces ideas about perceptions of minimal risk and its management. It also describes the context of publicly funded blood transfusion in Canada and the withdrawal event that is the basis of this study. Interviews with 45 experts from administration, medicine, blood supply, laboratory services and risk assessment took place using a multi-level sampling framework in the aftermath of the recall. These experts either directly dealt with the withdrawal or were involved in the management of the blood supply at the national level. Data from these interviews were coded in NVivo for analysis and interpretation. Analytically, data were interpreted to derive typifications to relate interview responses to risk management heuristics. While all those interviewed agreed on the importance of patient safety, differences in the ways in which the risk was contextualized and explicated were discerned. Risk was seen in terms of patient safety, liability or precaution. These different risk logics are illustrated by selected quotations. Expert assessments did not fully converge and it is possible that these different risk logics and discourses may affect the risk management process more generally, although not necessarily in a negative way. Patient safety is not to be compromised but management of blood risk in publicly funded systems may vary. We suggest ways of managing blood risk using formal and safety case approaches.

Do expert assessments converge? An exploratory case study of evaluating and managing a blood supply risk

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arnold Emmy

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Examining professional assessments of a blood product recall/withdrawal and its implications for risk and public health, the paper introduces ideas about perceptions of minimal risk and its management. It also describes the context of publicly funded blood transfusion in Canada and the withdrawal event that is the basis of this study. Methods Interviews with 45 experts from administration, medicine, blood supply, laboratory services and risk assessment took place using a multi-level sampling framework in the aftermath of the recall. These experts either directly dealt with the withdrawal or were involved in the management of the blood supply at the national level. Data from these interviews were coded in NVivo for analysis and interpretation. Analytically, data were interpreted to derive typifications to relate interview responses to risk management heuristics. Results While all those interviewed agreed on the importance of patient safety, differences in the ways in which the risk was contextualized and explicated were discerned. Risk was seen in terms of patient safety, liability or precaution. These different risk logics are illustrated by selected quotations. Conclusions Expert assessments did not fully converge and it is possible that these different risk logics and discourses may affect the risk management process more generally, although not necessarily in a negative way. Patient safety is not to be compromised but management of blood risk in publicly funded systems may vary. We suggest ways of managing blood risk using formal and safety case approaches.

Expert ease

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1984-04-01

Expert-ease allows the most inexperienced of computer users to build an expert system in a matter of hours. It is nothing more or less than a computer based problem-solving system. It allows the expert to preserve his or her knowledge in the form of rules, which can be applied to problems put to the system by the non-expert. The crucial piece of software at the heart of Expert-Ease extracts rules from data, and is called the analogue concept learning system. It was developed by Intelligent Terminals Ltd. and supplied to Export Software International to be incorporated into a commercially attractive package for business users. The resulting product runs on the Act Sirius and the IBM PC and compatibles. It is a well conceived and polished product with a popular appeal that should ensure widespread acceptance even at a cost of >1500 plus vat.

Expert System

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hildebrandt, Thomas Troels; Cattani, Gian Luca

2016-01-01

An expert system is a computer system for inferring knowledge from a knowledge base, typically by using a set of inference rules. When the concept of expert systems was introduced at Stanford University in the early 1970s, the knowledge base was an unstructured set of facts. Today the knowledge b...... for the application of expert systems, but also raises issues regarding privacy and legal liability....

Software safety hazard analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lawrence, J.D.

1996-02-01

Techniques for analyzing the safety and reliability of analog-based electronic protection systems that serve to mitigate hazards in process control systems have been developed over many years, and are reasonably well understood. An example is the protection system in a nuclear power plant. The extension of these techniques to systems which include digital computers is not well developed, and there is little consensus among software engineering experts and safety experts on how to analyze such systems. One possible technique is to extend hazard analysis to include digital computer-based systems. Software is frequently overlooked during system hazard analyses, but this is unacceptable when the software is in control of a potentially hazardous operation. In such cases, hazard analysis should be extended to fully cover the software. A method for performing software hazard analysis is proposed in this paper

Measurement tools and process indicators of patient safety culture in primary care. A mixed methods study by the LINNEAUS collaboration on patient safety in primary care

Science.gov (United States)

Parker, Dianne; Wensing, Michel; Esmail, Aneez; Valderas, Jose M

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT Background: There is little guidance available to healthcare practitioners about what tools they might use to assess the patient safety culture. Objective: To identify useful tools for assessing patient safety culture in primary care organizations in Europe; to identify those aspects of performance that should be assessed when investigating the relationship between safety culture and performance in primary care. Methods: Two consensus-based studies were carried out, in which subject matter experts and primary healthcare professionals from several EU states rated (a) the applicability to their healthcare system of several existing safety culture assessment tools and (b) the appropriateness and usefulness of a range of potential indicators of a positive patient safety culture to primary care settings. The safety culture tools were field-tested in four countries to ascertain any challenges and issues arising when used in primary care. Results: The two existing tools that received the most favourable ratings were the Manchester patient safety framework (MaPsAF primary care version) and the Agency for healthcare research and quality survey (medical office version). Several potential safety culture process indicators were identified. The one that emerged as offering the best combination of appropriateness and usefulness related to the collection of data on adverse patient events. Conclusion: Two tools, one quantitative and one qualitative, were identified as applicable and useful in assessing patient safety culture in primary care settings in Europe. Safety culture indicators in primary care should focus on the processes rather than the outcomes of care. PMID:26339832

TSO assistance towards the improvement of nuclear safety in Lithuania: achievements and perspectives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Butcher, P.; Bystedt, P.; Chouha; Weber, J.P.; Zilys, K.

2001-01-01

This paper explores the improvements that have taken place at INPP (Ignalina nuclear power plant) in both the engineering and operational aspects of nuclear safety, discussing as example some areas where there has been a large involvement of international experts. The development of the Lithuanian Nuclear Regulatory Authority VATESI, and also the technical support organisations for both the regulator and the NPP are discussed. In each of these sections the paper describes some of the successes and also the areas where there have been some problems. Many of the problems have been resolved but challenges remain for the future. The paper only deals with the assistance towards enhancing the safety of the NPP up to the time of its closure. Regulation of decommissioning is an important area for the future and is receiving urgent attention and active planning at the present time. (authors)

Application of Mixed Group Decision Making to Safety Evaluation of Agricultural Products

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

2012-01-01

In view of the gravity of issues concerning safety of agricultural products and urgency of resolving these issues,after analyzing the problems existing in safety of agricultural products,this article offers a method for evaluating safety of agricultural products on the basis of mixed group decision making.First of all,it introduces the factors influencing safety evaluation of agricultural products;subsequently,given that the judgment matrices offered by the group of experts contain both reciprocal and complementary judgment matrices in the process of jointly participating in evaluation arising from personal preference,it proposes to assemble expert information in order to obtain indicator weight using the OWA operator;finally,the process of evaluating safety of agricultural products is given.

Human factors experts beginning to focus on organizational factors in safety.

Science.gov (United States)

Westrum, R

1996-10-01

The role of organizational culture in aviation safety is explored. Information flow is used to demonstrate three ranges of climate within an organization. Organizations may be pathological in which information is hidden, bureaucratic in which information is ignored, or generative in which information is actively sought. The effects of organizational change on personnel are explored with emphasis on mergers between air carriers. The relationship between safety measures and economic pressures is discussed.

An Expert System for Diagnosing Eye Diseases using Forward Chaining Method

Science.gov (United States)

Munaiseche, C. P. C.; Kaparang, D. R.; Rompas, P. T. D.

2018-02-01

Expert System is a system that seeks to adopt human knowledge to the computer, so that the computer can solve problems which are usually done by experts. The purpose of medical expert system is to support the diagnosis process of physicians. It considers facts and symptoms to provide diagnosis. This implies that a medical expert system uses knowledge about diseases and facts about the patients to suggest diagnosis. The aim of this research is to design an expert system application for diagnosing eye diseases using forward chaining method and to figure out user acceptance to this application through usability testing. Eye is selected because it is one of the five senses which is very sensitive and important. The scope of the work is extended to 16 types of eye diseases with 41 symptoms of the disease, arranged in 16 rules. The computer programming language employed was the PHP programming language and MySQL as the Relational Database Management System (RDBMS). The results obtained showed that the expert system was able to successfully diagnose eye diseases corresponding to the selected symptoms entered as query and the system evaluation through usability testing showed the expert system for diagnosis eye diseases had very good rate of usability, which includes learnability, efficiency, memorability, errors, and satisfaction so that the system can be received in the operational environment.

Use of probabilistic risk assessment in expert system usage for nuclear power plant safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uhrig, R.E.

1987-01-01

The introduction of probability risk assessments (PRA's) to nuclear power plants in the Rasmussen Report (WASH-1400) gave us a means of evaluating the risk to the public associated with the operation of nuclear power plants, at least on a relative basis. While the choice of the ''source term'' and methodology in a PRA significantly influence the absolute probability and the consequences of core melt, comparison of two PRA calculations for two configurations of the same plant, carried out on a consistent basis, can be readily identify the increase in risk associated with going from one configuration of a plant to another by removing components or systems from service. This ratio of core melt probabilities (assuming no recovery of failed systems) obtained from two PRA calculations for different configurations was the criterion (called ''risk factor'') chosen as a basis for making a decision in an expert system as to what mitigating action, if any, would be taken to avoid a trip situation from developing. PRISIM was developed by JBF Associates of Knoxville under the sponsorship of the NRC as a system for Resident Inspectors at nuclear power plants to provide them with a relative safety status of the plant under all configurations. PRISIM calculated the risk factor---the ration of core melt probabilities of the plant under the current configuration relative to the normal configuration with all systems functioning---using an algorithm that emulates the results of the original PRA. It also presents time and core melt (assuming no recovery of systems or components)

Accident diagnosis system based on real-time decision tree expert system

Science.gov (United States)

Nicolau, Andressa dos S.; Augusto, João P. da S. C.; Schirru, Roberto

2017-06-01

Safety is one of the most studied topics when referring to power stations. For that reason, sensors and alarms develop an important role in environmental and human protection. When abnormal event happens, it triggers a chain of alarms that must be, somehow, checked by the control room operators. In this case, diagnosis support system can help operators to accurately identify the possible root-cause of the problem in short time. In this article, we present a computational model of a generic diagnose support system based on artificial intelligence, that was applied on the dataset of two real power stations: Angra1 Nuclear Power Plant and Santo Antônio Hydroelectric Plant. The proposed system processes all the information logged in the sequence of events before a shutdown signal using the expert's knowledge inputted into an expert system indicating the chain of events, from the shutdown signal to its root-cause. The results of both applications showed that the support system is a potential tool to help the control room operators identify abnormal events, as accidents and consequently increase the safety.

Expert Intraoperative Judgment and Decision-Making: Defining the Cognitive Competencies for Safe Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy.

Science.gov (United States)

Madani, Amin; Watanabe, Yusuke; Feldman, Liane S; Vassiliou, Melina C; Barkun, Jeffrey S; Fried, Gerald M; Aggarwal, Rajesh

2015-11-01

Bile duct injuries from laparoscopic cholecystectomy remain a significant source of morbidity and are often the result of intraoperative errors in perception, judgment, and decision-making. This qualitative study aimed to define and characterize higher-order cognitive competencies required to safely perform a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Hierarchical and cognitive task analyses for establishing a critical view of safety during laparoscopic cholecystectomy were performed using qualitative methods to map the thoughts and practices that characterize expert performance. Experts with more than 5 years of experience, and who have performed at least 100 laparoscopic cholecystectomies, participated in semi-structured interviews and field observations. Verbal data were transcribed verbatim, supplemented with content from published literature, coded, thematically analyzed using grounded-theory by 2 independent reviewers, and synthesized into a list of items. A conceptual framework was created based on 10 interviews with experts, 9 procedures, and 18 literary sources. Experts included 6 minimally invasive surgeons, 2 hepato-pancreatico-biliary surgeons, and 2 acute care general surgeons (median years in practice, 11 [range 8 to 14]). One hundred eight cognitive elements (35 [32%] related to situation awareness, 47 [44%] involving decision-making, and 26 [24%] action-oriented subtasks) and 75 potential errors were identified and categorized into 6 general themes and 14 procedural tasks. Of the 75 potential errors, root causes were mapped to errors in situation awareness (24 [32%]), decision-making (49 [65%]), or either one (61 [81%]). This study defines the competencies that are essential to establishing a critical view of safety and avoiding bile duct injuries during laparoscopic cholecystectomy. This framework may serve as the basis for instructional design, assessment tools, and quality-control metrics to prevent injuries and promote a culture of patient safety. Copyright

Automated Spirometry Quality Assurance: Supervised Learning From Multiple Experts.

Science.gov (United States)

Velickovski, Filip; Ceccaroni, Luigi; Marti, Robert; Burgos, Felip; Gistau, Concepcion; Alsina-Restoy, Xavier; Roca, Josep

2018-01-01

Forced spirometry testing is gradually becoming available across different healthcare tiers including primary care. It has been demonstrated in earlier work that commercially available spirometers are not fully able to assure the quality of individual spirometry manoeuvres. Thus, a need to expand the availability of high-quality spirometry assessment beyond specialist pulmonary centres has arisen. In this paper, we propose a method to select and optimise a classifier using supervised learning techniques by learning from previously classified forced spirometry tests from a group of experts. Such a method is able to take into account the shape of the curve as an expert would during visual inspection. We evaluated the final classifier on a dataset put aside for evaluation yielding an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.88 and specificities of 0.91 and 0.86 for sensitivities of 0.60 and 0.82. Furthermore, other specificities and sensitivities along the receiver operating characteristic curve were close to the level of the experts when compared against each-other, and better than an earlier rules-based method assessed on the same dataset. We foresee key benefits in raising diagnostic quality, saving time, reducing cost, and also improving remote care and monitoring services for patients with chronic respiratory diseases in the future if a clinical decision support system with the encapsulated classifier is to be integrated into the work-flow of forced spirometry testing.

77 FR 22358 - Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Science.gov (United States)

2012-04-13

... DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Occupational Safety and Health Administration Preparations for the 23rd Session of the UN Sub-Committee of Experts on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and...: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Labor. ACTION: Notice of public meeting. SUMMARY: OSHA...

Use of probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) in expert systems to advise nuclear plant operators and managers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uhrig, R.E.

1988-01-01

The use of expert systems in nuclear power plants to provide advice to managers, supervisors and/or operators is a concept that is rapidly gaining acceptance. Generally, expert systems rely on the expertise of human experts or knowledge that has been modified in publications, books, or regulations to provide advice under a wide variety of conditions. In this work, a probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) 3 of a nuclear power plant performed previously is used to assess the safety status of nuclear power plants and to make recommendations to the plant personnel. 5 refs., 1 fig., 2 tabs

Expert systems for the analysis of transients on nuclear reactors: crisis analysis, sextant, a general purpose physical analyser

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barbet, N.; Dumas, M.; Mihelich, G.; Souchet, Y.; Thomas, J.B.

1987-04-01

Two developments of expert systems intended to work on line to the analysis of nuclear reactor transients are reported. During an hypothetical crisis occurring in a nuclear facility, a staff of the Institute for Protection and Nuclear Safety (IPSN) has to assess the risk to local population. The expert system is intended to work as an assistant to the staff. At the present time, it deals with the availability of the safety systems of the plant (e.g. ECCS), depending on the functional state of the support systems. A next step is to take into account the physical transient of the reactor (mass and energy balance, pressure, flows). In order to reach this goal as in the development of other similar expert systems, a physical analyser is required. This is the aim of SEXTANT, which combines several knowledge bases concerning measurements, models and qualitative behaviour of the plant with a mechanism of conjecture-refutation and a set of simplified models matching the current physical state. A prototype is under assessment by dealing with integral test facility transients. Both expert systems require powerful shells for their development. SPIRAL is such a toolkit for the development of expert systems devoted to the computer aided management of complex processes

EXPERT SYSTEMS

OpenAIRE

Georgiana Marin; Mihai Catalin Andrei

2011-01-01

In recent decades IT and computer systems have evolved rapidly in economic informatics field. The goal is to create user friendly information systems that respond promptly and accurately to requests. Informatics systems evolved into decision assisted systems, and such systems are converted, based on gained experience, in expert systems for creative problem solving that an organization is facing. Expert systems are aimed at rebuilding human reasoning on the expertise obtained from experts, sto...

Expert Consensus on Characteristics of Wisdom: A Delphi Method Study

Science.gov (United States)

Jeste, Dilip V.; Ardelt, Monika; Blazer, Dan; Kraemer, Helena C.; Vaillant, George; Meeks, Thomas W.

2010-01-01

Purpose: Wisdom has received increasing attention in empirical research in recent years, especially in gerontology and psychology, but consistent definitions of wisdom remain elusive. We sought to better characterize this concept via an expert consensus panel using a 2-phase Delphi method. Design and Methods: A survey questionnaire comprised 53…

Combination and Selection of Traffic Safety Expert Judgments for the Prevention of Driving Risks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrés Redchuk

2012-11-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we describe a new framework to combine experts’ judgments for the prevention of driving risks in a cabin truck. In addition, the methodology shows how to choose among the experts the one whose predictions fit best the environmental conditions. The methodology is applied over data sets obtained from a high immersive cabin truck simulator in natural driving conditions. A nonparametric model, based in Nearest Neighbors combined with Restricted Least Squared methods is developed. Three experts were asked to evaluate the driving risk using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS, in order to measure the driving risk in a truck simulator where the vehicle dynamics factors were stored. Numerical results show that the methodology is suitable for embedding in real time systems.

Diagnostic expert system in the PF LINAC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abe, Isamu; Nakahara, Kazuo; Kitamura, Masaharu.

1992-01-01

A prototype diagnostic expert system (ES) was developed for the Photon Factory 2.5-GeV electron/positron LINAC injector system. The ES has been on-lined with the conventional linac computer network for receiving real data. This project was undertaken in an attempt to reduce the linac operator's mental workload, diagnosis duties, and to explore Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies. The outlook for ES and its problems, and what has been achieved are outlined in this presentation. (author)

Expert and competent non-expert visual cues during simulated diagnosis in intensive care.

Science.gov (United States)

McCormack, Clare; Wiggins, Mark W; Loveday, Thomas; Festa, Marino

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine the information acquisition strategies of expert and competent non-expert intensive care physicians during two simulated diagnostic scenarios involving respiratory distress in an infant. Specifically, the information acquisition performance of six experts and 12 competent non-experts was examined using an eye-tracker during the initial 90 s of the assessment of the patient. The results indicated that, in comparison to competent non-experts, experts recorded longer mean fixations, irrespective of the scenario. When the dwell times were examined against specific areas of interest, the results revealed that competent non-experts recorded greater overall dwell times on the nurse, where experts recorded relatively greater dwell times on the head and face of the manikin. In the context of the scenarios, experts recorded differential dwell times, spending relatively more time on the head and face during the seizure scenario than during the coughing scenario. The differences evident between experts and competent non-experts were interpreted as evidence of the relative availability of task-specific cues or heuristics in memory that might direct the process of information acquisition amongst expert physicians. The implications are discussed for the training and assessment of diagnostic skills.

Investigation of nuclear power safety objects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-09-01

It is a report of ground and concept of nuclear safety objects and future issues in Japan, which has investigated by the Committee of Experts on Investigation of Nuclear Safety Objects in the Nuclear Safety Research Association. The report consisted of member of committee, main conclusions and five chapters. The first chapter contains construction of safety objects and range of object, the second chapter qualitative safety objects, the third chapter quantitative safety objects, the forth subsiding objects and the fifth other items under consideration. The qualitative safety objects on individual and society, the quantitative one on effects on health and social cost, aspect of safety objects, relation between radiation protection and safety objects, practical objective values and earthquake are stated. (S.Y.)

Human-machine interactions: The human element of expert systems for the nuclear industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nelson, W.R.

1989-01-01

This paper will begin with a brief history of the development of expert systems in the nuclear industry. This discussion will serve to provide the reader with an understanding of how the field of artificial intelligence (AI) applications in the nuclear industry has developed. Next, this paper will discuss the general human factors issues relative to the development and implementation of expert systems for the nuclear industry. It will summarize the relevant research that addresses these issues and identify those areas that need the most effort for success. Since much of the prominent work for the application of expert systems has focused on computerized aids for decisionmaking in emergencies, this paper will draw from this area for its examples. This area tends to highlight the issues because of the safety-critical nature of the application. The same issues, however, are relevant to other applications of expert systems in the nuclear industry as well, even though the consequences of failure may not be as dramatic. (orig./GL)

Expert opinions on the acceptance of alternative methods in food safety evaluations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Punt, Ans; Bouwmeester, Hans; Schiffelers, Marie Jeanne W.A.; Peijnenburg, Ad A.C.M.

2018-01-01

Inclusion of alternative methods that replace, reduce, or refine (3R) animal testing within regulatory safety evaluations of chemicals generally faces many hurdles. The goal of the current work is to i) collect responses from key stakeholders involved in food safety evaluations on what they consider

Registration of qualified radiation protection experts in the Netherlands

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abrahamse, J.C.; Kops, J.A.M.M.; Vermeulen, A.M.T.I.; Zuur, C.

