Human Factors Guidance for Nuclear Safety Analysis Reports at Department of Energy Facilities

This paper describes an approach being developed by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to assist personnel in planning, conducting, and reporting human factors safety assessments for DOE nonreactor facilities. This approach to human factors safety assessment will be developed into a DOE Standard and will serve as guidance for facility managers to help them comply consistently and more efficiently with the requirements of DOE Order 5480.23, Nuclear Safety Analysis Reports. The objective of human factors safety analysis is to identify aspects of a design that may contribute to the likelihood of human errorand present greaterrisk to workers, the public, and the environment. This paper outlines a process that can be used in the overall Safety Analysis Report (SAR) program to identify and evaluate existing or potential human performance problems for the purpose of reducing the frequency and consequences of human errors within the system context.