The need and direction of a human factors research program for the nuclear power industry

It is axiomatic that the need for a human factors program in the nuclear power industry must be based upon an examination of the process of nuclear energy production and the role that the human plays in this process. It has been pointed out by others that a large number of incidents in technology based industries can be attributed to human error, thereby demonstrating the need to understand the human in interacting with complex processes. But an emphasis upon human ''error'' is a negative approach and can be non-productive, particularly when the ''correct'' human action has not been clearly defined prior to the incident. Some industries have expended great resources in a positive attempt to maximize the performance of the human in critical roles, e.g., the man-in-space program, the commercial airlines industry, deep-sea exploration. Central to this issue of human factors in nuclear power is the question of the role that the human plays in reducing the risk of the total system. If, as in other areas of application, the nuclear industry can make substantial improvements in the performance of humans, one needs to know how much risk is really reduced