2002-01-01

In Euratom Directive 96/29 (1) the Euratom Basic Safety Standards are given. The member states of the EC have to implement this directive in their national legislation. In the Netherlands this is done in the new radiation protection legislation (Radiation Protection Decree 2002 (2)), which came into force in the first half of 2002. In this new regulation is stated that radiological activities must be done by or under supervision of a qualified radiation protection expert. With respect to the qualified expert is stated that: the qualified expert must be registered in a notified registration system; rules will be formulated with respect to the demanded qualification levels of the experts. These demands can be different for different tasks rules will be formulated for the notification of the register, the way to become registered, the costs and so on. Mid 2001 a project is started to prepare the registration system. Information was gained from and discussions took place with the important parties on the radiological playing field in the Netherlands (employers, organisations of experts and education institutes). Furthermore information is obtained from certification institutes. It was decided to accept as starting point the education levels obtained from the radiation protection education institutes, which are approved at the moment. At a later phase will be evaluated whether this system needs to be changed. In section 2 of this paper the radiation protection system in the Netherlands will be discussed in more detail. Section 2 deals with the target group and in section 3 the outlines of the registration system to be developed are discussed

Code of Conduct on the Safety of Research Reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2006-09-01

The Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) adopted the Code of Conduct on the Safety of Research Reactors on 8 March 2004. The Board's action was the culmination of several years of work to develop the Code and obtain a consensus on its provisions. The process leading to the Code began in 1998, when the International Nuclear Safety Advisory Group (INSAG) informed the Director General of concerns about the safety of research reactors. In 2000, INSAG recommended that the Secretariat begin developing an international protocol or a similar legal instrument to address those concerns. In September 2000, in resolution GC(44)/RES/14, the General Conference requested the Secretariat ''within its available resources, to continue work on exploring options to strengthen the international nuclear safety arrangements for civil research reactors, taking due account of input from INSAG and the views of other relevant bodies''. A working group convened by the Secretariat pursuant to that request recommended that ''the Agency consider establishing an international action plan for research reactors'' and that the action plan include preparation of a Code of Conduct ''that would clearly establish the desirable attributes for management of research reactor safety''. In September 2001, the Board requested that the Secretariat develop and implement, in conjunction with Member States, an international research reactor safety enhancement plan which included preparation of a Code of Conduct on the Safety of Research Reactors. Subsequently, in resolution GC(45)/RES/10.A, the General Conference endorsed the Board's request. Pursuant to that request, a Code of Conduct on the Safety of Research Reactors was drafted at two meetings of an Open-ended Working Group of Legal and Technical Experts. This draft Code of Conduct was circulated to all Member States for comment. On the basis of the responses received, a revised draft of the Code was prepared by the Secretariat

Advanced Cardiac Resuscitation Evaluation (ACRE: A randomised single-blind controlled trial of peer-led vs. expert-led advanced resuscitation training

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hughes Thomas C

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Advanced resuscitation skills training is an important and enjoyable part of medical training, but requires small group instruction to ensure active participation of all students. Increases in student numbers have made this increasingly difficult to achieve. Methods A single-blind randomised controlled trial of peer-led vs. expert-led resuscitation training was performed using a group of sixth-year medical students as peer instructors. The expert instructors were a senior and a middle grade doctor, and a nurse who is an Advanced Life Support (ALS Instructor. A power calculation showed that the trial would have a greater than 90% chance of rejecting the null hypothesis (that expert-led groups performed 20% better than peer-led groups if that were the true situation. Secondary outcome measures were the proportion of High Pass grades in each groups and safety incidents. The peer instructors designed and delivered their own course material. To ensure safety, the peer-led groups used modified defibrillators that could deliver only low-energy shocks. Blinded assessment was conducted using an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE. The checklist items were based on International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR guidelines using Ebel standard-setting methods that emphasised patient and staff safety and clinical effectiveness. The results were analysed using Exact methods, chi-squared and t-test. Results A total of 132 students were randomised: 58 into the expert-led group, 74 into the peer-led group. 57/58 (98% of students from the expert-led group achieved a Pass compared to 72/74 (97% from the peer-led group: Exact statistics confirmed that it was very unlikely (p = 0.0001 that the expert-led group was 20% better than the peer-led group. There were no safety incidents, and High Pass grades were achieved by 64 (49% of students: 33/58 (57% from the expert-led group, 31/74 (42% from the peer-led group. Exact

EXPERT SYSTEMS - DEVELOPMENT OF AGRICULTURAL INSURANCE TOOL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

NAN Anca-Petruţa

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Because of the fact that specialty agricultural assistance is not always available when the farmers need it, we identified expert systems as a strong instrument with an extended potential in agriculture. This started to grow in scale recently, including all socially-economic activity fields, having the role of collecting data regarding different aspects from human experts with the purpose of assisting the user in the necessary steps for solving problems, at the performance level of the expert, making his acquired knowledge and experience available. We opted for a general presentation of the expert systems as well as their necessity, because, the solution to develop the agricultural system can come from artificial intelligence by implementing the expert systems in the field of agricultural insurance, promoting existing insurance products, farmers finding options in depending on their necessities and possibilities. The objective of this article consists of collecting data about different aspects about specific areas of interest of agricultural insurance, preparing the database, a conceptual presentation of a pilot version which will become constantly richer depending on the answers received from agricultural producers, with the clearest exposure of knowledgebase possible. We can justify picking this theme with the fact that even while agricultural insurance plays a very important role in agricultural development, the registered result got from them are modest, reason why solutions need to be found in the scope of developing the agricultural sector. The importance of this consists in the proposal of an immediate viable solution to correspond with the current necessities of agricultural producers and in the proposal of an innovative solution, namely the implementation of expert system in agricultural insurance as a way of promoting insurance products. Our research, even though it treats the subject at an conceptual level, it wants to undertake an

Expert Coaching in Weight Loss: Retrospective Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Kushner, Robert F; Hill, James O; Lindquist, Richard; Brunning, Scott; Margulies, Amy

2018-01-01

Background Providing coaches as part of a weight management program is a common practice to increase participant engagement and weight loss success. Understanding coach and participant interactions and how these interactions impact weight loss success needs to be further explored for coaching best practices. Objective The purpose of this study was to analyze the coach and participant interaction in a 6-month weight loss intervention administered by Retrofit, a personalized weight management and Web-based disease prevention solution. The study specifically examined the association between different methods of coach-participant interaction and weight loss and tried to understand the level of coaching impact on weight loss outcome. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed using 1432 participants enrolled from 2011 to 2016 in the Retrofit weight loss program. Participants were males and females aged 18 years or older with a baseline body mass index of ≥25 kg/m², who also provided at least one weight measurement beyond baseline. First, a detailed analysis of different coach-participant interaction was performed using both intent-to-treat and completer populations. Next, a multiple regression analysis was performed using all measures associated with coach-participant interactions involving expert coaching sessions, live weekly expert-led Web-based classes, and electronic messaging and feedback. Finally, 3 significant predictors (Pcoaching session attendance (Pcoaching sessions, attending 60% of live weekly Web-based classes, and receiving a minimum of 1 food log feedback day per week were associated with clinically significant weight loss. Conclusions Participant’s one-on-one expert coaching session attendance, live weekly expert-led interactive Web-based class attendance, and the number of food log feedback days per week from expert coach were significant predictors of weight loss in a 6-month intervention. PMID:29535082

Expert and Competent Non-Expert Visual Cues during Simulated Diagnosis in Intensive Care

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Clare eMcCormack

2014-08-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to examine the information acquisition strategies of expert and competent non-expert intensive care physicians during two simulated diagnostic scenarios involving respiratory distress in an infant. Specifically, the information acquisition performance of six experts and 12 competent non-experts was examined using an eye tracker during the initial 90 seconds of the assessment of the patient. The results indicated that, in comparison to competent non-experts, experts recorded longer mean fixations, irrespective of the scenario. When the dwell times were examined against specific areas of interest, the results revealed that competent non-experts recorded greater overall dwell times on the nurse, where experts recorded relatively greater dwell times on the head and face of the manikin. In the context of the scenarios, experts recorded differential dwell times, spending relatively more time on the head and face during the seizure scenario than during the coughing scenario. The differences evident between experts and competent non-experts were interpreted as evidence of the relative availability of task-specific cues or heuristics in memory that might direct the process of information acquisition amongst expert physicians. The implications are discussed for the training and assessment of diagnostic skills.

Laboratory test requesting appropriateness and patient safety

CERN Document Server

Blasco, Álvaro; Carratalá, Arturo; Lopez-Garrígos, Maite; Rodriguez-Borja, Enrique

2016-01-01

Patient Safety emphasizes the reporting, analysis and prevention of medical errors that very often leads to adverse healthcare situations.1 in 10 patients are impacted by medical errors.The WHO calls the patient safety issue an endemic concern. A number of well-known experts of all areas in the medical field have collectedvery valuable information for a better patient treatment and higher safety culture in all medical disciplines.

[Karachi Nuclear Power Plant (KANUPP), Safety Management

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hasan, S M [Karachi Nuclear Power Plant (KANUPP), Karachi (Pakistan)

1997-12-01

The present regime for CANDU safety management in Pakistan has evolved in line with contemporary international practice, and is essential adequate to ensure the continued safety of KANUPP and other future CANDU reactors, as confirmed by international reviews as well. But the small size of Pakistan nuclear power program poses limitations in developing - expert judgment in analysis of in-service inspection data; and own methodology for CANDU safety analysis.

[Karachi Nuclear Power Plant (KANUPP), Safety Management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hasan, S.M.

1997-01-01

The present regime for CANDU safety management in Pakistan has evolved in line with contemporary international practice, and is essential adequate to ensure the continued safety of KANUPP and other future CANDU reactors, as confirmed by international reviews as well. But the small size of Pakistan nuclear power program poses limitations in developing - expert judgment in analysis of in-service inspection data; and own methodology for CANDU safety analysis

Developing a driving Safety Index using a Delphi stated preference experiment.

Science.gov (United States)

Jamson, Samantha; Wardman, Mark; Batley, Richard; Carsten, Oliver

2008-03-01

Whilst empirical evidence is available concerning the effect of some aspects of driving behaviour on safety (e.g. speed choice), there is scant knowledge about safety thresholds, i.e. the point at which behaviour can be considered unsafe. Furthermore, it is almost impossible to ascertain the interaction between various aspects of driving behaviour. For example, how might drivers' lateral control of a vehicle be mediated by their speed choice-are the effects additive or do they cancel each other out. Complex experimental or observational studies would need to be undertaken to establish the nature of such effects. As an alternative, a Delphi study was undertaken to use expert judgement as a way of deriving a first approximation of these threshold and combinatory effects. Using a stated preference technique, road safety professionals make judgements about drivers' safe or unsafe behaviour. The aim was to understand the relative weightings that are assigned to a number of driver behaviours and thereby to construct a Safety Index. As expected, experts were able to establish thresholds, above (or below) which changes to the behavioural parameters had minimal impact on safety. This provided us with a Safety Index, based on a model that had face validity and a convincing range of values. However, the experts found the task of combining these driver behaviours more difficult, reflecting the elusive nature of safety estimates. Suggestions for future validation of our Safety Index are provided.

Technical safety requirements (TSR) for waste receiving and processing (WRAP) facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weidert, J.R.

1997-01-01

The scope of this TSR document is based on the WRAP Final Safety Analysis Report (HNF-SD-W026-SAR-002) and supporting documents. The administrative controls set forth in this TSR document are derived from the WRAP Final Safety Analysis Report

Low-cost safety enhancements for stop-controlled and signalized intersections

Science.gov (United States)

2009-05-01

The purpose of this document is to present information on suggested effective, low-cost intersection countermeasures developed using intersection safety research results and input from an intersection safety expert panel. These low-cost countermeasur...

A method for risk-informed safety significance categorization using the analytic hierarchy process and bayesian belief networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ha, Jun Su; Seong, Poong Hyun

2004-01-01

A risk-informed safety significance categorization (RISSC) is to categorize structures, systems, or components (SSCs) of a nuclear power plant (NPP) into two or more groups, according to their safety significance using both probabilistic and deterministic insights. In the conventional methods for the RISSC, the SSCs are quantitatively categorized according to their importance measures for the initial categorization. The final decisions (categorizations) of SSCs, however, are qualitatively made by an expert panel through discussions and adjustments of opinions by using the probabilistic insights compiled in the initial categorization process and combining the probabilistic insights with the deterministic insights. Therefore, owing to the qualitative and linear decision-making process, the conventional methods have the demerits as follows: (1) they are very costly in terms of time and labor, (2) it is not easy to reach the final decision, when the opinions of the experts are in conflict and (3) they have an overlapping process due to the linear paradigm (the categorization is performed twice - first, by the engineers who propose the method, and second, by the expert panel). In this work, a method for RISSC using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and bayesian belief networks (BBN) is proposed to overcome the demerits of the conventional methods and to effectively arrive at a final decision (or categorization). By using the AHP and BBN, the expert panel takes part in the early stage of the categorization (that is, the quantification process) and the safety significance based on both probabilistic and deterministic insights is quantified. According to that safety significance, SSCs are quantitatively categorized into three categories such as high safety significant category (Hi), potentially safety significant category (Po), or low safety significant category (Lo). The proposed method was applied to the components such as CC-V073, CV-V530, and SI-V644 in Ulchin Unit

The experience of a local partnership with experts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Draulans, H.

2004-01-01

STOLA is an abbreviation for Structured Study group for Low-level short-lived radioactive waste, with all the actors of our small community of Dessel. You may know: social culture and economic factors of course all play a role in radioactive waste management and we work together with the experts of ONDRAF/NIRAS. But I am sure that was explained to you sufficiently yesterday and I can skip all that. 70 000 m 3 of low-level radioactive waste can be disposed of in our area and that only under certain safety conditions for humans and the environment. Of course one of the conditions is also that it has an added value for our municipality. In the past four years, I have participated in the activities of STOLA in Dessel and also led them. In that period, I met many, many experts, I spoke to them; I also really listened to them and together we worked on this disposal process. I will give you my personal opinion on that contact with those experts. Although I am going to be one in a long list of professors giving lectures today, I may not be the most scientific of speakers: I will be talking mainly from my experience with the people from STOLA. (author)

Saturated Zone Flow and Transport Expert Elicitation Project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Coppersmith, Kevin J.; Perman, Roseanne C.

1998-01-01

This report presents results of the Saturated Zone Flow and Transport Expert Elicitation (SZEE) project for Yucca Mountain, Nevada. This project was sponsored by the US Department of Energy (DOE) and managed by Geomatrix Consultants, Inc. (Geomatrix), for TRW Environmental Safety Systems, Inc. The DOE's Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project (referred to as the YMP) is intended to evaluate the suitability of the site for construction of a mined geologic repository for the permanent disposal of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste. The SZEE project is one of several that involve the elicitation of experts to characterize the knowledge and uncertainties regarding key inputs to the Yucca Mountain Total System Performance Assessment (TSPA). The objective of the current project was to characterize the uncertainties associated with certain key issues related to the saturated zone system in the Yucca Mountain area and downgradient region. An understanding of saturated zone processes is critical to evaluating the performance of the potential high-level nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain. A major goal of the project was to capture the uncertainties involved in assessing the saturated flow processes, including uncertainty in both the models used to represent the physical processes controlling saturated zone flow and transport, and the parameter values used in the models. So that the analysis included a wide range of perspectives, multiple individual judgments were elicited from members of an expert panel. The panel members, who were experts from within and outside the Yucca Mountain project, represented a range of experience and expertise. A deliberate process was followed in facilitating interactions among the experts, in training them to express their uncertainties, and in eliciting their interpretations. The resulting assessments and probability distributions, therefore, provide a reasonable aggregate representation of the knowledge and

Using Expert Panel Data to Guide Youth Agricultural Safety and Health Training Resources in the US

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrew J. Mann

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The US Department of Labor (US DOL oversees the Agricultural Hazardous Occupations Orders (AgHOs, which identifies specific tasks that youth are prohibited from performing for hire on American farms and ranches. An educational exemption from this public policy is currently in place that allows youth, 14–15 years old, to complete a certification program prior to engaging in agricultural work involving tractors and machinery. However, limited guidance is provided in the legislation regarding the format or content of the tractor and machinery certification exemption. Four AgHOs (tractor and machinery studies were identified and included in this meta-analysis publication. The research goals of this analysis were to determine basic trends of learning outcomes, and identify educational content to be delivered as a result of these studies. Within each of the four studies, expert panels were used to identify educational learning outcomes. The analysis revealed that 48.0% (n = 184 of all learning outcome items fell within the Tractor-based (Tractor learning outcome category, 29.8% (n = 114 within General Safety and Health (General, and 22.2% (n = 85 of items in the Machinery-based (Machinery category. Ultimately, sound educational methods and understanding of fundamental student competence are essential components for any training program, including youth who complete AgHOs tractor and machinery certification programs.

78 FR 30393 - Preparations for the 43rd Session of the United Nations Sub-Committee of Experts on the Transport...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-05-22

.... PHMSA-2013-0090; Notice No. 13-04] DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Occupational Safety and Health Administration Preparations for the 43rd Session of the United Nations Sub- Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (UNSCOE TDG) and the 25th Session of the UN Sub-Committee of Experts on the Globally Harmonized...

Study on occupational safety and health strategy for Taiwan.

Science.gov (United States)

Chuang, Kuen-Yuan; Su, Teh-Sheng; Kuo, Chao-Yin; Lin, Chien-Liang; Lin, Han-Yu; Yu, Yi-Chun

2009-12-01

The aim of this study was to establish a set of occupational safety and health (OSH) issues and development policies suitable for adoption in Taiwan. A survey was conducted on a sample of 102 experts and 235 industrial work safety personnel in Taiwan for statistical analysis of the general consensus, with the results showing such consensus in 104 individual policy indicators. Our results reveal that the most appropriate targets were considered to be annual 10% reductions in the 'occupational accident disability rate', 'occupational accident injury rate' and 'occupational diseases before 2010'. Responding to the specific question of the appropriate method of achieving a reduction in the number of accidents in Taiwan, the primary consideration for 13.4% of the experts and 10.6% of the industry personnel was 'promoting OSH awareness and enhancing the overall safety culture'. As regards the current OSH policy focus, 11.2% of the experts considered 'improving OSH legislation, standards and systems' to be the most important, whilst 8.9% of the industry personnel felt that 'recognizing work stress, overwork and emerging OSH issues' were the most important.

Evaluation of food provision and nutrition support at the London 2012 Olympic Games: the opinion of sports nutrition experts.

Science.gov (United States)

Pelly, Fiona; Meyer, Nanna L; Pearce, Jeni; Burkhart, Sarah J; Burke, Louise M

2014-12-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the food provision and nutrition support at the London 2012 Olympic (OG) and Paralympic Games (PG) from the perspective of sports nutrition experts attending the event. Participants (n = 15) were asked to complete an online survey and rate on a Likert scale menu qualities, food safety, sustainability practices, nutrition labeling, and provision for cultural needs, dietary regimes and specific situations. Open-ended responses were incorporated to explore expert opinion and areas for improvement. Participants rated their overall experience of the food provision as 7.6 out of 10 (range 5 to 10), with the majority (n = 11) rating it greater than 7. The variety, accessibility, presentation, temperature, and freshness of menu items rated as average to good. A below average rating was received for recovery food and beverages, provision of food for traveling to other venues, taking suitable snacks out of the dining hall and provision of food at other venues. However, the variety and accessibility of choices for Ramadan, and provision of post-competition food were rated highly. A number of comments were received about the lack of gluten free and lower energy/fat items. The inclusion of allergens on nutrition labeling was considered more important than nutrient content. While dietetic review of the menu in advance of the OG and PG is clearly a valuable process that has resulted in improvements in the food supply, there are still areas that need to be addressed that are currently not implemented during the event.

An Expert System Solution for the Quantitative Condition Assessment of Electrical Distribution Systems in the United States Air Force

Science.gov (United States)

1991-09-01

Distribution system ... ......... 4 2. Architechture of an Expert system .. .............. 66 vi List of Tables Table Page 1. Prototype Component Model...expert system to properly process work requests Ln civil engineering (8:23). Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). EPRI is a private organization ...used (51) Training Level. The level of training shop technicians receive, and the resulting proficiency, are important in all organizations . Experts 1

Problems with quantification of safety culture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kozuh, M.; Mavko, B.

1995-01-01

For the qualitative part of the method for the Safety Culture assessment we quantitative part was developed based on expert judgement and statistical methods. The quantitative assessment should go in parallel with the qualitative part already presented. The essential part is based on expert opinion which organizational factors are the most important for certain risk significant components and how well are they implemented. The problems with getting the ratings are described in the paper. (author)

Nuclear safety in EU candidate countries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2000-10-01

Nuclear safety in the candidate countries to the European Union is a major issue that needs to be addressed in the framework of the enlargement process. Therefore WENRA members considered it was their duty to offer their technical assistance to their Governments and the European Union Institutions. They decided to express their collective opinion on nuclear safety in those candidate countries having at least one nuclear power plant: Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia. The report is structured as follows: A foreword including background information, structure of the report and the methodology used, General conclusions of WENRA members reflecting their collective opinion, For each candidate country, an executive summary, a chapter on the status of the regulatory regime and regulatory body, and a chapter on the nuclear power plant safety status. Two annexes are added to address the generic safety characteristics and safety issues for RBMK and VVER plants. The report does not cover radiation protection and decommissioning issues, while safety aspects of spent fuel and radioactive waste management are only covered as regards on-site provisions. In order to produce this report, WENRA used different means: For the chapters on the regulatory regimes and regulatory bodies, experts from WENRA did the work. For the chapters on nuclear power plant safety status, experts from WENRA and from French and German technical support organisations did the work. Taking into account the contents of these chapters, WENRA has formulated its general conclusions in this report.

Nuclear safety in EU candidate countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2000-10-01

Nuclear safety in the candidate countries to the European Union is a major issue that needs to be addressed in the framework of the enlargement process. Therefore WENRA members considered it was their duty to offer their technical assistance to their Governments and the European Union Institutions. They decided to express their collective opinion on nuclear safety in those candidate countries having at least one nuclear power plant: Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia. The report is structured as follows: A foreword including background information, structure of the report and the methodology used, General conclusions of WENRA members reflecting their collective opinion, For each candidate country, an executive summary, a chapter on the status of the regulatory regime and regulatory body, and a chapter on the nuclear power plant safety status. Two annexes are added to address the generic safety characteristics and safety issues for RBMK and VVER plants. The report does not cover radiation protection and decommissioning issues, while safety aspects of spent fuel and radioactive waste management are only covered as regards on-site provisions. In order to produce this report, WENRA used different means: For the chapters on the regulatory regimes and regulatory bodies, experts from WENRA did the work. For the chapters on nuclear power plant safety status, experts from WENRA and from French and German technical support organisations did the work. Taking into account the contents of these chapters, WENRA has formulated its general conclusions in this report

SEPI an expert system for plant design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carotenuto, M.; Corleto, P.; Landeyro, P.

1988-01-01

The availability and suitability of technological information is of great importance in every kind of design task, especially when safety and reliability considerations are involved. In this paper an ''expert system for plant design'' (SEPI), is presented, together with its first application to nuclear back-end plants. This system is available on ENEA computer network. It is thought to be used both to collect know-how developed in the field and to assist unskilled designers during selection, evaluation and dimensioning tasks. It attemps to reproduce the normal way of ''reasoning'' and acting, and provides some graphic facilities

Cryogenic Safety HSE Seminar | 21 - 23 September 2016

CERN Multimedia

2016-01-01

With the LHC being the world’s largest superconducting installation, it’s not surprising that CERN is a world leader in cryogenic safety. On 21 and 22 September, over 100 experts in cryogenic safety will be coming to CERN to take part in CERN’s first Cryogenic Safety Seminar, which aims to stimulate collaboration and further the state of the art in this increasingly important field.  

Expert status and performance.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mark A Burgman

Full Text Available Expert judgements are essential when time and resources are stretched or we face novel dilemmas requiring fast solutions. Good advice can save lives and large sums of money. Typically, experts are defined by their qualifications, track record and experience. The social expectation hypothesis argues that more highly regarded and more experienced experts will give better advice. We asked experts to predict how they will perform, and how their peers will perform, on sets of questions. The results indicate that the way experts regard each other is consistent, but unfortunately, ranks are a poor guide to actual performance. Expert advice will be more accurate if technical decisions routinely use broadly-defined expert groups, structured question protocols and feedback.

Safety requirements and safety experience of nuclear facilities in the Federal Republic of Germany

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schnurer, H.L.

1977-01-01

Peaceful use of nuclear energy within the F.R.G. is rapidly growing. The Energy Programme of the Federal Government forecasts a capacity of up to 50.000 MW in 1985. Whereas most of this capacity will be of the LWR-Type, other activities are related to LMFBR - and HTGR - development, nuclear ships, and facilities of the nuclear fuel cycle. Safety of nuclear energy is the pacemaker for the realization of nuclear programmes and projects. Due to a very high population - and industrialisation density, safety has the priority before economical aspects. Safety requirements are therefore extremely stringent, which will be shown for the legal, the technical as well as for the organizational area. They apply for each nuclear facility, its site and the nuclear energy system as a whole. Regulatory procedures differ from many other countries, assigning executive power to state authorities, which are supervised by the Federal Government. Another particularity of the regulatory process is the large scope of involvement of independent experts within the licensing procedures. The developement of national safety requirements in different countries generates a necessity to collaborate and harmonize safety and radiation protection measures, at least for facilities in border areas, to adopt international standards and to assist nuclear developing countries. However, different nationally, regional or local situations might raise problems. Safety experience with nuclear facilities can be concluded from the positive construction and operation experience, including also a few accidents and incidents and the conclusions, which have been drawn for the respective factilities and others of similar design. Another tool for safety assessments will be risk analyses, which are under development by German experts. Final, a scope of future problems and developments shows, that safety of nuclear installations - which has reached a high performance - nevertheless imposes further tasks to be solved

Spacecraft command and control using expert systems

Science.gov (United States)

Norcross, Scott; Grieser, William H.

1994-01-01

This paper describes a product called the Intelligent Mission Toolkit (IMT), which was created to meet the changing demands of the spacecraft command and control market. IMT is a command and control system built upon an expert system. Its primary functions are to send commands to the spacecraft and process telemetry data received from the spacecraft. It also controls the ground equipment used to support the system, such as encryption gear, and telemetry front-end equipment. Add-on modules allow IMT to control antennas and antenna interface equipment. The design philosophy for IMT is to utilize available commercial products wherever possible. IMT utilizes Gensym's G2 Real-time Expert System as the core of the system. G2 is responsible for overall system control, spacecraft commanding control, and spacecraft telemetry analysis and display. Other commercial products incorporated into IMT include the SYBASE relational database management system and Loral Test and Integration Systems' System 500 for telemetry front-end processing.

Road lighting for safety.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schreuder, D.A.

2000-01-01

This book is aimed at broad readership, not especially at lighting experts. Lighting is presented as a system, as part of the public highway. Much attention is paid to subjects not greatly covered in the specialist literature, such as environmental aspects, traffic safety, crime prevention, and the

Medical Expert Systems Survey

OpenAIRE

Abu-Nasser, Bassem S.

2017-01-01

International audience; There is an increased interest in the area of Artificial Intelligence in general and expert systems in particular. Expert systems are rapidly growing technology. Expert systems are a branch of Artificial Intelligence which is having a great impact on many fields of human life. Expert systems use human expert knowledge to solve complex problems in many fields such as Health, science, engineering, business, and weather forecasting. Organizations employing the technology ...

Nuclear safety. Improvement programme

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2000-01-01

In this brochure the improvement programme of nuclear safety of the Mochovce NPP is presented in detail. In 1996, a 'Mochovce NPP Nuclear Safety Improvement Programme' was developed in the frame of unit 1 and 2 completion project. The programme has been compiled as a continuous one, with the aim to reach the highest possible safety level at the time of commissioning and to establish good preconditions for permanent safety improvement in future. Such an approach is in compliance with the world's trends of safety improvement, life-time extension, modernisation and nuclear station power increase. The basic document for development of the 'Programme' is the one titled 'Safety Issues and their Ranking for WWER 440/213 NPP' developed by a group of IAEA experts. The following organisations were selected for solution of the safety measures: EUCOM (Consortium of FRAMATOME, France, and SIEMENS, Germany); SKODA Prague, a.s.; ENERGOPROJEKT Prague, a.s. (EGP); Russian organisations associated in ATOMENERGOEXPORT; VUJE Trnava, a.s

Inter-expert and intra-expert reliability in sleep spindle scoring

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wendt, Sabrina Lyngbye; Welinder, Peter; Sørensen, Helge Bjarup Dissing

2015-01-01

Objectives To measure the inter-expert and intra-expert agreement in sleep spindle scoring, and to quantify how many experts are needed to build a reliable dataset of sleep spindle scorings. Methods The EEG dataset was comprised of 400 randomly selected 115 s segments of stage 2 sleep from 110...... with higher reliability than the estimation of spindle duration. Reliability of sleep spindle scoring can be improved by using qualitative confidence scores, rather than a dichotomous yes/no scoring system. Conclusions We estimate that 2–3 experts are needed to build a spindle scoring dataset...... with ‘substantial’ reliability (κ: 0.61–0.8), and 4 or more experts are needed to build a dataset with ‘almost perfect’ reliability (κ: 0.81–1). Significance Spindle scoring is a critical part of sleep staging, and spindles are believed to play an important role in development, aging, and diseases of the nervous...

International review of Kursk unit 1 in-depth safety analysis report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chouha, M.; Bolshov, L.; Butcher, P.; Janke, R.; Parsons, T.; Weber, J.P.

2004-01-01

The paper presents the objectives, organisation, main findings and conclusions of the international review of the Kursk unit 1 safety analysis report (K1IRSR). The K1IRSR was administered by RISKAUDIT IRSN/GRS international and carried out by international experts from 7 western countries plus the Russian Federation, under the supervision of the safety review group (SRG) of the European bank for reconstruction and development (EBRD). The project was financed by the nuclear safety account (NSA) administered by the EBRD. The Russian experts worked under a contract with IBRAE financed by Rosenergoatom. The main conclusions were that the SAR followed a correct approach, broadly in line with Russian and international guidance documents, but needed improvement in structure and content. It established that the safety level of the unit has been increased significantly by the modernisation programme. The important deviations of the unit from current Russian regulations and the IAEA safety issues for RBMK are either fully resolved or are being addressed to the extent possible by compensatory measures to further reduce the risk. The K1IRSR experts have made a number of recommendations for improvement of the K1SAR. The authors agreed to take the recommendations into account in future revision of the K1SAR. (orig.)

Aviation Safety Risk Modeling: Lessons Learned From Multiple Knowledge Elicitation Sessions

Science.gov (United States)

Luxhoj, J. T.; Ancel, E.; Green, L. L.; Shih, A. T.; Jones, S. M.; Reveley, M. S.

2014-01-01

Aviation safety risk modeling has elements of both art and science. In a complex domain, such as the National Airspace System (NAS), it is essential that knowledge elicitation (KE) sessions with domain experts be performed to facilitate the making of plausible inferences about the possible impacts of future technologies and procedures. This study discusses lessons learned throughout the multiple KE sessions held with domain experts to construct probabilistic safety risk models for a Loss of Control Accident Framework (LOCAF), FLightdeck Automation Problems (FLAP), and Runway Incursion (RI) mishap scenarios. The intent of these safety risk models is to support a portfolio analysis of NASA's Aviation Safety Program (AvSP). These models use the flexible, probabilistic approach of Bayesian Belief Networks (BBNs) and influence diagrams to model the complex interactions of aviation system risk factors. Each KE session had a different set of experts with diverse expertise, such as pilot, air traffic controller, certification, and/or human factors knowledge that was elicited to construct a composite, systems-level risk model. There were numerous "lessons learned" from these KE sessions that deal with behavioral aggregation, conditional probability modeling, object-oriented construction, interpretation of the safety risk results, and model verification/validation that are presented in this paper.

OECD/NEA expert group on assay data of spent nuclear fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rugama, Y.; Gauld, I.; Suyama, Kenya

2009-01-01

In the area of criticality safety, management of spent nuclear fuel is a key issue for many NEA member countries. The importance of measured isotopic assay data from Post-Irradiation Examination (PIE) experiments to validate computer code predictions of spent fuel composition used in safety-related studies has long been recognized by members of the OECD/NEA/NSC/WPNCS (Working Party on Nuclear Criticality Safety). These data are particularly important in criticality analyses related to any application of burnup credit as well as to evaluation of criticality and safety in geologic repositories and fuel cycle applications such as reprocessing. Under the auspices of the WPNCS, an Expert Group on assay data has been formed to share best-practice radiochemical analysis methods, computational analysis procedures and data needs, and isotopic validation data. Through member country collaboration, the database of publicly available spent fuel measurements is being revised and expanded to include more recent measurements, with findings to be documented in a state-of-the-art report. (author)

Existing and future international standards for the safety of radioactive waste disposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Linsley, G.

1999-01-01

In this paper the essential features of the current international safety standards are summarised and the issues being raised for inclusion in future standards are discussed. The safety standards of the IAEA are used as the basis for the review and discussion. The IAEA has established a process for establishing international standards of safety for radioactive waste management through its Radioactive Waste Safety Standards (RADWASS) programme. The RADWASS documents are approved by a comprehensive process involving regulatory and other experts from all concerned IAEA Member States. A system of committees for approving the IAEAs safety standards has been established. For radioactive waste safety the committee for review and approval is the Waste Safety Standards Advisory Committee (WASSAC). In 1995 the IAEA published 'The Principles of Radioactive Waste Management' as the top level document in the RADWASS programme. The report sets out the basis principles which most experts believe are fundamental to the safe management of radioactive wastes

Joint road safety operations in tunnels and open roads

Science.gov (United States)

Adesiyun, Adewole; Avenoso, Antonio; Dionelis, Kallistratos; Cela, Liljana; Nicodème, Christophe; Goger, Thierry; Polidori, Carlo

2017-09-01

The objective of the ECOROADS project is to overcome the barrier established by the formal interpretation of the two Directives 2008/96/EC and 2004/54/EC, which in practice do not allow the same Road Safety Audits/Inspections to be performed inside tunnels. The projects aims at the establishment of a common enhanced approach to road infrastructure and tunnel safety management by using the concepts and criteria of the Directive 2008/96/CE on road infrastructure safety management and the results of related European Commission (EC) funded projects. ECOROADS has already implemented an analysis of national practices regarding Road Safety Inspections (RSI), two Workshops with the stakeholders, and an exchange of best practices between European tunnel experts and road safety professionals, which led to the definition of common agreed safety procedures. In the second phase of the project, different groups of experts and observers applied the above common procedures by inspecting five European road sections featuring both open roads and tunnels in Belgium, Albania, Germany, Serbia and Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. This paper shows the feedback of the 5 joint safety operations and how they are being used for a set of - recommendations and guidelines for the application of the RSA and RSI concepts within the tunnel safety operations.

Safety evaluation of food flavorings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schrankel, Kenneth R.

2004-01-01

Food flavorings are an essential element in foods. Flavorings are a unique class of food ingredients and excluded from the legislative definition of a food additive because they are regulated by flavor legislation and not food additive legislation. Flavoring ingredients naturally present in foods, have simple chemical structures, low toxicity, and are used in very low levels in foods and beverages resulting in very low levels of human exposure or consumption. Today, the overwhelming regulatory trend is a positive list of flavoring substances, e.g. substances not listed are prohibited. Flavoring substances are added to the list following a safety evaluation based on the conditions of intended use by qualified experts. The basic principles for assessing the safety of flavoring ingredients will be discussed with emphasis on the safety evaluation of flavoring ingredients by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Health Organization (WHO) Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) and the US Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Expert Panel (FEXPAN). The main components of the JECFA evaluation process include chemical structure, human intake (exposure), metabolism to innocuous or harmless substances, and toxicity concerns consistent with JECFA principles. The Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association (FEMA) evaluation is very similar to the JECFA procedure. Both the JECFA and FEMA evaluation procedures are widely recognized and the results are accepted by many countries. This implies that there is no need for developing countries to conduct their own toxicological assessment of flavoring ingredients unless it is an unique ingredient in one country, but it is helpful to survey intake or exposure assessment. The global safety program established by the International Organization of Flavor Industry (IOFI) resulting in one worldwide open positive list of flavoring substances will be reviewed

Patient safety priorities in mental healthcare in Switzerland: a modified Delphi study.

Science.gov (United States)

Mascherek, Anna C; Schwappach, David L B

2016-08-05

Identifying patient safety priorities in mental healthcare is an emerging issue. A variety of aspects of patient safety in medical care apply for patient safety in mental care as well. However, specific aspects may be different as a consequence of special characteristics of patients, setting and treatment. The aim of the present study was to combine knowledge from the field and research and bundle existing initiatives and projects to define patient safety priorities in mental healthcare in Switzerland. The present study draws on national expert panels, namely, round-table discussion and modified Delphi consensus method. As preparation for the modified Delphi questionnaire, two round-table discussions and one semistructured questionnaire were conducted. Preparative work was conducted between May 2015 and October 2015. The modified Delphi was conducted to gauge experts' opinion on priorities in patient safety in mental healthcare in Switzerland. In two independent rating rounds, experts made private ratings. The modified Delphi was conducted in winter 2015. Nine topics were defined along the treatment pathway: diagnostic errors, non-drug treatment errors, medication errors, errors related to coercive measures, errors related to aggression management against self and others, errors in treatment of suicidal patients, communication errors, errors at interfaces of care and structural errors. Patient safety is considered as an important topic of quality in mental healthcare among experts, but it has been seriously neglected up until now. Activities in research and in practice are needed. Structural errors and diagnostics were given highest priority. From the topics identified, some are overlapping with important aspects of patient safety in medical care; however, some core aspects are unique. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Reactor safety analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arien, B.

1998-01-01

Risk assessments of nuclear installations require accurate safety and reliability analyses to estimate the consequences of accidental events and their probability of occurrence. The objective of the work performed in this field at the Belgian Nuclear Research Centre SCK-CEN is to develop expertise in probabilistic and deterministic reactor safety analysis. The four main activities of the research project on reactor safety analysis are: (1) the development of software for the reliable analysis of large systems; (2) the development of an expert system for the aid to diagnosis; (3) the development and the application of a probabilistic reactor-dynamics method, and (4) to participate in the international PHEBUS-FP programme for severe accidents. Progress in research during 1997 is described

Eighth ITER technical meeting on safety and environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gordon, C.; Raeder, J.

2000-01-01

From November 27 to 30, 2000 the Eighth ITER Technical Meeting on Safety and Environment was held by the ITER Joint Central Team (JCT) at the Garching Joint Work Site, which also hosts the ITER Safety, Environment and Health Group (SEHG). At this meeting, safety experts from the Home Teams (HT) worked together with the SEHG members towards the following main objectives: review of Generic Site Safety Report (GSSR) results and drafts; review of the Plant Design Description (PDD) summary of safety; update on the status of the R and D tasks contributing to GSSR

Development of a rule-based diagnostic platform on an object-oriented expert system shell

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Wenlin; Yang, Ming; Seong, Poong Hyun

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Multilevel Flow Model represents system knowledge as a domain map in expert system. • Rule-based fault diagnostic expert system can identify root cause via a causal chain. • Rule-based fault diagnostic expert system can be used for fault simulation training. - Abstract: This paper presents the development and implementation of a real-time rule-based diagnostic platform. The knowledge is acquired from domain experts and textbooks and the design of the fault diagnosis expert system was performed in the following ways: (i) establishing of corresponding classes and instances to build the domain map, (ii) creating of generic fault models based on events, and (iii) building of diagnostic reasoning based on rules. Knowledge representation is a complicated issue of expert systems. One highlight of this paper is that the Multilevel Flow Model has been used to represent the knowledge, which composes the domain map within the expert system as well as providing a concise description of the system. The developed platform is illustrated using the pressure safety system of a pressurized water reactor as an example of the simulation test bed; the platform is developed using the commercial and industrially validated software G2. The emulation test was conducted and it has been proven that the fault diagnosis expert system can identify the faults correctly and in a timely way; this system can be used as a simulation-based training tool to assist operators to make better decisions.

Real time expert systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Asami, Tohru; Hashimoto, Kazuo; Yamamoto, Seiichi

1992-01-01

Recently, aiming at the application to the plant control for nuclear reactors and traffic and communication control, the research and the practical use of the expert system suitable to real time processing have become conspicuous. In this report, the condition for the required function to control the object that dynamically changes within a limited time is presented, and the technical difference between the real time expert system developed so as to satisfy it and the expert system of conventional type is explained with the actual examples and from theoretical aspect. The expert system of conventional type has the technical base in the problem-solving equipment originating in STRIPS. The real time expert system is applied to the fields accompanied by surveillance and control, to which conventional expert system is hard to be applied. The requirement for the real time expert system, the example of the real time expert system, and as the techniques of realizing real time processing, the realization of interruption processing, dispersion processing, and the mechanism of maintaining the consistency of knowledge are explained. (K.I.)

Are automatic systems the future of motorcycle safety? A novel methodology to prioritize potential safety solutions based on their projected effectiveness.

Science.gov (United States)

Gil, Gustavo; Savino, Giovanni; Piantini, Simone; Baldanzini, Niccolò; Happee, Riender; Pierini, Marco

2017-11-17

Motorcycle riders are involved in significantly more crashes per kilometer driven than passenger car drivers. Nonetheless, the development and implementation of motorcycle safety systems lags far behind that of passenger cars. This research addresses the identification of the most effective motorcycle safety solutions in the context of different countries. A knowledge-based system of motorcycle safety (KBMS) was developed to assess the potential for various safety solutions to mitigate or avoid motorcycle crashes. First, a set of 26 common crash scenarios was identified from the analysis of multiple crash databases. Second, the relative effectiveness of 10 safety solutions was assessed for the 26 crash scenarios by a panel of experts. Third, relevant information about crashes was used to weigh the importance of each crash scenario in the region studied. The KBMS method was applied with an Italian database, with a total of more than 1 million motorcycle crashes in the period 2000-2012. When applied to the Italian context, the KBMS suggested that automatic systems designed to compensate for riders' or drivers' errors of commission or omission are the potentially most effective safety solution. The KBMS method showed an effective way to compare the potential of various safety solutions, through a scored list with the expected effectiveness of each safety solution for the region to which the crash data belong. A comparison of our results with a previous study that attempted a systematic prioritization of safety systems for motorcycles (PISa project) showed an encouraging agreement. Current results revealed that automatic systems have the greatest potential to improve motorcycle safety. Accumulating and encoding expertise in crash analysis from a range of disciplines into a scalable and reusable analytical tool, as proposed with the use of KBMS, has the potential to guide research and development of effective safety systems. As the expert assessment of the crash

Design of a real-time fault diagnosis expert system for the EAST cryoplant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Zhiwei; Zhuang Ming; Lu Xiaofei; Hu Liangbing; Xia Genhai

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► An expert system of real-time fault diagnosis for EAST cryoplant is designed. ► Knowledge base is built via fault tree analysis based on our fault experience. ► It can make up the deficiency of safety monitoring in cryogenic DCS. ► It can help operators to find the fault causes and give operation suggestion. ► It plays a role of operators training in certain degree. - Abstract: The EAST cryoplant consists of a 2 kW/4 K helium refrigerator and a helium distribution system. It is a complex process system which involves many process variables and cryogenic equipments. Each potential fault or abnormal event may influence stability and safety of the cryogenic system, thereby disturbing the fusion experiment. The cryogenic control system can monitor the process data and detect process alarms, but it is difficult to effectively diagnose the fault causes and provide operation suggestions to operators when anomalies occur. Therefore, a real-time fault diagnosis expert system is essential for a safe and steady operation of EAST cryogenic system. After a brief description of the EAST cryoplant and its control system, the structure design of the cryogenic fault diagnosis expert system is proposed. Based on the empirical knowledge, the fault diagnosis model is built adopting fault tree analysis method which considers the uncertainty. The knowledge base and the inference machine are presented in detail. A cross-platform integrated development environment Qt Creator and MySQL database have been used to develop the system. The proposed expert system has a fine graphic user interface for monitoring and operation. Preliminary test was conducted and the results found to be satisfactory.

A summary of evidence on radiation exposures received near to the Semipalatinsk nuclear weapons test site in Kazakhstan.

Science.gov (United States)

Simon, Steven L; Baverstock, Keith F; Lindholm, Carita

2003-06-01

The presently available evidence about the magnitude of doses received by members of the public living in villages in the vicinity of Semipalatinsk nuclear test in Kazakhstan, particularly with respect to external radiation, while preliminary, is conflicting. The village of Dolon, in particular, has been identified for many years as the most highly exposed location in the vicinity of the test site. Previous publications cited external doses of more than 2 Gy to residents of Dolon while an expert group assembled by the WHO in 1997 estimated that external doses were likely to have been less than 0.5 Gy. In 2001, a larger expert group workshop was held in Helsinki jointly by the WHO, the National Cancer Institute of the United States, and the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority of Finland, with the expressed purpose to acquire data to evaluate the state of knowledge concerning doses received in Kazakhstan. This paper summarizes evidence presented at that workshop. External dose estimates from calculations based on sparse physical measurements and bio-dosimetric estimates based on chromosome abnormalities and electron paramagnetic resonance from a relatively small sample of teeth do not agree well. The physical dose estimates are generally higher than the biodosimetric estimates (1 Gy or more compared to 0.5 Gy or less). When viewed in its entirety, the present body of evidence does not appear to support external doses greater than 0.5 Gy; however, research is continuing to try and resolve the difference in dose estimates from the different methods. Thyroid doses from internal irradiation, which can only be estimated via calculation, are expected to have been several times greater than the doses from external irradiation, especially where received by small children.

Deep knowledge expert system for diagnosis of multiple-failure severe transients in nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martin, R.P.; Nassersharif, B.

1987-01-01

TAMUS (Transient Analysis of MUltiple-failure Simulations) is a prototype expert system which is the result of a project investigating and implementing event confidence-levels (used by reactor safety experts in reactor transient analysis) in the form of an expert system. Currently, TAMUS is designed to diagnose reactor transients by analyzing simulated sensor and plant thermal hydraulic information from a system simulation. TAMUS uses a knowledge base of existing emergency nuclear plant operating guidelines and detailed thermal-hydraulic calculating results correlated to confidence-levels. TAMUS can diagnose a number of reactor transients (for example, loss-of-coolant accidents, steam-generator-tube ruptures, loss-of-offsite power, etc.). Future work includes the expansion of the knowledge base and improvement of the deep-knowledge qualitative models

Expert judgments about RD&D and the future of nuclear energy.

Science.gov (United States)

Anadón, Laura D; Bosetti, Valentina; Bunn, Matthew; Catenacci, Michela; Lee, Audrey

2012-11-06

Probabilistic estimates of the cost and performance of future nuclear energy systems under different scenarios of government research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) spending were obtained from 30 U.S. and 30 European nuclear technology experts. We used a novel elicitation approach which combined individual and group elicitation. With no change from current RD&D funding levels, experts on average expected current (Gen. III/III+) designs to be somewhat more expensive in 2030 than they were in 2010, and they expected the next generation of designs (Gen. IV) to be more expensive still as of 2030. Projected costs of proposed small modular reactors (SMRs) were similar to those of Gen. IV systems. The experts almost unanimously recommended large increases in government support for nuclear RD&D (generally 2-3 times current spending). The majority expected that such RD&D would have only a modest effect on cost, but would improve performance in other areas, such as safety, waste management, and uranium resource utilization. The U.S. and E.U. experts were in relative agreement regarding how government RD&D funds should be allocated, placing particular focus on very high temperature reactors, sodium-cooled fast reactors, fuels and materials, and fuel cycle technologies.

Radiation risk perception: a discrepancy between the experts and the general population

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perko, Tanja

2014-01-01

Determining the differences in the perception of risks between experts who are regularly exposed to radiation, and lay people provides important insights into how potential hazards may be effectively communicated to the public. In the present study we examined lay people's (N = 1020) and experts' (N = 332) perception of five different radiological risks: nuclear waste, medical x-rays, natural radiation, an accident at a nuclear installation in general, and the Fukushima accident in particular. In order to link risk perception with risk communication, media reporting about radiation risks is analysed using quantitative and qualitative content analyses. The results showed that experts perceive radiological risks differently from the general public. Experts' perception of medical X-rays and natural radiation is significantly higher than in general population, while for nuclear waste and an accident at a nuclear installation, experts have lower risk perception than the general population. In-depth research is conducted for a group of workers that received an effective dose higher than 0.5 mSv in the year before the study; for this group we identify predictors of risk perception. The results clearly show that mass media don't use the same language as technical experts in addressing radiological risks. The study demonstrates that the discrepancy in risk perception and the communication gap between the experts and the general population presents a big challenge in understanding each other

International cooperation for operating safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dupuis, M.C.

1989-03-01

The international-cooperation organization in nuclear safety domain is discussed. The nuclear energy Direction Committee is helped by the Security Committee for Nuclear Power Plants in the cooperation between security organizations of member countries and in the safety and nuclear activity regulations. The importance of the cooperation between experts in human being and engine problems is underlined. The applied methods, exchange activities and activity analysis, and the cooperation of the Nuclear Energy Agency and international organizations is analysed [fr

Nurses' expert opinions of workplace interventions for a healthy working environment: a Delphi survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Doran, Diane; Clarke, Sean; Hayes, Laureen; Nincic, Vera

2014-09-01

Much has been written about interventions to improve the nursing work environment, yet little is known about their effectiveness. A Delphi survey of nurse experts was conducted to explore perceptions about workplace interventions in terms of feasibility and likelihood of positive impact on nurse outcomes such as job satisfaction and nurse retention. The interventions that received the highest ratings for likelihood of positive impact included: bedside handover to improve communication at shift report and promote patient-centred care; training program for nurses in dealing with violent or aggressive behaviour; development of charge nurse leadership team; training program focused on creating peer-supportive atmospheres and group cohesion; and schedule that recognizes work balance and family demands. The overall findings are consistent with the literature that highlights the importance of communication and teamwork, nurse health and safety, staffing and scheduling practices, professional development and leadership and mentorship. Nursing researchers and decision-makers should work in collaboration to implement and evaluate interventions for promoting practice environments characterized by effective communication and teamwork, professional growth and adequate support for the health and well-being of nurses.

IAEA expert assessment of basic issues associated with the preparation and implementation of the Temelin nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horak, B.

1990-01-01

An independent IAEA team composed of foreign experts was invited to Temelin with the aim to review the plant with respect to nuclear safety of the site, organization of construction activities, implementation of the construction including quality assurance aspects, preparation of operation, radioactive waste management, reactor core physics, and safety system design. Final reports conclude that the site has a low seismicity and favorable meteorological, hydrogeological and demographic conditions, and thus is well suited to the construction of a nuclear power plant. It has been suggested that within CEZ (the Czech Power Company, the utility operating all power plants in the Czech Republic), all activities associated with nuclear power should be concentrated in one division which would be responsible for safety supervision, technical assistance, and overall construction management. Particular efforts must be devoted to quality assurance. The expert team stated that in its design, the WWER-1000 reactor approaches state-of-the-art pressurized water reactors which are being launched in other countries. (M.D.)

Hybrid knowledge expert tool for load capacity assessment of railway plate girders with defects

Science.gov (United States)

KuŻawa, M.; Bień, J.; Gładysz, M.

2013-10-01

Importance of the bridge structures as components of the transportation network is increasing and requires regular development of the management methodology. The main activities are focused on the safety of the users of the transportation network and on the safety of structures, based on monitoring and analysis of the bridge condition changes caused by various types of defects. The paper presents application of the hybrid network technology in the expert tool NOBLA supporting condition assessment of bridge plate girders, taking into account defects of the structures.

75 FR 38432 - Railroad Safety Appliance Standards, Miscellaneous Revisions

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-02

...: Stephen J. Carullo, Railroad Safety Specialist, Office of Safety, FRA, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE..., Office of Chief Counsel, FRA, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Mail Stop 10, Washington, DC 20590 (telephone... government (FRA and Transport Canada participate as non-voting members), as well as ergonomics experts. The...

Basic foundations of phthisiology professionalization in the assessment of experts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alenin P.N.

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of the work is to study the conditions and stereotypes that determine the process of professionalization in the field of phthisiology. The main factors have been analyzed that characterize the situation of ТВ as a public health sphere in Russia. Material and Methods. Applying qualitative research strategy — semi-structured expert interviews. The basis of the study is the expert opinion of practitioners in the field of ТВ: ТВ service specialists of Saratov Region (Regional Clinical ТВ Dispensary in Saratov and lecturers of the department of Phthisiopulmonology of Saratov State Medical University n.a. V. I. Razumovsky (n=10. Results. The article presents research materials, aimed at identifying the specifics of the basic foundations of national ТВ professionalization. The main factors of vocational choice include a personal interest in the profession, value preferences, information availability, safety and the risk of occupational diseases, the contingent of patients. Conclusion. On the basis of expert opinion the influence of endogenous and exogenous factors to assess ТВ status of the professional medical community, as well as students — physicians in the context of their future professional socialization have been described.

Expert Coaching in Weight Loss: Retrospective Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Painter, Stefanie Lynn; Ahmed, Rezwan; Kushner, Robert F; Hill, James O; Lindquist, Richard; Brunning, Scott; Margulies, Amy

2018-03-13

Providing coaches as part of a weight management program is a common practice to increase participant engagement and weight loss success. Understanding coach and participant interactions and how these interactions impact weight loss success needs to be further explored for coaching best practices. The purpose of this study was to analyze the coach and participant interaction in a 6-month weight loss intervention administered by Retrofit, a personalized weight management and Web-based disease prevention solution. The study specifically examined the association between different methods of coach-participant interaction and weight loss and tried to understand the level of coaching impact on weight loss outcome. A retrospective analysis was performed using 1432 participants enrolled from 2011 to 2016 in the Retrofit weight loss program. Participants were males and females aged 18 years or older with a baseline body mass index of ≥25 kg/m², who also provided at least one weight measurement beyond baseline. First, a detailed analysis of different coach-participant interaction was performed using both intent-to-treat and completer populations. Next, a multiple regression analysis was performed using all measures associated with coach-participant interactions involving expert coaching sessions, live weekly expert-led Web-based classes, and electronic messaging and feedback. Finally, 3 significant predictors (Pcoaching session attendance (Pcoaching sessions, attending 60% of live weekly Web-based classes, and receiving a minimum of 1 food log feedback day per week were associated with clinically significant weight loss. Participant's one-on-one expert coaching session attendance, live weekly expert-led interactive Web-based class attendance, and the number of food log feedback days per week from expert coach were significant predictors of weight loss in a 6-month intervention. ©Stefanie Lynn Painter, Rezwan Ahmed, Robert F Kushner, James O Hill, Richard Lindquist, Scott

Online-Expert: An Expert System for Online Database Selection.

Science.gov (United States)

Zahir, Sajjad; Chang, Chew Lik

1992-01-01

Describes the design and development of a prototype expert system called ONLINE-EXPERT that helps users select online databases and vendors that meet users' needs. Search strategies are discussed; knowledge acquisition and knowledge bases are described; and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), a decision analysis technique that ranks databases,…

Nuclear safety. How is it evaluated?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andersson, Kjell; Andersson, Johan; Carlsson, Lennart; Olsson, Richard; Ericsson, A.M.; Gunsell, L.; Wene, C.O.

1996-09-01

A working group with representatives for the three subject areas reactor safety, disposal of spent fuels and transport of radioactive materials has performed a project aiming to clarify similarities and differences of the three areas concerning methods for safety analysis, criteria, risks etc; and to develop contacts between experts in the areas in order to facilitate transfer of methods. Some of the more precise objectives were: To identify common problems that could be solved jointly, to discuss prospects for a 'meta-method' that can support safety analysis in the entire field of nuclear safety, and to discuss possibilities for a homogeneous attitude towards risk management

Applicable technology. Chapter 3. Status report on the safety of operating US nuclear power plants (why experts believe that today's operating nuclear power reactors are much safer than they were 20 years ago)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Budnitz, R.J.

2010-01-01

The main emphasis of this presentation and paper is to address why experts believe that today's operating nuclear power reactors are much safer than they were 10 or 20 years ago. There is strong evidence to support this belief for the power reactors now operating in all of the advanced countries, and in many of the less developed countries too, although in a few of these latter countries there are continuing safety concerns. The paper will present recent and historical data from the U.S., a discussion of what the data mean and why, and a perspective about what events and trends have been the causes for the major safety improvements that have occurred. The extension of the conclusion to other countries will also be discussed. Finally, the reasons why safety-improvement programs must continue in some of the less-developed countries are described

Validating the Danish adaptation of the World Health Organization's International Classification for Patient Safety classification of patient safety incident types

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mikkelsen, Kim Lyngby; Thommesen, Jacob; Andersen, Henning Boje

2013-01-01

Objectives Validation of a Danish patient safety incident classification adapted from the World Health Organizaton's International Classification for Patient Safety (ICPS-WHO). Design Thirty-three hospital safety management experts classified 58 safety incident cases selected to represent all types.......513 (range: 0.193–0.804). Kappa and ICC showed high correlation (r = 0.99). An inverse correlation was found between the prevalence of type and inter-rater reliability. Results are discussed according to four factors known to determine the inter-rater agreement: skill and motivation of raters; clarity...

Patient safety issues in office-based surgery and anaesthesia in Switzerland: a qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

McLennan, Stuart; Schwappach, David; Harder, Yves; Staender, Sven; Elger, Bernice

2017-08-01

To identify the spectrum of patient safety issues in office-based surgery and anaesthesia in Switzerland. Purposive sample of 23 experts in surgery and anaesthesia and quality and regulation in Switzerland. Data were collected via individual qualitative interviews using a researcher-developed semi-structured interview guide between March 2016 and September 2016. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using conventional content analysis. Issues were categorised under the headings "structure", "process", and "outcome". Experts identified two key overarching patient safety and regulatory issues in relation to office-based surgery and anaesthesia in Switzerland. First, experts repeatedly raised the current lack of data and transparency of the setting. It is unknown how many surgeons are operating in offices, how many and what types of operations are being done, and what the outcomes are. Secondly, experts also noted the limited oversight and regulation of the setting. While some standards exists, most experts felt that more minimal safety standards are needed regarding the requirements that must be met to do office-based surgery and what can and cannot be done in the office-based setting are needed, but they advocated a self-regulatory approach. There is a lack of empirical data regarding the quantity and quality office-based surgery and anaesthesia in Switzerland. Further research is needed to address these research gaps and inform health policy in relation to patient safety in office-based surgery and anaesthesia in Switzerland. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Safety Management and Safety Culture Self Assessment of Kartini Research Reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Syarip, S., E-mail: syarip@batan.go.id [Centre for Accelerator and Material Process Technology, National Nuclear Energy Agency (BATAN), Yogyakarta (Indonesia)

2014-10-15

The self-assessment of safety culture and safety management status of Kartini research reactor is a step to foster safety culture and management by identifying good practices and areas for improvement, and also to improve reactor safety in a whole. The method used in this assessment is based on questionnaires provided by the Forum for Nuclear Cooperation in Asia (FNCA), then reviewed by experts. Based on the assessment and evaluation results, it can be concluded that there were several good practices in maintaining the safety status of Kartini reactor such as: reactor operators and radiation protection workers were aware and knowledgeable of the safety standards and policies that apply to their operation, readily accept constructive criticism from their management and from the inspectors of regulatory body that address safety performance. As a proof, for the last four years the number of inspection/audit findings from Regulatory Body (BAPETEN) tended to decrease while the reactor utilization and its operating hour increased. On the other hands there were also some comments and recommendations for improvement of reactor safety culture, such as that there should be more frequent open dialogues between employees and managers, to grow and attain a mutual support to achieve safety goals. (author)

The role of the safety authority

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gelder, P. de

2004-01-01

The original programme of the Belgium Workshop did not include a scheduled talk by a representative of the safety authority. However, because of the interest expressed by FSC delegates in this player, a speaker stepped forward. Pieter De Gelder, division head of AVN spoke of the role of the safety authority in the local dialogue. He recalled that in Belgium a safety authority in the modern sense of the word was founded only in the mid 1990's. The safety authority is a federal agency (FANC), while AVN is a private company, a contractor to FANC. Mr. De Gelder highlighted that the regulators are not formal members of the partnerships and do not attend each meeting. However, from time to time, partnerships invite experts from FANC and AVN to give presentations on specific topics. In particular, these experts have provided information on their roles and activities in the process, on legal and authorization procedures, and on the evaluation of ONDRAF/NIRAS dossiers. Mr. De Gelder observed that they found a very motivated local audience and they have committed themselves to continued interaction with the partnerships. Finally, he stressed that this type of public interaction around the repository issue is new to the regulator. (author)

IAEA Expert Team Concludes Mission to Onagawa NPP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2012-01-01

Full text: An IAEA team of international experts today delivered its initial report at the end of a two-week mission to gather information about the effects of the Great East Japan Earthquake on the Onagawa Nuclear Power Station (NPS), saying the plant was 'remarkably undamaged'. Findings from the visual investigation will be added to an IAEA data base being compiled by its International Seismic Safety Centre (ISSC) to provide knowledge for Member States about the impact of external hazards on nuclear power plants. The ISSC data bank makes an important contribution to the IAEA's Action Plan on Nuclear Safety, which was unanimously endorsed by the Agency's Member States following last year's nuclear accident at Fukushima Daiichi NPS. Onagawa, facing the Pacific Ocean on Japan's north-east coast, was the nuclear power plant closest to the epicentre of the 11 March 2011 magnitude 9.0 earthquake that struck Japan and resulted in a devastating tsunami. The plant experienced very high levels of ground shaking - among the strongest of any plant affected by the earthquake - and some flooding from the tsunami that followed, but was able to shut down safely. In its draft report the team said that 'the structural elements of the NPS were remarkably undamaged given the magnitude of ground motion experienced and the duration and size of this great earthquake'. The mission's objective was to observe how structures, systems and components with significance to the safety of the plant responded to the earthquake and heavy shaking. At the damaged Fukushima Daiichi NPS, nearly 120 km south of Onagawa NPS, the effects of the earthquake, tsunami and hydrogen explosions make it impossible to single out the impact of external hazards on safety-related parts of the power station. The Government of Japan and the IAEA therefore agreed to deploy a mission to the three-unit Onagawa NPS. The team's 19 members from six countries, including IAEA staff, held discussions with the operators of the

Development of an expert system for tsunami warning: a unit source approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roshan, A.D.; Pisharady, Ajai S.; Bishnoi, L.R.; Shah, Meet

2015-01-01

Coastal region of India has been experiencing tsunamis since historical times. Many nuclear facilities including nuclear power plants (NPPs), located along the coast are thus exposed to the hazards of tsunami. For the safety of these facilities as well as the safety of the citizens it is necessary to predict the possibility of occurrence of tsunamis for a recorded earthquake event and evaluate the tsunami hazard posed by the earthquake. To address these concerns, this work aims to design an expert system for Tsunami Warning for the Indian Coast with emphasis on evaluation of tsunami heights and arrival times at various nuclear facility sites. The expert system identifies possibility or otherwise of a tsunamigenic event based on earthquake data inputs. Rupture parameters are worked out for the event and unit tsunami source estimations which are available as precomputed database are combined appropriately to estimate the wave heights and time of arrivals at desired locations along the coast. The system also predicts tsunami wave heights at some pre-defined locations such as Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) and other nuclear facility sites. Time of arrivals of first wave along Indian coast is also evaluated

Safety and environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cogne, F.

1975-01-01

The author analyses the papers presented by C. Starr and M. Muntzing at the Paris Conference on the maturity of nuclear energy. The main problems raised in the matter of safety (safety of the plants, plutonium toxicity, the possibilities of theft or sabotage, treatment and storage of the waste) are analyzed and it is pointed out that the hazards arising from the use of nuclear power are contained within reasonable limits. The experts should take the initiative of informing the general public on these matters as the mass media circulate too much inaccurate information in this field. As concerns the environment, it is the choice of sites and the harmonizing of the rules and procedures which appear to be the most important problems for the authorities charged with safety measures [fr

Lessons learned from IAEA fire safety missions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, S.P.

1998-01-01

The IAEA has conducted expert missions to evaluate fire safety at the following nuclear power plants: the Zaporozhe plant in the Ukraine, the Borselle plant in the Netherlands, the Medzamor plant in Armenia, the Karachi plant in Pakistan, the Temelin plant in the Czech Republic, and the Laguna Verde plant in Mexico. The scope of these missions varied in subject and depth. The teams sent from the IAEA consisted of external fire experts and IAEA staff. All the missions were of great use to the host countries. The participating experts also benefited significantly. A summary of the missions and their findings is given. (author)

System Experts and Decision Making Experts in Transdisciplinary Projects

Science.gov (United States)

Mieg, Harald A.

2006-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims at a better understanding of expert roles in transdisciplinary projects. Thus, the main purpose is the analysis of the roles of experts in transdisciplinary projects. Design/methodology/approach: The analysis of the ETH-UNS case studies from the point of view of the psychology of expertise and the sociology of professions…

Promoting safety in nuclear installations. The IAEA has established safety standards for nuclear reactors and provides expert review and safety services to assist Member States in their application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-01-01

More than 430 nuclear power plants (NPPs) are currently operating in 30 countries around the world. The nuclear share of total electricity production ranges from about 20 percent in the Czech Republic and United States to nearly 78 percent in France and Lithuania. Worldwide, nuclear power generates about 16% of the total electricity. The safety of such nuclear installations is fundamental. Every aspect of a power plant must be closely supervised and scrutinized by national regulatory bodies to ensure safety at every phase. These aspects include design, construction, commissioning, trial operation, commercial operation, repair and maintenance, plant upgrades, radiation doses to workers, radioactive waste management and, ultimately, plant decommissioning. Safety fundamentals comprise defence-in-depth, which means having in place multiple levels of protection. nuclear facilities; regulatory responsibility; communicating with the public; adoption of the international convention on nuclear safety including implementation of IAEA nuclear safety standards. This publication covers topics of designing for safety (including safety concepts, design principles, and human factors); operating safety (including safety culture and advance in operational safety); risk assessment and management

Application of expert system to nuclear power plant operation and guidance system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goto, M.; Takada, Y.

1990-01-01

For a nuclear power plant, it is important that an expert system supplies useful information to the operator to meet the increasing demand for high-level plant operation. It is difficult to build a user-friendly expert system that supplies useful information in real time using existing general-purpose expert system shells. Therefore a domain-specific expert system shell with a useful knowledge representation for problem-solving in nuclear power plant operation was selected. The Plant Table (P/T) representation format was developed for description of a production system for nuclear power plant operation knowledge. The P/T consists of plant condition representation designed to process multiple inputs and single output. A large number of operation inputs for several plant conditions are divided into 'timing conditions', 'preconditions' and 'completion conditions' to facilitate knowledge-base build-up. An expert system for a Nuclear Power Plant Operation and Guidance System utilizing the P/T was developed to assist automatic plant operation and surveillance test operation. In these systems, automatic plant operation signals to the plant equipment and operation guidance messages to the operators are both output based on the processing and assessment of plant operation conditions by the P/T. A surveillance test procedure guide for major safety-related systems, such as those for emergency core cooling systems, is displayed on a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) and test results are printed out. The expert system for a Nuclear Power Plant Operation and Guidance System has already been successfully applied to Japanese BWR plants

47 CFR 87.151 - Special requirements for differential GPS receivers.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Special requirements for differential GPS receivers. 87.151 Section 87.151 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) SAFETY AND... differential GPS receivers. (a) The receiver shall achieve a message failure rate less than or equal to one...

Expert systems for protective monitoring of facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carr, K.R.

1987-01-01

In complex plants, the possibility of serious operator error always exists to some extent, but, this can be especially true during an experiment or some other unusual exercise. Possible contributing factors to operational error include personnel fatigue, misunderstanding in communication, mistakes in executing orders, uncertainty about the delegated authority, pressure to meet a demanding schedule, and a lack of understanding of the possible consequences of deliberate violations of the facility's established operating procedures. Authoritative reports indicate that most of these factors were involved in the disastrous Russian Chernobyl-4 nuclear reactor accident in April 1986, which, ironically, occurred when a safety experiment was being conducted. Given the computer hardware and software now available for implementing expert systems together with integrated signal monitoring and communications, plant protection could be enhanced by an expert system with extended features to monitor the plant. The system could require information from the operators on a rigidly enforced schedule and automatically log in and report on a scheduled time basis to authorities at a central remote site during periods of safe operation. Additionally, the system could warn an operator or automatically shut down the plant in case of dangerous conditions, while simultaneously notifying independent, responsible, off-site personnel of the action taken. This approach would provide protection beyond that provided by typical facility scram circuits. This paper presents such an approach to implementing an expert system for plant protection, together with specific hardware and software configurations. The Chernobyl accident is used as the basis of discussion

Expert Views on Regulatory Preparedness for Managing the Risks of Nanotechnologies

Science.gov (United States)

Beaudrie, Christian E. H.; Satterfield, Terre; Kandlikar, Milind; Harthorn, Barbara H.

2013-01-01

The potential and promise of nanotechnologies depends in large part on the ability for regulatory systems to assess and manage their benefits and risks. However, considerable uncertainty persists regarding the health and environmental implications of nanomaterials, hence the capacity for existing regulations to meet this challenge has been widely questioned. Here we draw from a survey (N=254) of US-based nano-scientists and engineers, environmental health and safety scientists, and regulatory scientists and decision-makers, to ask whether nano experts regard regulatory agencies as prepared for managing nanomaterial risks. We find that all three expert groups view regulatory agencies as unprepared. The effect is strongest for regulators themselves, and less so for scientists conducting basic, applied, or health and safety work on nanomaterials. Those who see nanotechnology risks as novel, uncertain, and difficult to assess are particularly likely to see agencies as unprepared. Trust in regulatory agencies, views of stakeholder responsibility regarding the management of risks, and socio-political values were also found to be small but significant drivers of perceived agency preparedness. These results underscore the need for new tools and methods to enable the assessment of nanomaterial risks, and to renew confidence in regulatory agencies’ ability to oversee their growing use and application in society. PMID:24244662

Expert views on regulatory preparedness for managing the risks of nanotechnologies.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christian E H Beaudrie

Full Text Available The potential and promise of nanotechnologies depends in large part on the ability for regulatory systems to assess and manage their benefits and risks. However, considerable uncertainty persists regarding the health and environmental implications of nanomaterials, hence the capacity for existing regulations to meet this challenge has been widely questioned. Here we draw from a survey (N=254 of US-based nano-scientists and engineers, environmental health and safety scientists, and regulatory scientists and decision-makers, to ask whether nano experts regard regulatory agencies as prepared for managing nanomaterial risks. We find that all three expert groups view regulatory agencies as unprepared. The effect is strongest for regulators themselves, and less so for scientists conducting basic, applied, or health and safety work on nanomaterials. Those who see nanotechnology risks as novel, uncertain, and difficult to assess are particularly likely to see agencies as unprepared. Trust in regulatory agencies, views of stakeholder responsibility regarding the management of risks, and socio-political values were also found to be small but significant drivers of perceived agency preparedness. These results underscore the need for new tools and methods to enable the assessment of nanomaterial risks, and to renew confidence in regulatory agencies' ability to oversee their growing use and application in society.

Trauma Aware & Safety Ready

Science.gov (United States)

Paterson, Jim

2017-01-01

The interwoven issues of trauma and safety have swept through college campuses over the last decade, and they've arrived at doors of admission offices, encouraging officials to think more carefully about those concerns and take a closer look at how they handle them. Experts recommend in this atmosphere that admission offices discuss these topics…

Design of a real-time fault diagnosis expert system for the EAST cryoplant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhou Zhiwei, E-mail: zzw@ipp.ac.cn [Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui (China); Zhuang Ming, E-mail: zhm@ipp.ac.cn [Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui (China); Lu Xiaofei, E-mail: luxf1212@mail.ustc.edu.cn [Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui (China); Hu Liangbing, E-mail: huliangbing@ipp.ac.cn [Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui (China); Xia Genhai, E-mail: xgh@ipp.ac.cn [Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui (China)

2012-12-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer An expert system of real-time fault diagnosis for EAST cryoplant is designed. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Knowledge base is built via fault tree analysis based on our fault experience. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer It can make up the deficiency of safety monitoring in cryogenic DCS. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer It can help operators to find the fault causes and give operation suggestion. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer It plays a role of operators training in certain degree. - Abstract: The EAST cryoplant consists of a 2 kW/4 K helium refrigerator and a helium distribution system. It is a complex process system which involves many process variables and cryogenic equipments. Each potential fault or abnormal event may influence stability and safety of the cryogenic system, thereby disturbing the fusion experiment. The cryogenic control system can monitor the process data and detect process alarms, but it is difficult to effectively diagnose the fault causes and provide operation suggestions to operators when anomalies occur. Therefore, a real-time fault diagnosis expert system is essential for a safe and steady operation of EAST cryogenic system. After a brief description of the EAST cryoplant and its control system, the structure design of the cryogenic fault diagnosis expert system is proposed. Based on the empirical knowledge, the fault diagnosis model is built adopting fault tree analysis method which considers the uncertainty. The knowledge base and the inference machine are presented in detail. A cross-platform integrated development environment Qt Creator and MySQL database have been used to develop the system. The proposed expert system has a fine graphic user interface for monitoring and operation. Preliminary test was conducted and the results found to be satisfactory.

New requirements embodied in expert knowledge regulations for industrial radiation protection officers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vogt, H.G.

2001-01-01

Expert knowledge standards and certification requirements of health physics responsible persons or radiation safety officers in industry or in health care are laid down in Germany in administrative regulations. Now the new Radiation Protection Ordinance (StrlSchV) contains a specific section exclusively devoted to all aspects of expert knowledge in industrial radiation protection, which inter alia demonstrates the special significance of education and further training of radiation protection specialists. It is expected that the forthcoming new X-ray Ordinance (RoeV) will contain a similar amendment. The article explains the implications of the new Radiation Protection Ordinance for the education and further training of industrial radiation protection officers, but does not address specific aspects of nuclear engineering. (orig./CB) [de

Expert auditors’ services classification

OpenAIRE

Jolanta Wisniewska

2013-01-01

The profession of an expert auditor is a public trust occupation with a distinctive feature of taking responsibility for actions in the public interest. The main responsibility of expert auditors is performing financial auditing; however, expert auditors are prepared to carry out different tasks which encompass a wide plethora of financial and auditing services for different kinds of institutions and companies. The aim of the article is first of all the description of expert auditors’ service...

Results of expert response when forming an exhaustive list of potential risks of constructions projects using energy efficient technologies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ryzhkova Anastasiya Igorevna

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The author deals with the most widely used methods of risk events identification. The expert response method is most applicable for construction projects using energy efficient technologies. The article presents the results of an opinion poll of the professional expert community using expert response method, which is aimed to identify the most likely potential “pure” risk of construction projects with energy-efficient technologies in use. 74 experts representing different levels of the construction process were polled: customers and directors of construction companies, project managers, risk managers, advisors. The answers were collected during private talks and also using a special website Survey Monkey. Experts from different countries took part: Russia, Great Britain, Austria, Luxemburg, Switzerland and Norway. Also the article presents the expert evaluation of the “effect” of risk implementation on the cost of a project, implementation time, the product quality, the environment and safety on the construction site.

Progress of nuclear safety research-2004

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anoda, Yoshinari; Ebine, Noriya; Chuto, Toshinori; Sato, Satoshi; Ishikawa, Jun; Yamamoto, Toshihiro; Munakata, Masahiro; Asakura, Toshihide; Yamaguchi, Tetsuji; Kida, Takashi; Matsui, Hiroki; Haneishi, Akihiro; Araya, Fumimasa

2005-03-01

JAERI is conducting nuclear safety research primarily at the Nuclear Safety Research Center in close cooperation with the related departments in accordance with the Long Term Plan for Development and Utilization of Nuclear Energy and Annual Plan for Safety Research issued by the Japanese government. The fields of conducting safety research at JAERI are the engineering safety of nuclear power plants and nuclear fuel cycle facilities, and radioactive waste management as well as advanced technology for safety improvement or assessment. Also, JAERI has conducted international collaboration to share the information on common global issues of nuclear safety and to supplement own research. Moreover, when accidents occurred at nuclear facilities, JAERI has taken a responsible role by providing technical experts and investigation for assistance to the government or local public body. This report summarizes the nuclear safety research activities of JAERI from April 2002 through March 2004 and utilized facilities. (author)

Safety training priorities

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, N. A.; Ruck, H. W.

1984-04-01

The Air Force is interested in identifying potentially hazardous tasks and prevention of accidents. This effort proposes four methods for determining safety training priorities for job tasks in three enlisted specialties. These methods can be used to design training aimed at avoiding loss of people, time, materials, and money associated with on-the-job accidents. Job tasks performed by airmen were measured using task and job factor ratings. Combining accident reports and job inventories, subject-matter experts identified tasks associated with accidents over a 3-year period. Applying correlational, multiple regression, and cost-benefit analysis, four methods were developed for ordering hazardous tasks to determine safety training priorities.

Qualification test for the Flexible Receiver. Revision 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keller, C.M.

1994-01-01

This document provides the test plan and procedures to certify and design verify the 42 in. and 4 in. -- 6 in. Flexible Receiver as a safety class 3 system. The Flexible Receiver will be used by projects W-151 and W-320 for removing equipment from tanks C-106 and Az-101

Current regulatory developments concerning the implementation of probabilistic safety analyses for external hazards in Germany

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krauss, Matias; Berg, Heinz-Peter

2014-01-01

Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU). This expert group, led by the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS), has the task to advise the BMU on all methodological issues for the implementation of probabilistic safety analyses and has elaborated two publications on methods and data for PSA with the aim to support a unified application of the PSA in Germany. With the publication 'Safety requirements for nuclear power plants', a modern version of a German nuclear safety regulations has been published. In this regulation the broad experience of the application of the periodic safety reviews have been incorporated as a key element of regulatory supervision. Further key findings from the European safety review of nuclear power plants were taken into account after the accident at Fukushima. The revision also paid special attention to the requirements and recommendations of WENRA and IAEA. In addition, the recommendations and guidelines of the Nuclear Safety Standards Commission (KTA) and the expert group on Probabilistic Safety Analysis (PSA FAK) have also been updated. The activities of the updates have been focused the natural external hazards 'earthquake' and 'flooding' in the German regulations: - Probabilistic assessment for retrofit measures in individual cases for all operating modes and the PSA level 1 and level 2 is possible. - Deterministic and probabilistic site hazard analysis for the events 'earthquake' and 'flood' are required. - For the event 'earthquake' according to IAEA plants receives a minimum design comparable to 0.1 g >concept. - Furthermore, a seismic instrumentation independent of the location of intensity is required for each installation. - The importance of quality assured plant walk downs to determine the specified plant conditions was explicitly emphasized and required measures to ensure. - Furthermore, the existing methods for their applicability verified the associated generic data base for PSA updated. - The

A Study of the pre-retirement program implementation for KAERI nuclear experts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hong, Hyo-Jeong; Hwang, Hye-Seon; Nam, Young-Mi; Jin, You-Rim; Song, Eun-Ju

2017-01-01

people in Korea take far more of interests in the nuclear power and whether they are well prepared in the lack of professional human resources in it in the foreseeable future. It is not only personal concern anymore, but also national concern. In particular, retirement of the experts in nuclear field is likely to lose our competitiveness in the world. It is urgent for the government and institutions in Korea to develop and implement educational programs to secure talented new workers in the field. This study analyzes the cases of development and application of pre-retirement education program of professional talent for nuclear R and D and then, develops programs to help nuclear experts retire. In the aging society, the retirement of nuclear experts is a national issue that can't be held off rather than each worker's problem. There are people at the heart of nuclear power. This is because they do all the things like nuclear research and development, and construction. Therefore, it is important to nurture and manage nuclear experts to ensure the sustainable development of nuclear with safety. This program could be also a part of it. KAERI is the organization that represents domestic nuclear research, and it is their urgent task to prepare for aging.

Safety brings CERNois together

CERN Multimedia

CERN Bulletin

2012-01-01

The World Day for Health and Safety at Work, which was celebrated at CERN on 27 April, provided an opportunity for the safety professionals and members of the CERN personnel to get together to discuss joint concerns. It was a good opportunity for people to learn to distinguish between good and bad habits.   Members of the CERN Fire Brigade advise the Director-General. Two weeks ago, for the second year running, CERN’s restaurants hosted World Day for Health and Safety at Work stands. And once again, the stands attracted considerable interest. “Many people consulted our experts on safety issues relating in particular to ergonomics and electrical risks, the two themes to which we devoted particular attention this time,” explained Charles-Edouard Sala, a member of the BE Department’s Safety Unit and co-organiser of the event. The cardiac massage competition organised by members of CERN's Fire Brigade attracted a large number of competitors. No fe...

Nuclear Safety Culture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2017-01-01

Ethics is caring about people and Safety is caring that no physical harm comes to people.Therefore Safety is a type of Ethical Behavior. Culture: is The Way We Do Things Here.Safety Culture is mixture of organization traditions, values, attitudes and behaviors modeled by Its leaders and internalized by its members that serve to make nuclear safety the overriding priority. Safety Culture is that assembly of characteristics and attitudes in Organisations and individuals which established that, as an overriding priority, nuclear plant safety issues receive the attention warranted by their significance

A Profile for Safety Critical Java

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schoeberl, Martin; Søndergaard, Hans; Thomsen, Bent

2007-01-01

We propose a new, minimal specification for real-time Java for safety critical applications. The intention is to provide a profile that supports programming of applications that can be validated against safety critical standards such as DO-178B [15]. The proposed profile is in line with the Java...... specification request JSR-302: Safety Critical Java Technology, which is still under discussion. In contrast to the current direction of the expert group for the JSR-302 we do not subset the rather complex Real-Time Specification for Java (RTSJ). Nevertheless, our profile can be implemented on top of an RTSJ...

FEATURES ROAD SAFETY AUDIT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. Abramova

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Development of the road network, increasing motorization of the population significantly increase the risk of accidents. Experts in the field of traffic are developing methods to reduce the probability of accidents. The ways of solving the problems of road safety audit at various stages of the «life» of roads are considered.

Safety and reliability in Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Colombo, A.G.

1985-01-01

This volume contains the papers presented at the ESRA Pre-Launching Meeting. The meeting was attended by about eighty European reliability and safety experts from industry, research organizations and universities. This meeting was dealing with the following subjects: the historical perspective of safety and reliability in Europe and to the aims of ESRA. Status and Trends in Research and Development; Codes, Standards and Regulations; Academic and Technical Training. National and international Organizations. Twenty six papers have been analyzed and abstracted for inclusion in the data base

Expert system for the real-time management of alarms in an electric grid. Un systeme expert pour la gestion en temps reel des alarmes dans un reseau electrique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Girouard, P.

1987-01-01

A model-base expert system is presented for the processing of alarm messages in power networks' control centers. This alarm processor, called GESTAL, generates concise diagnoses identifying the causes(s) of network disturbances and describing the operation of the protection and alarm systems which operate to isolate faulty components. Essentially, the alarm processor is an agenda driven expert system which is composed of a model of the power network's alarm and protection systems as well as several sets of rules. Based on the nextwork model, graph structures are constructed which represent relationships between alarms as they are received. These graph structures are then analysed in order to diagnose the disturbances(s). The alarm processor has been developed using the ART 3.0 programming language in a Symbolics Lisp-machine environment. Background material on expert systems, electric power networks, and alarm processing software is included, as well as a description of GESTAL'S functional characteristics and design. 51 refs., 28 figs.

Qualification test for the flexible receiver. Revision 2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tedeschi, D.J.

1994-12-12

This document provides the test plan and procedures to certify and design verify the 42{double_prime} and 4{double_prime}-6{double_prime} Flexible Receiver as a safety class 3 system. The Flexible Receiver will be used by projects W-151 and W-320 for removing equipment from tanks C-106 and AZ-101.

Qualification test for the flexible receiver. Revision 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tedeschi, D.J.

1994-01-01

This document provides the test plan and procedures to certify and design verify the 42 double-prime and 4 double-prime-6 double-prime Flexible Receiver as a safety class 3 system. The Flexible Receiver will be used by projects W-151 and W-320 for removing equipment from tanks C-106 and AZ-101

Experts Complete IAEA Follow-up Review of Spanish Nuclear Regulatory Authority

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2011-01-01

Full text: Nuclear safety experts today concluded an eight-day mission to review Spain's nuclear regulator, the Nuclear Safety Council (CSN). At the request of the Spanish Government, the International Atomic Energy Agency assembled a peer-review team of five high-level regulatory experts from four nations and two IAEA staff members to conduct a follow-up assessment of an Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) mission conducted in 2008. This follow-up IRRS mission examined CSN's progress in acting upon the recommendations and suggestions made during the 2008 IRRS mission and reviewed the areas of significant regulatory changes since that review. Both reviews covered safety and security regulatory aspects of all facilities and activities in Spain. The first mission reviewed Spain's regulatory framework against IAEA Safety Standards and fostered the exchange of information and experience on safety regulation. The mission also included a peer review of the security activities within the regulatory framework. IRRS team leader Luis Reyes, Senior Executive of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, said today, 'In 2008, the mission found particular strengths in CSN's policy, its regulatory framework and its regulatory activities. We made a number of suggestions and recommendations for further improvement of the regulatory framework. CSN should be commended for the significant amount of efforts in addressing all the findings identified in 2008 mission.' The review team found that CSN has made significant progress toward improving its regulatory activities. Most of the findings identified in the 2008 report have been effectively addressed and therefore can be considered closed. Additional findings are being addressed in accordance with a comprehensive and systematic action plan, in particular efforts to revise the CSN Statute. Complementing the CSN strengths identified during the 2008 mission, the 2011 IRRS team noted the following strengths: Improvements in regulatory

Reload safety analysis automation tools

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Havlůj, F.; Hejzlar, J.; Vočka, R.

2013-01-01

Performing core physics calculations for the sake of reload safety analysis is a very demanding and time consuming process. This process generally begins with the preparation of libraries for the core physics code using a lattice code. The next step involves creating a very large set of calculations with the core physics code. Lastly, the results of the calculations must be interpreted, correctly applying uncertainties and checking whether applicable limits are satisfied. Such a procedure requires three specialized experts. One must understand the lattice code in order to correctly calculate and interpret its results. The next expert must have a good understanding of the physics code in order to create libraries from the lattice code results and to correctly define all the calculations involved. The third expert must have a deep knowledge of the power plant and the reload safety analysis procedure in order to verify, that all the necessary calculations were performed. Such a procedure involves many steps and is very time consuming. At ÚJV Řež, a.s., we have developed a set of tools which can be used to automate and simplify the whole process of performing reload safety analysis. Our application QUADRIGA automates lattice code calculations for library preparation. It removes user interaction with the lattice code and reduces his task to defining fuel pin types, enrichments, assembly maps and operational parameters all through a very nice and user-friendly GUI. The second part in reload safety analysis calculations is done by CycleKit, a code which is linked with our core physics code ANDREA. Through CycleKit large sets of calculations with complicated interdependencies can be performed using simple and convenient notation. CycleKit automates the interaction with ANDREA, organizes all the calculations, collects the results, performs limit verification and displays the output in clickable html format. Using this set of tools for reload safety analysis simplifies

Selection and ranking of occupational safety indicators based on fuzzy AHP: A case study in road construction companies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Janackovic, Goran Lj.

2013-11-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the factors, performance, and indicators of occupational safety, as well as a method to select and rank occupational safety indicators based on the expert evaluation method and the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (fuzzy AHP. A case study is done on road construction companies in Serbia. The key safety performance indicators for the road construction industry are identified and ranked according to the results of a survey that included experts who assessed occupational safety risks in these companies. The case study confirmed that organisational factors have a dominant effect on the quality of the occupational health and safety management system in Serbian road construction companies.

The use of expert judgement in decision making

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2005-07-01

Expert judgment (EJ) techniques and protocols have been used in different areas for more than half a century. the Nuclear Energy Division of the Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique (CEA), via the Risk Control Domain of the Nuclear Development and Innovation Division and the Innovative Systems Studies Service, and the Institute for Energy of JRC (Petten), via the Nuclear Safety Unit, organized a 'workshop on the use of expert judgment in decision making'. The objectives of this workshop were to create an exchange forum about this topic and to gather a first state of the art, in order to identify the needs for R and D. This workshop brought together approximately 55 participants, from different industry sectors (energy, both nuclear and non-nuclear, food and communication among others) and from universities, research organizations and technical support organizations. The workshop was divided in one opening session, four thematic sessions plus a round table and a final general discussion session. The first session was dedicated to the elicitation of expertise and the combination of opinions given by different experts. The papers in this session had more theoretical contents than most of the papers in other session. The second session was dedicated to expert knowledge management. It consisted of four papers, two of them in the area of the food industry, one of them in the area of e-business and the last one in the area of human reliability assessment (HRA) and its impact on Probabilistic Safety Analysis (PSA) calculations. The third session was dedicated to industrial applications and consisted of four papers, all of them in the area of energy production. The last session was about the use of EJ in risk analysis and decision making processes. Four papers were included in this session, EJ has been applied for a very long time in very different fields, which has brought as a consequence a broad diversity of methodologies The workshop did also show the

The use of expert judgement in decision making

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2005-01-01

Expert judgment (EJ) techniques and protocols have been used in different areas for more than half a century. the Nuclear Energy Division of the Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique (CEA), via the Risk Control Domain of the Nuclear Development and Innovation Division and the Innovative Systems Studies Service, and the Institute for Energy of JRC (Petten), via the Nuclear Safety Unit, organized a 'workshop on the use of expert judgment in decision making'. The objectives of this workshop were to create an exchange forum about this topic and to gather a first state of the art, in order to identify the needs for R and D. This workshop brought together approximately 55 participants, from different industry sectors (energy, both nuclear and non-nuclear, food and communication among others) and from universities, research organizations and technical support organizations. The workshop was divided in one opening session, four thematic sessions plus a round table and a final general discussion session. The first session was dedicated to the elicitation of expertise and the combination of opinions given by different experts. The papers in this session had more theoretical contents than most of the papers in other session. The second session was dedicated to expert knowledge management. It consisted of four papers, two of them in the area of the food industry, one of them in the area of e-business and the last one in the area of human reliability assessment (HRA) and its impact on Probabilistic Safety Analysis (PSA) calculations. The third session was dedicated to industrial applications and consisted of four papers, all of them in the area of energy production. The last session was about the use of EJ in risk analysis and decision making processes. Four papers were included in this session, EJ has been applied for a very long time in very different fields, which has brought as a consequence a broad diversity of methodologies The workshop did also show the variety of techniques

The use of expert judgement in decision making

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2005-07-01

Expert judgment (EJ) techniques and protocols have been used in different areas for more than half a century. the Nuclear Energy Division of the Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique (CEA), via the Risk Control Domain of the Nuclear Development and Innovation Division and the Innovative Systems Studies Service, and the Institute for Energy of JRC (Petten), via the Nuclear Safety Unit, organized a 'workshop on the use of expert judgment in decision making'. The objectives of this workshop were to create an exchange forum about this topic and to gather a first state of the art, in order to identify the needs for R and D. This workshop brought together approximately 55 participants, from different industry sectors (energy, both nuclear and non-nuclear, food and communication among others) and from universities, research organizations and technical support organizations. The workshop was divided in one opening session, four thematic sessions plus a round table and a final general discussion session. The first session was dedicated to the elicitation of expertise and the combination of opinions given by different experts. The papers in this session had more theoretical contents than most of the papers in other session. The second session was dedicated to expert knowledge management. It consisted of four papers, two of them in the area of the food industry, one of them in the area of e-business and the last one in the area of human reliability assessment (HRA) and its impact on Probabilistic Safety Analysis (PSA) calculations. The third session was dedicated to industrial applications and consisted of four papers, all of them in the area of energy production. The last session was about the use of EJ in risk analysis and decision making processes. Four papers were included in this session, EJ has been applied for a very long time in very different fields, which has brought as a consequence a broad diversity of methodologies The workshop did also show the variety of techniques

Risk and reliability analyses (LURI) and expert judgement techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pyy, P.; Pulkkinen, U.

1998-01-01

Probabilistic safety analysis (PSA) is currently used as a regulatory licensing tool in risk informed and plant performance based regulation. More often also utility safety improvements are based on PSA calculations as one criterion. PSA attempts to comprehensively identify all important risk contributors, compare them with each other, assess the safety level and suggest improvements based on its findings. The strength of PSA is that it is capable to provide decision makers with numerical estimates of risks. This makes decision making easier than the comparison of purely qualitative results. PSA is the only comprehensive tool that compactly attempts to include all the important risk contributors in its scope. Despite the demonstrated strengths of PSA, there are some features that have reduced its uses. For example, the PSA scope has been limited to the power operation and process internal events (transients and LOCAs). Only lately, areas such as shutdown, external events and severe accidents have been included in PSA models in many countries. Problems related to modelling are, e.g., that rather static fault and event tree models are commonly used in PSA to model dynamic event sequences. Even if a valid model may be generated, there may not be any other data sources to be used than expert judgement. Furthermore, there are a variety of different techniques for human reliability assessment (HRA) giving varying results. In the project Reliability and Risk Analyses (LURI) these limitations and shortcomings have been studied. In the decision making area, case studies on the application of decision analysis and a doctoral thesis have been published. Further, practical aid has been given to utilities and regulatory decision making. Model uncertainty effect on PSA results has been demonstrated by two case studies. Human reliability has been studied both in the integrated safety analysis study and in the study of maintenance originated NPP component faults based on the

Nation, Districts Step up Safety

Science.gov (United States)

Shah, Nirvi

2013-01-01

President Barack Obama's announcement last week of a wide-ranging anti-violence plan in response to the Newtown, Connecticut, school shootings comes as many districts are adopting new and sometimes dramatic measures--including arming teachers and volunteers--intended to prevent similar tragedies in their own schools. School safety experts warn…

The role of the article 31 experts group in harmonising the standards for radiation protection in the European Union

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Govaerts, P.

2002-01-01

Article 2 of the Euratom (European Atomic Energy Community) treaty requires the establishment of uniform safety standards to be implemented by each member state: Article 2, b: In order to perform its task the community shall establish uniform safety standards to protect the health of workers and of the general public and ensure that they are applied. The scope of those standards is defined by Article 30 and relates to doses compatible with adequate safety; levels of exposure and contamination; the fundamental principles governing the health surveillance of workers. Article 31 stipulates the decision making process with respect to those standards. Article 31: The basic standards shall be worked out by the Commission after it has obtained the opinion of a group of persons appointed by the Scientific and Technical Committee from among scientific experts, and in particular public health experts, in the Member States. The Commission shall obtain the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee on these basic standards. After consulting the Assembly the Council shall, on a proposal from the Commission, which shall forward to it the opinions from these Committees, establish the basic safety standards; the Council shall act by a qualified majority

Overview of the activities of the OECD/NEA/NSC working party on nuclear criticality safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nouri, A.; Blomquist, R.; Bradyraap, M.; Briggs, B.; Cousinou, P.; Nomura, Y.; Weber, W.

2003-01-01

The OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) started dealing with criticality-safety related subjects back in the seventies. In the mid-nineties, several activities related to criticality-safety were grouped together into the Working Party on Nuclear Criticality Safety. This working party has since been operating and reporting to the Nuclear Science Committee. Six expert groups co-ordinate various activities ranging from experimental evaluations to code and data inter-comparisons for the study of static and transient criticality behaviours. The paper describes current activities performed in this framework and the achievements of the various expert groups. (author)

Preliminary statement concerning the expert opinion and other documents relating to the Wackersdorf fuel reprocessing plant, laid open between June 18 and July 15, 1985 by the Bavarian Ministry of State for Regional Development and Environmental Affairs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-01-01

The conclusion drawn in the statement is that the expert opinions and documents available do not justify the granting of a first partial licence for the erection of the fuel reprocessing plant. Such a first partial licence would include the site approval, the outline design approval, and part-construction permits, in this case for instance for the fuel element receiving store. The site approval would be a premature decision according to this statement, as some decisive expert opinions (on meteorological, hydrological, and radioecological site conditions) are not yet completed. The documents available for evaluation of the design concept are said to have been insufficient in many regards, so that all the authors can state at the present time is that 'there may be technically feasible solutions by now'. This is judged to be an insufficient basis for an outline design approval in accordance with the Atomic Energy Act. The reasons brought forward against licensing the fuel element receiving store are similar. For lack of appropriate documents, the authors of the statement found themselves unable to assess the safety of a major component, the fuel element storage tank. (orig./HSCH) [de

The European Nuclear Safety Training and Tutoring Institute

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2012-01-01

The European Nuclear Safety Training and Tutoring Institute, ENSTTI, is an initiative of European Technical Safety Organizations (TSO) in order to provide vocational training and tutoring in the methods and practices required to perform assessment in nuclear safety, nuclear security and radiation protection. ENSTTI calls on TSOs' expertise to maximize the transmission of safety and security knowledge, practical experience and culture. Training, tutoring and courses for specialists are achieved through practical lectures, working group and technical visits and lead to a certificate after knowledge testing. ENSTTI contributes to the harmonization of nuclear safety and security practices and to the networking of today and future nuclear safety experts in Europe and beyond. (A.C.)

International Experts' Meeting on Decommissioning and Remediation after a Nuclear Accident. Presentations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2013-01-01

Against the backdrop of the accident at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in March 2011, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) convened the IAEA Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Safety in Vienna, Austria, in June 2011. The Conference adopted a Ministerial Declaration which, inter alia, requested the Director General to prepare a draft Action Plan covering all the relevant aspects relating to nuclear safety, emergency preparedness and response, and radiation protection of people and the environment, as well as the relevant international legal framework. On 22 September 2011, the IAEA General Conference unanimously endorsed the draft IAEA Action Plan on Nuclear Safety approved by the Board of Governors. The Action Plan sets out a comprehensive programme of work, in 12 major areas, to strengthen nuclear safety worldwide. Under one of these areas, headed 'Enhance transparency and effectiveness of communication and improve dissemination of information', the IAEA Secretariat was requested to organize an International Experts' Meeting (IEM) on decommissioning, cleanup and remediation of nuclear facilities and contaminated lands after a nuclear accident. This IEM was organized in response to that request. The IEM focussed on the complex technical, societal, environmental and economic issues that need to be considered for decommissioning and remediation activities after a nuclear accident, specifically after the emergency exposure situation of an accident has been declared ended. The objective of the IEM is to assist Member States to prepare for and to be able to manage the consequences resulting from a nuclear accident. The meeting highlighted the specific short term and long term issues that may need to be addressed during decommissioning of facilities and remediation of the off-site environment affected by a nuclear accident. It is of interest to a wide range of experts, such as decision makers, regulators, operators

Augmented reality for improved safety

CERN Multimedia

Stefania Pandolfi

2016-01-01

Sometimes, CERN experts have to operate in low visibility conditions or in the presence of possible hazards. Minimising the duration of the operation and reducing the risk of errors is therefore crucial to ensuring the safety of personnel. The EDUSAFE project integrates different technologies to create a wearable personnel safety system based on augmented reality.    The EDUSAFE integrated safety system uses a camera mounted on the helmet to monitor the working area.  In its everyday operation of machines and facilities, CERN adopts a whole set of measures and safety equipment to ensure the safety of its personnel, including personal wearable safety devices and access control systems. However, sometimes, scheduled and emergency maintenance work needs to be done in zones with potential cryogenic hazards, in the presence of radioactive equipment or simply in demanding conditions where visibility is low and moving around is difficult. The EDUSAFE Marie Curie Innovative&...

The International Technical Safety Forum

CERN Multimedia

CERN Bulletin

2010-01-01

The International Technical Safety Forum is a meeting of safety experts from several physics labs in Europe and the US. Since 1998 participants have been meeting every couple of years to discuss common challenges in safety matters. The Forum helps them define best practices and learn from the important lessons learned by others.   The Forum's participants in front of building 40. This year, the meeting took place at CERN from 12 to 16 April. “This year's meeting covered subjects ranging from communication and training in matters of safety, to cryogenic safety, emergency preparedness and risk analysis”, explains Ralf Trant, head of the CERN Safety Commission and organiser of this year’s Forum. Radiation protection issues are not discussed at the meeting since they involve different expertise. The goal of the Forum is to allow participants to share experience, learn lessons and acquire specific knowledge in a very open way. Round-table discussions, dedicated time for ...

Expert Game experiment predicts emergence of trust in professional communication networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Bendtsen, Kristian Moss; Uekermann, Florian; Haerter, Jan O

2016-10-25

Strong social capital is increasingly recognized as an organizational advantage. Better knowledge sharing and reduced transaction costs increase work efficiency. To mimic the formation of the associated communication network, we propose the Expert Game, where each individual must find a specific expert and receive her help. Participants act in an impersonal environment and under time constraints that provide short-term incentives for noncooperative behavior. Despite these constraints, we observe cooperation between individuals and the self-organization of a sustained trust network, which facilitates efficient communication channels with increased information flow. We build a behavioral model that explains the experimental dynamics. Analysis of the model reveals an exploitation protection mechanism and measurable social capital, which quantitatively describe the economic utility of trust.

The 4th Missing Element of the ITO Systemic Approach to Safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smetnik, A.; Murlis, D.

2016-01-01

According to the IAEA Report the Fukushima Daiichi accident was a wake-up call for the nuclear community to recognise the complexity of safety and to respect the entire systems interaction of ITOs. The complexity of nuclear organizations is increasing, and different and more unique approaches are needed to ensure that safety is maintained. The Fukushima Daiichi accident was avoidable, according to the presentations of experts from Japan. Taking into account the ongoing interaction between all the individual, technical and organizational (ITO) factors reveals the complexity and non-linearity of the operations at a nuclear power plant. It is necessary to better examine how the weaknesses and strengths of all these factors influence one another and to facilitate the proactive elimination of risks. The International Experts Meeting (IEM) participants emphasised that an integrated approach to safety through consideration of the interaction of ITO systems is needed to complement the more traditional approach to safety. The concept of a systemic approach to safety represents a new way of thinking about safety for some Member States and even for some IAEA activities and services.

Organization and conduct of IAEA fire safety reviews at nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-01-01

The importance of fire safety in the safe and productive operation of nuclear power plants is recognized worldwide. Lessons learned from experience in nuclear power plants indicate that fire poses a real threat to nuclear safety and that its significance extends far beyond the scope of a conventional fire hazard. With a growing understanding of the close correlation between the fire hazard in nuclear power plants and nuclear safety, backfitting for fire safety has become necessary for a number of operating plants. However, it has been recognized that the expertise necessary for a systematic independent assessment of fire safety of a NPP may not always be available to a number of Member States. In order to assist in enhancing fire safety, the IAEA has already started to offer various services to Member States in the area of fire safety. At the request of a Member State, the IAEA may provide a team of experts to conduct fire safety reviews of varying scope to evaluate the adequacy of fire safety at a specific nuclear power plant during various phases such as construction, operation and decommissioning. The IAEA nuclear safety publications related to fire protection and fire safety form a common basis for these reviews. This report provides guidance for the experts involved in the organization and conduct of fire safety review services to ensure consistency and comprehensiveness of the reviews

Quality and safety in radiotherapy

CERN Document Server

Pawlicki, Todd

2010-01-01

The first text to focus solely on quality and safety in radiotherapy, this work encompasses not only traditional, more technically oriented, quality assurance activities, but also general approaches of quality and safety. It includes contributions from experts both inside and outside the field to present a global view. The task of assuring quality is no longer viewed solely as a technical, equipment-dependent endeavor. Instead, it is now recognized as depending on both the processes and the people delivering the service. Divided into seven broad categories, the text covers: Quality Management

A global nuclear safety culture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-01-01

The article discusses three components characterizing the infrastructure of a global nuclear safety culture, each one satisfying special needs. These are: (a) legally binding international agreements, which were drawn up at an accelerated pace in the 1980s following the Chernobyl accident, with its transboundary implications; (b) non-binding common safety standards, which were developed rapidly during the 1960s and 1970s, a period which saw a desire for harmonized safety approaches as nuclear power and the use of radiation and radioactive materials expanded globally; and (c) review and advisory services, which are provided by international experts, the need for which was underscored by the accident at Chernobyl. 5 refs, 1 fig

Interdisciplinary management of EGFR-inhibitor-induced skin reactions: a German expert opinion.

Science.gov (United States)

Potthoff, K; Hofheinz, R; Hassel, J C; Volkenandt, M; Lordick, F; Hartmann, J T; Karthaus, M; Riess, H; Lipp, H P; Hauschild, A; Trarbach, T; Wollenberg, A

2011-03-01

Anti-epidermal growth factor receptor treatment strategies, i.e. monoclonal antibodies such as cetuximab and panitumumab, or epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors, such as erlotinib and gefitinib, have expanded the treatment options for different tumor types. Dermatologic toxic effects are the most common side-effects of EGFR inhibitor therapy. They can profoundly affect the patient's quality of life. The aim of this study was to provide interdisciplinary expert recommendations on how to treat patients with skin reactions undergoing anti-EGFR treatment. An expert panel from Germany with expertise in medical oncology, dermatology or clinical pharmacology was convened to develop expert recommendations based on published peer-reviewed literature. The expert recommendations for the state-of-the-art treatment of skin reactions induced by EGFR inhibitor therapy include recommendations for diagnostics and grading as well as grade-specific and stage-adapted treatment approaches and preventive measures. It was concluded that EGFR-inhibitor-related dermatologic reactions should always be treated combining basic care of the skin and a specific therapy adapted to stage and grade of skin reaction. For grade 2 and above, specific treatment recommendations for early- and later-stage skin reactions induced by EGFR-inhibitor therapy were proposed. This paper presents a German national expert opinion for the treatment of skin reactions in patients receiving EGFR inhibitor therapy.

Expert judgment based multi-criteria decision model to address uncertainties in risk assessment of nanotechnology-enabled food products

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Flari, Villie; Chaudhry, Qasim; Neslo, Rabin; Cooke, Roger

2011-01-01

Currently, risk assessment of nanotechnology-enabled food products is considered difficult due to the large number of uncertainties involved. We developed an approach which could address some of the main uncertainties through the use of expert judgment. Our approach employs a multi-criteria decision model, based on probabilistic inversion that enables capturing experts’ preferences in regard to safety of nanotechnology-enabled food products, and identifying their opinions in regard to the significance of key criteria that are important in determining the safety of such products. An advantage of these sample-based techniques is that they provide out-of-sample validation and therefore a robust scientific basis. This validation in turn adds predictive power to the model developed. We achieved out-of-sample validation in two ways: (1) a portion of the expert preference data was excluded from the model’s fitting and was then predicted by the model fitted on the remaining rankings and (2) a (partially) different set of experts generated new scenarios, using the same criteria employed in the model, and ranked them; their ranks were compared with ranks predicted by the model. The degree of validation in each method was less than perfect but reasonably substantial. The validated model we applied captured and modelled experts’ preferences regarding safety of hypothetical nanotechnology-enabled food products. It appears therefore that such an approach can provide a promising route to explore further for assessing the risk of nanotechnology-enabled food products.

Raising the profile of worker safety: highlights of the 2013 North American Agricultural Safety Summit.

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, William J; Heiberger, Scott; Lee, Barbara C

2014-01-01

The 2013 North American Agricultural Safety Summit, an unprecedented gathering of industry leaders and safety experts, was held September 25-27 in Minneapolis, MN. Hosted by the industry-led Agricultural Safety and Health Council of America (ASHCA), there were 250 attendees, 82 speakers, 76 abstracts with poster presentations, along with "best practices" videos, genius bars sessions, learning stations, exhibits, breakfast roundtable topics, and receptions. The event was a mix of knowledge, inspiration and networking to enable participants to influence the adoption of safety practices in their home/work settings. Given the agriculture industry's commitment to feed nine billion people, the projected world population by 2050, it is imperative that producers and agribusiness strive to do it safely, humanely and sustainably. Evaluation feedback was very positive, indicating ASHCA's original objectives for the Summit were achieved.

Current level of training, experience and perceptions of emergency physicians as expert witnesses: a pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Cunningham, Nicola Y; Weiland, Tracey J

2009-12-01

The objective of the present study was to determine emergency physicians' training, experience and perceptions as expert witnesses. Emergency physicians of an adult tertiary referral and teaching hospital participated in a pilot survey regarding their experiences in report writing and in court as expert witnesses. The 28-item survey also examined the amount of formalized forensic medical teaching that emergency physicians had received during their training. Of the participants, 41% (95% CI 21.6-64.1; 7/17) had never received any undergraduate or postgraduate training in forensic medicine, 11/17 (65%, 95% CI 41.2-82.8) had provided a written expert opinion for court, and 12/17 (71%, 95% CI 46.6-87.0) had attended court as an expert witness. All participants considered themselves 'skilled in attending an emergency resuscitation', whereas 3/13 (23%, 95% CI 7.5-50.9) considered themselves 'skilled in attending a courtroom trial'. Nearly 90% (95% CI 64.7-98.0; 15/17) thought that medical evidence training should be a requirement of emergency speciality training. The most commonly preferred forms of medical evidence training were mock court sessions (76%, 95% CI 52.2-91.0; 13/17) and forensic workshops (76%, 95% CI 52.2-91.0; 13/17). From 10 non-technical skills required of an EP, 'appearing in court as an expert witness' was perceived to be the second most difficult skill by most respondents. Emergency physicians in this pilot study have limited training for the role of expert witness and see it as one of the most difficult non-technical skills they have to perform. Further research is required regarding the current and future scope of forensic training.

Intelligent data retrieval in the industry experience advisor expert system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Swisshelm, J.D.

1991-01-01

ABB Impell Corporation developed a prototype expert system called the Industry Experience Advisor for Florida Power and Light Company. This expert system assists plant engineers in evaluating design changes against previous nuclear industry experience. Previous experience is in the form of root causes or lessons learned of past events. The root-cause statements were developed from an engineering review of important event documents [US Nuclear Regulatory Commission information notices (INs) and information bulletins (IBs) and the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations safety evaluation reports and significant operating experience reports]. This paper describes the project that is currently expanding the prototype into a production system for use at a nuclear plant site. The Industry Experience Advisor should be ready for production release by the end of 1991. It will include knowledge of important events through 1990. In 1992 and in each following year, an update will be released adding the previous year's events

Dimensions of Safety Climate among Iranian Nurses.

Science.gov (United States)

Konjin, Z Naghavi; Shokoohi, Y; Zarei, F; Rahimzadeh, M; Sarsangi, V

2015-10-01

Workplace safety has been a concern of workers and managers for decades. Measuring safety climate is crucial in improving safety performance. It is also a method of benchmarking safety perception. To develop and validate a psychometrics scale for measuring nurses' safety climate. Literature review, subject matter experts and nurse's judgment were used in items developing. Content validity and reliability for new tool were tested by content validity index (CVI) and test-retest analysis, respectively. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) with varimax rotation was used to improve the interpretation of latent factors. A 40-item scale in 6 factors was developed, which could explain 55% of the observed variance. The 6 factors included employees' involvement in safety and management support, compliance with safety rules, safety training and accessibility to personal protective equipment, hindrance to safe work, safety communication and job pressure, and individual risk perception. The proposed scale can be used in identifying the needed areas to implement interventions in safety climate of nurses.

Delegating Decisions to Experts

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Hao; Suen, Wing

2004-01-01

We present a model of delegation with self-interested and privately informed experts. A team of experts with extreme but opposite biases is acceptable to a wide range of decision makers with diverse preferences, but the value of expertise from such a team is low. A decision maker wants to appoint experts who are less partisan than he is in order…

Innovative safety ideas for fusion experimental machines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brereton, S.J.; Gouge, M.; Piet, S.J.; Merrill, B.J.; Holland, D.F.; Sze, D.K.

1990-01-01

Throughout the early stages of design of fusion experimental devices, such as ITER, safety experts have worked with designers to incorporate safety features into the design. Recent efforts have focused on passive safety features. Although designs of near-term fusion machines may appear consistent with expected regulatory requirements, the safety characteristics can potentially be more attractive. Here, a variety of suggestions that appear promising in terms of improving safety are given. These include new concepts, innovative technologies, further support of past concepts, and possible modification to operating scenarios. Some technical discussion on the feasibility of the proposals is provided. The ideas are generally conceptual at this stage and require further assessment and development work. However, each has the potential for enhancing the safety of experimental devices. 33 refs., 6 figs., 9 tabs

Definitions, competence and training of Radiation Protection Experts, Radiation Protection Officers and radiation workers: Italian national view

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luciani, A.; Cucchi, G.

2008-01-01

The qualified expert is a well established professional role, presently defined in its duties and responsibilities according to the European Directive 96/29, even if a first definition of his main duties and responsibilities was already given in the Italian law in the first Sixties. According to the most recent law disposal, the qualified expert has a university education level and has received an appropriate training, varying from 120 to 360 work days, in a centre (industries, research centers, hospitals, etc.) with use of ionizing radiations and under the tutor ship of the local qualified expert. The qualification is recognized after passed an exam before special commission of the Ministry of Labour. There are 3 levels of expertise for the qualified expert, related to the level of complexity of the ionizing radiation source

Safety requirements expected to the prototype fast breeder reactor 'Monju'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2014-11-01

In July 2013, Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) has enforced new regulatory requirements in consideration of severe accidents for the commercial light water reactors (LWR) and also prototype power generation reactors such as the sodium-cooled fast reactors (SFR) of 'Monju' based on TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident (hereinafter referred to as '1F accident') occurred in March 2011. Although the regulatory requirements for SFR will be revised by NRA with consideration for public comments, Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) set up 'Advisory Committee on Monju Safety Requirements' consisting of fast breeder reactor (FBR) and safety assessment experts in order to establish original safety requirements expected to the prototype FBR 'Monju' considering severe accidents with knowledge from JAEA as well as scientific and technical insights from the experts. This report summarizes the safety requirements expected to Monju discussed by the committee. (author)

Survival, durable tumor remission, and long-term safety in patients with advanced melanoma receiving nivolumab.

Science.gov (United States)

Topalian, Suzanne L; Sznol, Mario; McDermott, David F; Kluger, Harriet M; Carvajal, Richard D; Sharfman, William H; Brahmer, Julie R; Lawrence, Donald P; Atkins, Michael B; Powderly, John D; Leming, Philip D; Lipson, Evan J; Puzanov, Igor; Smith, David C; Taube, Janis M; Wigginton, Jon M; Kollia, Georgia D; Gupta, Ashok; Pardoll, Drew M; Sosman, Jeffrey A; Hodi, F Stephen

2014-04-01

Programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) is an inhibitory receptor expressed by activated T cells that downmodulates effector functions and limits the generation of immune memory. PD-1 blockade can mediate tumor regression in a substantial proportion of patients with melanoma, but it is not known whether this is associated with extended survival or maintenance of response after treatment is discontinued. Patients with advanced melanoma (N = 107) enrolled between 2008 and 2012 received intravenous nivolumab in an outpatient setting every 2 weeks for up to 96 weeks and were observed for overall survival, long-term safety, and response duration after treatment discontinuation. Median overall survival in nivolumab-treated patients (62% with two to five prior systemic therapies) was 16.8 months, and 1- and 2-year survival rates were 62% and 43%, respectively. Among 33 patients with objective tumor regressions (31%), the Kaplan-Meier estimated median response duration was 2 years. Seventeen patients discontinued therapy for reasons other than disease progression, and 12 (71%) of 17 maintained responses off-therapy for at least 16 weeks (range, 16 to 56+ weeks). Objective response and toxicity rates were similar to those reported previously; in an extended analysis of all 306 patients treated on this trial (including those with other cancer types), exposure-adjusted toxicity rates were not cumulative. Overall survival following nivolumab treatment in patients with advanced treatment-refractory melanoma compares favorably with that in literature studies of similar patient populations. Responses were durable and persisted after drug discontinuation. Long-term safety was acceptable. Ongoing randomized clinical trials will further assess the impact of nivolumab therapy on overall survival in patients with metastatic melanoma.

Application of expert systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Basden, A

1983-11-01

This article seeks to bring together a number of issues relevant to the application of expert systems by discussing their advantages and limitations, their roles and benefits, and the influence that real-life applications might have on the design of expert systems software. Part of the expert systems strategy of one major chemical company is outlined. Because it was in constructing one particular expert system that many of these issues became important this system is described briefly at the start of the paper and used to illustrate much of the later discussion. It is of the plausible-inference type and has application in the field of materials engineering. 22 references.

An intelligent hybrid system for surface coal mine safety analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lilic, N.; Obradovic, I.; Cvjetic, A. [University of Belgrade, Belgrade (Serbia)

2010-06-15

Analysis of safety in surface coal mines represents a very complex process. Published studies on mine safety analysis are usually based on research related to accidents statistics and hazard identification with risk assessment within the mining industry. Discussion in this paper is focused on the application of AI methods in the analysis of safety in mining environment. Complexity of the subject matter requires a high level of expert knowledge and great experience. The solution was found in the creation of a hybrid system PROTECTOR, whose knowledge base represents a formalization of the expert knowledge in the mine safety field. The main goal of the system is the estimation of mining environment as one of the significant components of general safety state in a mine. This global goal is subdivided into a hierarchical structure of subgoals where each subgoal can be viewed as the estimation of a set of parameters (gas, dust, climate, noise, vibration, illumination, geotechnical hazard) which determine the general mine safety state and category of hazard in mining environment. Both the hybrid nature of the system and the possibilities it offers are illustrated through a case study using field data related to an existing Serbian surface coal mine.

Counselor Expert System | Debretsion | Zede Journal

African Journals Online (AJOL)

An expert system plays an important role on alleviating primarily shortage of experts in a specific area of interest. With the help of an expert system, personnel with little expertise can solve problems that require expert knowledge. In this paper all major aspects of an expert system development have been presented.

An International Peer Review of the Safety Options Dossier of the Project for Disposal of Radioactive Waste in Deep Geological Formations (Cigéo). Final Report of the IAEA International Review Team November 2016

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2017-07-01

The French Nuclear Safety Authority (Autorité de sûreté nucléaire, ASN) is preparing the evaluation of a licence application for the creation of a deep geological disposal facility in 2018, called Cigéo, for intermediate level, high level and long lived radioactive waste. This licence is preceded by the submission of a Safety Options Dossier to ASN, which provides the French National Radioactive Waste Management Agency (Agence nationale pour la gestion des déchets radioactifs, Andra) the possibility to receive advice from ASN on the preparation of the licence application on the safety principles and approach. The Safety Options Dossier sets out the chosen objectives, concepts and principles for ensuring the safety of the facility. ASN requested the IAEA to organize an international peer review of the Safety Options Dossier. This publication presents the consensus view of the international group of experts convened by the IAEA to conduct the review against the relevant IAEA safety standards and proven international practice and experience. The experts acted in a personal capacity and the views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the IAEA, the governments of the nominating Member States or the nominating organizations. The basis of this peer review is the set of documents provided by Andra, as the agency responsible for the development of the Cigéo project and for its safety. Consequently, the findings of the reviews are addressed directly to Andra. This publication, however, is primarily submitted to ASN to review the outcomes of the Andra project.

BARC safety framework

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jayarajan, K.; Taly, Y.K.

2017-01-01

BARC has a large number facilities and a large number of employees. It has a variety of activities, carried out in different parts of India. All activities related nuclear fuel cycle are carried out in BARC. In addition, BARC has many non-nuclear facilities and projects. Therefore, regulation of BARC facilities is a challenging task. BSC was constituted in the year 2000 to address the challenges of regulating safety of the projects, plants and facilities of BARC. It has a comprehensive regulatory framework, which makes use of the expertise of more than one thousand experts of BARC for safety and regulatory activities. BSC has completed hundred meetings and issued regulatory consents to many projects, facilities and activities. During the last 17 years, BSC has constituted 44 committees in three tiers, which had conducted more than 2000 meetings to support safety and regulatory activities of BSC

Expert system for the reliability assessment of hydro-carbon transporting pipelines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lukacs, J.; Nagy, G.; Toeroek, I. [Department of Mechanical Technology, University of Miskolc, Miskolc-Egyetemvaros (Hungary)

1998-12-31

Safety operation, condition monitoring, periodical inspection and rehabilitation of high-pressure hydro-carbon transporting pipelines are a complex problem. To answer arising questions is inconceivable without technical-critical evaluation of defects - originated during manufacturing or operation - can be found on the pipeline. This evaluation must be in line with requirements of our age, i.e. it has to assert such concept of which basis is not the `possible worst` but the `just happening wrong`. Solving these problems without application of computer resources is inconceivable in our time. The final purpose of the solution is the expert system and among the components of the expert system primarily the development of the knowledge base is needed. The paper demonstrates a possible structure of the knowledge base, furthermore its fundamental elements and their contents (defect types, evaluation possibilities of defects, categorisation of pipelines) and summaries the prospective advantages of its application. (orig.) 27 refs.

Expert Panel Elicitation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jensen, M. [Swedish Radiation Protection Authority, Stockholm (Sweden). Dept. of Waste Management and Environmental Protection; Hora, S.C. [Univ. of Hawaii, Hilo, HI (United States)

2005-09-15

Scientists are now frequently in a situation where data cannot be easily assessed, since they may have conflicting or uncertain sources. While expert judgment reflects private choices, it is possible both reduce the personal aspect as well as in crease confidence in the judgments by using formal protocols for choice and elicitation of experts. A full-scale elicitation made on seismicity following glaciation, now in its late phase and presented here in a preliminary form, illustrates the value of the technique and some essential issues in connection with the decision to launch such a project. The results show an unusual low variation between the experts.

Ensuring the quality of occupational safety risk assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Pinto, Abel; Ribeiro, Rita A; Nunes, Isabel L

2013-03-01

In work environments, the main aim of occupational safety risk assessment (OSRA) is to improve the safety level of an installation or site by either preventing accidents and injuries or minimizing their consequences. To this end, it is of paramount importance to identify all sources of hazards and assess their potential to cause problems in the respective context. If the OSRA process is inadequate and/or not applied effectively, it results in an ineffective safety prevention program and inefficient use of resources. An appropriate OSRA is an essential component of the occupational safety risk management process in industries. In this article, we performed a survey to elicit the relative importance for identified OSRA tasks to enable an in-depth evaluation of the quality of risk assessments related to occupational safety aspects on industrial sites. The survey involved defining a questionnaire with the most important elements (tasks) for OSRA quality assessment, which was then presented to safety experts in the mining, electrical power production, transportation, and petrochemical industries. With this work, we expect to contribute to the main question of OSRA in industries: "What constitutes a good occupational safety risk assessment?" The results obtained from the questionnaire showed that experts agree with the proposed OSRA process decomposition in steps and tasks (taxonomy) and also with the importance of assigning weights to obtain knowledge about OSRA task relevance. The knowledge gained will enable us, in the near future, to build a framework to evaluate OSRA quality for industrial sites. © 2012 Society for Risk Analysis.

Nuclear power and safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chidambaram, R.

1992-01-01

Some aspects of safety of nuclear power with special reference to Indian nuclear power programme are discussed. India must develop technology to protect herself from the adverse economic impact arising out of the restrictive regime which is being created through globalization of safety and environmental issues. Though the studies done and experience gained so far have shown that the PHWR system adopted by India has a number of superior safety features, research work is needed in the field of operation and maintenance of reactors and also in the field of reactor life extension through delaying of ageing effects. Public relations work must be pursued to convince the public at large of the safety of nuclear power programme. The new reactor designs in the second stage of evolution are based on either further improvement of existing well-proven designs or adoptions of more innovative ideas based on physical principles to ensure a higher level of safety. The development of Indian nuclear power programme is characterised by a balanced approach in the matter of assuring safety. Safety enforcement is not just looked upon as a pure administrative matter, but experts with independent minds are also involved in safety related matters. (M.G.B.)

Specification of an Expert system for the control of extraction units in reprocessing plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jorda, A.; Charon, E.; Coppens, P.; Romet, J.L.

1986-01-01

Industrial operation of extraction units in reprocessing plants is very complex because the great number of chemical and hydraulic parameters to take into account. This complexity associated to the impossibility to see inside the active enclosures make difficult the operation processes, diagnosis and corrections. Management of parameters by an expert system will increase productivity and safety of solvent extraction in pulsed columns [fr

The safety of the nuclear fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-01-01

The nuclear fuel cycle covers the procurement and preparation of fuel for nuclear power reactors, its recovery and recycling after use and the safe storage of all wastes generated through these operations. The facilities associated with these activities have an extensive and well documented safety record accumulated over the past 40 years by technical experts and safety authorities. This report constitutes an up-to-date analysis of the safety of the nuclear fuel cycle, based on the available experience in OECD countries. It addresses the technical aspects of fuel cycle operations, provides information on operating practices and looks ahead to future activities

Regulatory role and approach of BARC Safety Council in safety and occupational health in BARC facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rajdeep; Jayarajan, K.; Taly, Y.K.

2016-01-01

Bhabha Atomic Research Centre is involved in multidisciplinary research and developmental activities, related to peaceful use of nuclear energy and its societal benefits. In order to achieve high level of performance of these facilities, the best efforts are made to maintain good health of the plant personnel and good working conditions. BARC Safety Council (BSC), which is the regulatory body for BARC facilities, regulates radiation safety, industrial safety and surveillance of occupational health, by implementing various rules and guidelines in BARC facilities. BARC Safety framework consists of various committees in a 3-tier system. The first tier is BSC, which is the apex body authorized for issuing directives, permissions, consents and authorizations. It is having responsibility of ensuring protection and safety of public, environment, personnel and facilities of BARC through enforcement of radiation protection and industrial safety programmes. Besides the 18 committees in 2"n"d tier, there are 6 other expert committees which assist in functioning of BSC. (author)

Basic safety standards for radiation protection. 1982 ed

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1982-01-01

The International Atomic Energy Agency, the World Health Organization, the International Labour Organisation and the Nuclear Energy Agency of the OECD have undertaken to provide jointly a world-wide basis for harmonized and up-to-date radiation protection standards. The new Basic Safety Standards for Radiation Protection are based upon the latest recommendations by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) which are essentially contained in its Publication No.26. These new Basic Safety Standards have been elaborated by an Advisory Group of Experts which met in Vienna from 10-14 October 1977, from 23-27 October 1978 and from 1-12 December 1980 under the joint auspices of the IAEA, ILO, WHO and the Nuclear Energy Agency of the OECD. Comments on the draft Basic Safety Standards received from Member States and relevant organizations were taken into account by the Advisory Group in the process of preparation of the revised Basic Safety Standards for Radiation Protection, which are published by the IAEA on behalf of the four sponsoring organizations. One of the main features of this revision is an increased emphasis on the recommendation to keep all exposures to ionizing radiation as low as reasonably achievable, economic and social factors being taken into account; consequently, radiation protection should not only apply the basic dose limits but also comply with this recommendation. Detailed guidance is given to assist those who have to decide on the implementation of this recommendation in particular cases. Another important feature is the recommendation of a more coherent method for achieving consistency in limiting risks to health, irrespective of whether the risk is of uniform or non-uniform exposure of the body.

Krsko NPP Periodic Safety Review program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Basic, I.; Spiler, J.; Novsak, M.

2001-01-01

The need for conducting a Periodic Safety Review for the Krsko NPP has been clearly recognized both by the NEK and the regulator (SNSA). The PSR would be highly desirable both in the light of current trends in safety oversight practices and because of many benefits it is capable to provide. On January 11, 2001 the SNSA issued a decision requesting the Krsko NPP to prepare a program and determine a schedule for the implementation of the program for 'Periodic Safety Review of NPP Krsko'. The program, which is required to be in accordance with the IAEA safety philosophy and with the EU practice, was submitted for the approval to the SNSA by the end of March 2001. The paper summarizes Krsko NPP Periodic Safety Review Program [1] including implemented SNSA and IAEA Expert Mission comments.(author)

International Expert Review of Sr-Can: Safety Assessment Methodology - External review contribution in support of SSI's and SKI's review of SR-Can

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sagar, Budhi; Egan, Michael; Roehlig, Klaus-Juergen; Chapman, Neil; Wilmot, Roger

2008-03-01

In 2006, SKB published a safety assessment (SR-Can) as part of its work to support a licence application for the construction of a final repository for spent nuclear fuel. The purposes of the SR-Can project were stated in the main project report to be: 1. To make a first assessment of the safety of potential KBS-3 repositories at Forsmark and Laxemar to dispose of canisters as specified in the application for the encapsulation plant. 2. To provide feedback to design development, to SKB's research and development (R and D) programme, to further site investigations and to future safety assessments. 3. To foster a dialogue with the authorities that oversee SKB's activities, i.e. the Swedish Nuclear Power Inspectorate, SKI, and the Swedish Radiation Protection Authority, SSI, regarding interpretation of applicable regulations, as a preparation for the SR-Site project. To help inform their review of SKB's proposed approach to development of the longterm safety case, the authorities appointed three international expert review teams to carry out a review of SKB's SR-Can safety assessment report. Comments from one of these teams - the Safety Assessment Methodology (SAM) review team - are presented in this document. The SAM review team's scope of work included an examination of SKB's documentation of the assessment ('Long-term safety for KBS-3 Repositories at Forsmark and Laxemar - a first evaluation' and several supporting reports) and hearings with SKB staff and contractors, held in March 2007. As directed by SKI and SSI, the SAM review team focused on methodological aspects and sought to determine whether SKB's proposed safety assessment methodology is likely to be suitable for use in the future SR-Site and to assess its consistency with the Swedish regulatory framework. No specific evaluation of long-term safety or site acceptability was undertaken by any of the review teams. SKI and SSI's Terms of Reference for the SAM review team requested that consideration be given

Experts' consensus on use of electronic cigarettes: a Delphi survey from Switzerland.

Science.gov (United States)

Blaser, Jeremie; Cornuz, Jacques

2015-04-15

In some countries, nicotine-containing electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are considered a consumer product without specific regulations. In others (eg, Switzerland), the sale of e-cigarettes containing nicotine is forbidden, despite the eagerness of many smokers to obtain them. As scientific data about efficacy and long-term safety of these products are scarce, tobacco control experts are divided on how to regulate them. In order to gain consensus among experts to provide recommendations to health authorities, we performed a national consensus study. We used a Delphi method with electronic questionnaires to bring together the opinion of Swiss experts on e-cigarettes. 40 Swiss experts from across the country. We measured the degree of consensus between experts on recommendations regarding regulation, sale, use of and general opinion about e-cigarettes containing nicotine. New recommendations and statements were added following the experts' answers and comments. There was consensus that e-cigarettes containing nicotine should be made available, but only under specific conditions. Sale should be restricted to adults, using quality standards, a maximum level of nicotine and with an accompanying list of authorised ingredients. Advertisement should be restricted and use in public places should be forbidden. These recommendations encompass three principles: (1) the reality principle, as the product is already on the market; (2) the prevention principle, as e-cigarettes provide an alternative to tobacco for actual smokers, and (3) the precautionary principle, to protect minors and non-smokers, since long-term effects are not yet known. Swiss authorities should design specific regulations to sell nicotine-containing e-cigarettes. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Safety-critical Java on a Java processor

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schoeberl, Martin; Rios Rivas, Juan Ricardo

2012-01-01

The safety-critical Java (SCJ) specification is developed within the Java Community Process under specification request number JSR 302. The specification is available as public draft, but details are still discussed by the expert group. In this stage of the specification we need prototype...... implementations of SCJ and first test applications that are written with SCJ, even when the specification is not finalized. The feedback from those prototype implementations is needed for final decisions. To help the SCJ expert group, a prototype implementation of SCJ on top of the Java optimized processor...

Sleep-spindle detection: crowdsourcing and evaluating performance of experts, non-experts and automated methods

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Warby, Simon C.; Wendt, Sabrina Lyngbye; Welinder, Peter

2014-01-01

to crowdsource spindle identification by human experts and non-experts, and we compared their performance with that of automated detection algorithms in data from middle- to older-aged subjects from the general population. We also refined methods for forming group consensus and evaluating the performance...... of event detectors in physiological data such as electroencephalographic recordings from polysomnography. Compared to the expert group consensus gold standard, the highest performance was by individual experts and the non-expert group consensus, followed by automated spindle detectors. This analysis showed...... that crowdsourcing the scoring of sleep data is an efficient method to collect large data sets, even for difficult tasks such as spindle identification. Further refinements to spindle detection algorithms are needed for middle- to older-aged subjects....

Activities of the PNC Nuclear Safety Working Group

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kato, W.Y.

1991-01-01

The Nuclear Safety Working Group of the Pacific Nuclear Council promotes nuclear safety cooperation among its members. Status of safety research, emergency planning, development of lists of technical experts, severe accident prevention and mitigation have been the topics of discussion in the NSWG. This paper reviews and compares the severe accident prevention and mitigation program activities in some of the areas of the Pacific Basin region based on papers presented at a special session organized by the NSWG at an ANS Topical Meeting as well as papers from other sources

Construction safety and waste management an economic analysis

CERN Document Server

Li, Rita Yi Man

2015-01-01

This monograph presents an analysis of construction safety problems and on-site safety measures from an economist’s point of view. The book includes examples from both emerging countries, e.g. China and India, and developed countries, e.g. Australia and Hong Kong. Moreover, the author covers an analysis on construction safety knowledge sharing by means of updatable mobile technology such as apps in Androids and iOS platform mobile devices. The target audience comprises primarily researchers and experts in the field but the book may also be beneficial for graduate students.

Seventh ITER technical meeting on safety and environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raeder, J.; Gordon, C.

2000-01-01

From February 15 to 18, 2000, the Seventy Technical Meeting on Safety and Environment was held at the Garching Joint Work Site which now hosts the Safety, Environment and Health Group of the ITER Joint Central Team. At this meeting, safety experts from the Home Teams worked with the SEHG members on reviews and agreements on the contents of GSSR and on the tasks and the schedule for the production of GSSR as well as the design information to be used and for the analyses to be done

Safety Information System Guide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bullock, M.G.

1977-03-01

This Guide provides guidelines for the design and evaluation of a working safety information system. For the relatively few safety professionals who have already adopted computer-based programs, this Guide may aid them in the evaluation of their present system. To those who intend to develop an information system, it will, hopefully, inspire new thinking and encourage steps towards systems safety management. For the line manager who is working where the action is, this Guide may provide insight on the importance of accident facts as a tool for moving ideas up the communication ladder where they will be heard and acted upon; where what he has to say will influence beneficial changes among those who plan and control his operations. In the design of a safety information system, it is suggested that the safety manager make friends with a computer expert or someone on the management team who has some feeling for, and understanding of, the art of information storage and retrieval as a new and better means for communication

Promoting environmental sustainability via an expert elicitation process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Swor, Tom; Canter, Larry

2011-01-01

Environmental sustainability (ES) planning was applied to the 981-mile, commercially navigable Ohio River. Navigation improvement needs were identified within the broad study along with actions to restore aquatic and riparian ecological resources to a higher state of sustainability. The actions were identified via an Expert Elicitation Process (EEP) involving aquatic and riparian/terrestrial experts knowledgeable of Ohio River resources. The received information was synthesized into goals for the selected resources (Valued Ecosystem Components - or VECs), actions or measures to attain the goals, and monitoring to evaluate conditions. Finally, 26 types of ES actions were identified and classified into three ES alternatives. These alternatives were then evaluated relative to key decision criteria, and such evaluations, based on pertinent decision criteria, were also conducted for four navigation improvement alternatives. Finally, the best combination of ES and navigation alternatives was identified. The key lessons derived from this use of EEP were that: (1) EEP can support the preliminary identification of ES measures; however, more detailed study of specific designs and cost evaluations will be necessary; (2) the method promotes collaboration between key scientists and policymakers from governmental agencies and private sectors, and such collaboration will ultimately provide the foundation for implementation of sustainability actions; and (3) an effective EEP does not occur by accident, it requires careful planning, implementation, and documentation. - Research Highlights: → Use of an Expert Elicitation Process (EEP) is demonstrated in this study. → EEP was used to identify Environmental Sustainability (ES) needs for the Ohio River. → EEP helped develop consensus among resource experts on ES needs. → EEP promotes collaboration to identify and contribute to common resource goals. → EEP may be used in assessing cumulative effects and formulating restoration

Surgical experts: born or made?

Science.gov (United States)

Sadideen, Hazim; Alvand, Abtin; Saadeddin, Munir; Kneebone, Roger

2013-01-01

The concept of surgical expertise and the processes involved in its development are topical, and there is a constant drive to identify reliable measures of expert performance in surgery. This review explores the notion of whether surgical experts are "born" or "made", with reference to educational theory and pertinent literature. Peer-reviewed publications, books, and online resources on surgical education, expertise and training were reviewed. Important themes and aspects of expertise acquisition were identified in order to better understand the concept of a surgical expert. The definition of surgical expertise and several important aspects of its development are highlighted. Innate talent plays an important role, but is insufficient on its own to produce a surgical expert. Multiple theories that explore motor skill acquisition and memory are relevant, and Ericsson's theory of the development of competence followed by deliberate self-practice has been especially influential. Psychomotor and non-technical skills are necessary for progression in the current climate in light of our training curricula; surgical experts are adaptive experts who excel in these. The literature suggests that surgical expertise is reached through practice; surgical experts are made, not born. A deeper understanding of the nature of expert performance and its development will ensure that surgical education training programmes are of the highest possible quality. Surgical educators should aim to develop an expertise-based approach, with expert performance as the benchmark. Copyright © 2013 Surgical Associates Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Law for nuclear experts only

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wagner, H [Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe G.m.b.H. (Germany, F.R.)

1980-02-01

The Federal Ministry of the Interior is preparing an ordinance on expert consultants under the Atomic Energy Act which, among other topics, is to include legal norms for the criteria to be met by experts in terms of non-partisanship, training, capabilities, technical equipment and cooperation in expert organizations of members of various scientific and technical disciplines. A summary of general criteria relating to the qualification, selection and status of experts called in by the legislative and executive branches and by courts of law, which could be organized as a series of guidelines without any original qualities of legal norms, could be recommended in view of the increasing quantitative and qualitative importance of experts. However, passing an ordinance merely fixing and putting into concrete terms the image of an 'expert under the Atomic Energy Act' is intolerable, because the status of scientific and technical experts by far extends beyond the field of nuclear law in our industrial society characterized by a far reaching division of labor. Weak points in the organization of expert services are not confined to technology or nuclear power. Separate rules establishing legal norms are not convincing also for reasons of technology policy and legal policy as well as for those of social psychology and practice.

Expert Systems for the Analytical Laboratory.

Science.gov (United States)

de Monchy, Allan R.; And Others

1988-01-01

Discusses two computer problem solving programs: rule-based expert systems and decision analysis expert systems. Explores the application of expert systems to automated chemical analyses. Presents six factors to consider before using expert systems. (MVL)

Test and Evaluation for Enhanced Security: A Quantitative Method to Incorporate Expert Knowledge into Test Planning Decisions.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rizzo, Davinia [Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Blackburn, Mark [Stevens Inst. of Technology, Hoboken, NJ (United States)

2017-03-01

Complex systems are comprised of technical, social, political and environmental factors as well as the programmatic factors of cost, schedule and risk. Testing these systems for enhanced security requires expert knowledge in many different fields. It is important to test these systems to ensure effectiveness, but testing is limited to due cost, schedule, safety, feasibility and a myriad of other reasons. Without an effective decision framework for Test and Evaluation (T&E) planning that can take into consideration technical as well as programmatic factors and leverage expert knowledge, security in complex systems may not be assessed effectively. Therefore, this paper covers the identification of the current T&E planning problem and an approach to include the full variety of factors and leverage expert knowledge in T&E planning through the use of Bayesian Networks (BN).

FLIGHT EXPERT RISK ASSESSMENT OF AIRCRAFT GROUP AT THEIR PROXIMITY USING A PROGRAM-MANAGER

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. A. Mikhaylin

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The paper presents an approach to solving the problem of aircraft flight safety. External threats in the form of aircraft-offenders are considered. The algorithm of collision danger coefficients with aircraft-offenders is presented, оn the basis of which the side-program manager of flight safety monitoring is formed.Two danger coefficients in the horizontal and vertical planes are introduced. Based on various flight situations four possible decisions are offered: absence of any aircraft activity, flight level change, deviation in the horizontal plane and both in vertical and horizontal planes. For each case the formulas of double evaluation are received. They take into account different parameters of aircraft relative motion. Based on these estimates it is possible to build a final expert evaluation for the considered flight situations. It is implemented in the onboard program-manager. The structure of the program is presented. At the program-manager output the expected minimized risk evaluation and the selected alternative of the avoidance of aircraft from the meeting point are formed. The paper presents a detailed description of the procedures to test the performance of the program-manager algorithms. The initial conditions for different flight situations are provided. The simulation results of the algorithm are given. The danger coefficients comparison when performing maneuvers to prevent dangerous approach and in their absence is illustrated. It is shown that the maneuver implementation recommended by program-manager algorithms decreases the resulting danger coefficient. Particular attention was paid to aircraft landing, especially if the landing area had several conflicting aircraft.

Evaluation of the Community's nuclear reactor safety research programme

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brandstetter, A.; Goedkoop, J.A.; Jaumotte, A.; Malhouitre, G.; Tomkins, B.; Zorzoli, G.B.

1986-01-01

This report describes an evaluation of the 1980-85 CEC reactor safety programme prepared, at the invitation of the Commission, by a panel of six independent experts by means of examining the relevant document and by holding hearings with the responsible CEC staff. It contains the recommendations made by the panel on the following topics: the need for the JRC to continue to make its competence in the reactor safety field available to the Community; the importance of continuity in the JRC and shared-cost action programmes; the difficulty of developing reactor safety research programmes which satisfy the needs of users with diverse needs; the monitoring of the utilization of the research results; the maintenance of the JRC computer codes used by the Member States; the spin-off from research results being made available to other industrial sectors; the continued contact between the JRC researchers and the national experts; the coordination of LWR safety research with that of the Member States; and, the JRC work on fast breeders to be planned with regard to the R and D programmes of the Fast Reactor European Consortium

Comparison of Japanese and Chinese Clothing Evaluations by Experts Taking into Account Marketability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kim KyoungOk

2015-03-01

Full Text Available To better understand the reasons for the marketability of clothing now designed and sold in China and Japan, we asked Japanese and Chinese experts to evaluate Chinese and Japanese brands of clothing currently for sale in the Japanese market. The marketability of the Chinese apparel items in the Japanese market was evaluated by the Japanese experts. Five Japanese jackets were purchased from a department store in Tokyo, and ten items of Chinese clothing were purchased from a department store in Beijing. Five of the Chinese clothing samples were judged as impossible to sell in Japanese department stores primarily because the sewing quality was incompatible with Japanese requirements, the designs were outdated, and the materials were of low quality. However, the other five Chinese clothing samples received high evaluations of marketability in Japan. We found that Japanese experts focused on general design and sewing finish, while Chinese experts considered more general design points. Thus, our results indicate that clothing is evaluated differently in Japan and China. We conclude that it is necessary to consider the respective evaluation points used in each country as we pursue globalisation.

Experts disconnected by media and politicians. Accurate and trustworthy information by experts - an urgent mission

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ehdwall, Hans; Rising, Agneta

1999-01-01

Sweden was one of the first countries outside the Soviet Union to be affected in 1986 by fall-out from the Chernobyl accident, which created an acute demand for correct information about reactor safety and effects of ionising radiation. A precursor to the Swedish Nuclear Training and Safety Centre, KSU, assumed in 1986 an important role in informing the general public, by using established press channels, by issuing newsletters, booklets and videotapes, and by sending mobile measuring units to the contaminated regions in Sweden. What started as an acute effort, has since then continued as a permanent activity, as the Chernobyl accident re-opened the nuclear issue as a subject of political controversy in Sweden. As on previous occasions in the debate about nuclear power, the arguments in the public and political debate were largely of scientific or technical nature, and very often grossly erroneous. Such technical false conceptions have often found their way to leading decisions-makers in politics and mass media. Corrections and refutations of this kind often require considerable expert knowledge, a scientific aitude but also a pedagogic interest. Often time-consuming research into particular issues is needed. The traditional information departments at the utilities are not very well equipped to handle such situations. The Analysis Group on nuclear power, attached to KSU, has therefore, on behalf of the utilities, been given the responsibility to generate factual information on nuclear power issues that might arise in the media or in the political and public debate. The communication mandate of the Analysis Group covers nuclear safety, the effects of ionising radiation, and comparative risk assessments. It does not include economy, energy requirements, nuclear waste or utility policy issues. Within its mandate the Analysis Group has a freedom to operate with independence and on its own merits

Expert system application for prioritizing preventive actions for shift work: shift expert.

Science.gov (United States)

Esen, Hatice; Hatipoğlu, Tuğçen; Cihan, Ahmet; Fiğlali, Nilgün

2017-09-19

Shift patterns, work hours, work arrangements and worker motivations have increasingly become key factors for job performance. The main objective of this article is to design an expert system that identifies the negative effects of shift work and prioritizes mitigation efforts according to their importance in preventing these negative effects. The proposed expert system will be referred to as the shift expert. A thorough literature review is conducted to determine the effects of shift work on workers. Our work indicates that shift work is linked to demographic variables, sleepiness and fatigue, health and well-being, and social and domestic conditions. These parameters constitute the sections of a questionnaire designed to focus on 26 important issues related to shift work. The shift expert is then constructed to provide prevention advice at the individual and organizational levels, and it prioritizes this advice using a fuzzy analytic hierarchy process model, which considers comparison matrices provided by users during the prioritization process. An empirical study of 61 workers working on three rotating shifts is performed. After administering the questionnaires, the collected data are analyzed statistically, and then the shift expert produces individual and organizational recommendations for these workers.

Joint nuclear safety research projects between the US and Russian Federation International Nuclear Safety Centers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bougaenko, S.E.; Kraev, A.E.; Hill, D.L.; Braun, J.C.; Klickman, A.E.

1998-01-01

The Russian Federation Ministry for Atomic Energy (MINATOM) and the US Department of Energy (USDOE) formed international Nuclear Safety Centers in October 1995 and July 1996, respectively, to collaborate on nuclear safety research. Since January 1997, the two centers have initiated the following nine joint research projects: (1) INSC web servers and databases; (2) Material properties measurement and assessment; (3) Coupled codes: Neutronic, thermal-hydraulic, mechanical and other; (4) Severe accident management for Soviet-designed reactors; (5) Transient management and advanced control; (6) Survey of relevant nuclear safety research facilities in the Russian Federation; (8) Advanced structural analysis; and (9) Development of a nuclear safety research and development plan for MINATOM. The joint projects were selected on the basis of recommendations from two groups of experts convened by NEA and from evaluations of safety impact, cost, and deployment potential. The paper summarizes the projects, including the long-term goals, the implementing strategy and some recent accomplishments for each project

Safety parameter display system: an operator support system for enhancement of safety in Indian PHWRs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Subramaniam, K.; Biswas, T.

1994-01-01

Ensuring operational safety in nuclear power plants is important as operator errors are observed to contribute significantly to the occurrence of accidents. Computerized operator support systems, which process and structure information, can help operators during both normal and transient conditions, and thereby enhance safety and aid effective response to emergency conditions. An important operator aid being developed and described in this paper, is the safety parameter display system (SPDS). The SPDS is an event-independent, symptom-based operator aid for safety monitoring. Knowledge-based systems can provide operators with an improved quality of information. An information processing model of a knowledge based operator support system (KBOSS) developed for emergency conditions using an expert system shell is also presented. The paper concludes with a discussion of the design issues involved in the use of a knowledge based systems for real time safety monitoring and fault diagnosis. (author). 8 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab

Use of Occupancy Models to Evaluate Expert Knowledge-based Species-Habitat Relationships

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Monica N. Iglecia

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Expert knowledge-based species-habitat relationships are used extensively to guide conservation planning, particularly when data are scarce. Purported relationships describe the initial state of knowledge, but are rarely tested. We assessed support in the data for suitability rankings of vegetation types based on expert knowledge for three terrestrial avian species in the South Atlantic Coastal Plain of the United States. Experts used published studies, natural history, survey data, and field experience to rank vegetation types as optimal, suitable, and marginal. We used single-season occupancy models, coupled with land cover and Breeding Bird Survey data, to examine the hypothesis that patterns of occupancy conformed to species-habitat suitability rankings purported by experts. Purported habitat suitability was validated for two of three species. As predicted for the Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens and Brown-headed Nuthatch (Sitta pusilla, occupancy was strongly influenced by vegetation types classified as "optimal habitat" by the species suitability rankings for nuthatches and wood-pewees. Contrary to predictions, Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus models that included vegetation types as covariates received similar support by the data as models without vegetation types. For all three species, occupancy was also related to sampling latitude. Our results suggest that covariates representing other habitat requirements might be necessary to model occurrence of generalist species like the woodpecker. The modeling approach described herein provides a means to test expert knowledge-based species-habitat relationships, and hence, help guide conservation planning.

Safety risk assessment for vertical concrete formwork activities in civil engineering construction.

Science.gov (United States)

López-Arquillos, Antonio; Rubio-Romero, Juan Carlos; Gibb, Alistair G F; Gambatese, John A

2014-01-01

The construction sector has one of the worst occupational health and safety records in Europe. Of all construction tasks, formwork activities are associated with a high frequency of accidents and injuries. This paper presents an investigation of the activities and related safety risks present in vertical formwork for in-situ concrete construction in the civil engineering sector. Using the methodology of staticized groups, twelve activities and ten safety risks were identified and validated by experts. Every safety risk identified in this manner was quantified for each activity using binary methodology according to the frequency and severity scales developed in prior research. A panel of experts was selected according to the relevant literature on staticized groups. The results obtained show that the activities with the highest risk in vertical formwork tasks are: Plumbing and leveling of forms, cutting of material, handling materials with cranes, and climbing or descending ladders. The most dangerous health and safety risks detected were falls from height, cutting and overexertion. The research findings provide construction practitioners with further evidence of the hazardous activities associated with concrete formwork construction and a starting point for targeting worker health and safety programmes.

Influence of safeguards and fire protection on criticality safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Six, D.E.

1980-01-01

There are several positive influences of safeguards and fire protection on criticality safety. Experts in each discipline must be aware of regulations and requirements of the others and work together to ensure a fault-tree design. EG and G Idaho, Inc., routinely uses an Occupancy-Use Readiness Manual to consider all aspects of criticality safety, fire protection, and safeguards. The use of the analytical tree is described

Why consumers behave as they do with respect to food safety and risk information

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Verbeke, Wim; Frewer, Lynn J.; Scholderer, Joachim

2007-01-01

rankings. The aim of this contribution is to provide a better understanding to food risk analysts of why consumers behave as they do with respect to food safety and risk information. This paper presents some cases of seemingly irrational and inconsistent consumer behaviour with respect to food safety...... and risk information and provides explanations for these behaviours based on the nature of the risk and individual psychological processes. Potential solutions for rebuilding consumer confidence in food safety and bridging between lay and expert opinions towards food risks are reviewed. These include......In recent years, it seems that consumers are generally uncertain about the safety and quality of their food and their risk perception differs substantially from that of experts. Hormone and veterinary drug residues in meat persist to occupy a high position in European consumers' food concern...

Distributed Web-Based Expert System for Launch Operations

Science.gov (United States)

Bardina, Jorge E.; Thirumalainambi, Rajkumar

2005-01-01

The simulation and modeling of launch operations is based on a representation of the organization of the operations suitable to experiment of the physical, procedural, software, hardware and psychological aspects of space flight operations. The virtual test bed consists of a weather expert system to advice on the effect of weather to the launch operations. It also simulates toxic gas dispersion model, and the risk impact on human health. Since all modeling and simulation is based on the internet, it could reduce the cost of operations of launch and range safety by conducting extensive research before a particular launch. Each model has an independent decision making module to derive the best decision for launch.

Methodological approaches to developing and establishing the body of evidence on post-marketing Chinese medicine safety.

Science.gov (United States)

Liao, Xing; Robinson, Nicola

2013-07-01

Evidence based medicine demands the highest form of scientific evidence to demonstrate the efficacy and clinical effectiveness for any therapeutic intervention in order to provide best care. It is however accepted that in the absence of scientific evidence, personal experience and expert opinion together with professional judgement are critical. Obtaining evidence for drug safety, postmarketing surveillance (PMS) has focussed on follow up of observational cohorts exposed to a particular drug in order to estimate the incidence of adverse drug reactions (ADRs). Evidence on PMS of Chinese herbal products is still limited, in particular for herbal injections. The aim of this article is to suggest a new model of ascertaining the safety of Chinese medicine using a more comprehensive approach for collecting data. To collect safety data on the Chinese herbal injection, Kudiezi, a mixed methods approach is proposed using 18 hospital information systems to detect ADRs in order to prospectively observe 30,000 patients over 3 years. Evidence will also be collected using a questionnaire survey and through a sample of semi structured interviews. This information based on the expert opinion and the experience of clinicians will produce additional data on the frequency and types of side effects in clinical practice. Furthermore semi structured interviews with a random sample of patients receiving the injection will be carried out to ascertain any potential side effects missed. It is hoped that this comprehensive approach to data collection will accumulate wider evidence based on individual traditional Chinese medicine care and treatment and provide important feedback to the national data collection system to ensure completeness of ADR data recording, monitoring and any potential wider effects through developing improved ADR guidelines.

Proceedings of the 4. CSNI workshop on the chemistry of iodine in reactor safety

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guentay, S [ed.; Paul Scherrer Inst. (PSI), Villigen (Switzerland)

1996-12-01

The 4. OECD workshop on the chemistry of iodine in reactor safety was held in Wuerenlingen, Switzerland from June 10th to 12th, 1996. It was organised in collaboration with the Laboratory for Safety and Accident Research of the Paul Scherrer Institute. About seventy experts from fourteen OECD member countries attended the meeting, as well as experts from Latvia and the Commission of the European Communities. Thirty-four papers were presented in five sessions on various aspects of national and international programmes, integral and intermediate-scale experiments, experimental homogeneous phase chemistry, surface processes, thermodynamic and kinetic studies and safety applications. Throughout the meeting, emphasis was placed on detailed and open discussions. The purpose of the workshop was to exchange information on the iodine chemistry and other important fission products relevant to reactor safety, to discuss the status of the open issues identified during the previous workshop held in 1991, to define reactor safety issues and to discuss developments and future plans. (author) figs., tabs., refs.

Proceedings of the 4. CSNI workshop on the chemistry of iodine in reactor safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guentay, S.

1996-12-01

The 4. OECD workshop on the chemistry of iodine in reactor safety was held in Wuerenlingen, Switzerland from June 10th to 12th, 1996. It was organised in collaboration with the Laboratory for Safety and Accident Research of the Paul Scherrer Institute. About seventy experts from fourteen OECD member countries attended the meeting, as well as experts from Latvia and the Commission of the European Communities. Thirty-four papers were presented in five sessions on various aspects of national and international programmes, integral and intermediate-scale experiments, experimental homogeneous phase chemistry, surface processes, thermodynamic and kinetic studies and safety applications. Throughout the meeting, emphasis was placed on detailed and open discussions. The purpose of the workshop was to exchange information on the iodine chemistry and other important fission products relevant to reactor safety, to discuss the status of the open issues identified during the previous workshop held in 1991, to define reactor safety issues and to discuss developments and future plans. (author) figs., tabs., refs

Safety-related incidents at the Finnish nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lehtinen, P.

1986-03-01

This report contains detailed descriptions of operating incidents and other safety-related matters at the Finnish nuclear power plants regarded as significant by the regulatory authority, the Finnish Centre for Radiation and Nuclear Safety. In this connection, an account is given of the practical actions caused by the incidents, and their significance to reactor safety is evaluated. The main features of the incidents are also described in the general Quartely Reports, Operation of Finnish Nuclear Power Plants, which are supplemented by this report intended for experts. (author)

Safety-related incidents at the Finnish nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lehtinen, P.

1985-01-01

This report contains detailed descriptions of operating incidents and other safety-related matters at the Finnish nuclear power plants regarded as significant by the regulatory authority, the Finnish Centre for Radiation and Nuclear Safety. In this connection, an account is given of the practical actions caused by the incidents, and their significance to reactor safety is evaluated. The main features of the incidents are also described in the general Quartely Reports, Operation of Finnish Nuclear Power Plants, which are supplemented by this report intended for experts. (author)

Designing a Safety Reporting Smartphone Application to Improve Patient Safety After Total Hip Arthroplasty.

Science.gov (United States)

Krumsvik, Ole Andreas; Babic, Ankica

2017-01-01

This paper presents a safety reporting smartphone application which is expected to reduce the occurrence of postoperative adverse events after total hip arthroplasty (THA). A user-centered design approach was utilized to facilitate optimal user experience. Two main implemented functionalities capture patient pain levels and well-being, the two dimensions of patient status that are intuitive and commonly checked. For these and other functionalities, mobile technology could enable timely safety reporting and collection of patient data out of a hospital setting. The HCI expert, and healthcare professionals from the Haukeland University Hospital in Bergen have assessed the design with respect to the interaction flow, information content, and self-reporting functionalities. They have found it to be practical, intuitive, sufficient and simple for users. Patient self-reporting could help recognizing safety issues and adverse events.

RSAS: a Reactor Safety Assessment System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sebo, D.E.; Dixon, B.W.; Bray, M.A.

1985-01-01

The Reactor Safety Assessment System (RSAS) is an expert system under development for the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). RSAS is being developed for use at the NRC's Operations Center in the event of a serious incident at a licensed nuclear power plant. The system generates situation assessments for the NRC Reactor Safety Team based on a limited number of plant parameters, known operator actions, and plant status data. The RSAS rule base currently covers one reactor type. The extension of the rule base to other reactor types is also discussed

Experts in science and society

CERN Document Server

Gigerenzer, Gerd

2004-01-01

In today's complex world, we have come to rely increasingly on those who have expertise in specific areas and can bring their knowledge to bear on crucial social, political and scientific questions. Taking the viewpoint that experts are consulted when there is something important at stake for an individual, a group, or society at large, Experts in Science and Society explores expertise as a relational concept. How do experts balance their commitment to science with that to society? How does a society actually determine that a person has expertise? What personal traits are valued in an expert? From where does the expert derive authority? What makes new forms of expertise emerge? These and related questions are addressed from a wide range of areas in order to be inclusive, as well as to demonstrate similarities across areas. Likewise, in order to be culturally comparative, this volume includes examples and discussions of experts in different countries and even in different time periods. The topics include the r...

Expert system in PNC, 5

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tobita, Yoshimasa; Yamaguchi, Takashi; Matsumoto, Mitsuo; Ono, Kiyoshi.

1990-01-01