OSART mission highlights 2001-2003. Operational safety practices in nuclear power plants

The IAEA Operational Safety Review Team (OSART) programme provides advice and assistance to Member States in enhancing the operational safety of nuclear power plants (NPPs). Careful design and high quality of construction are prerequisites for a safe nuclear power plant. However, a plant's safety depends ultimately on the ability and conscientiousness of the operating personnel and on the plant programmes, processes and working methods. An OSART mission compares a facility's operational performance with IAEA Safety Standards and proven good international practices. The OSART reviews are available to all countries with nuclear power plants in operation, but also approaching operation, commissioning or in earlier stages of construction (Pre-OSART). Most countries have participated in the programme by hosting one or more OSART missions or by making experts available to participate in missions. Operational safety missions can also be part of the design review missions of nuclear power plants and are known as Safety Review Missions (SRMs). Teams that review only a few specific areas or a specific issue are called Expert missions. Follow-up visits are a standard part of the OSART programme and are conducted between 12 to 18 months following the OSART mission. This report continues the practice of summarizing mission results so that all the aspects of OSART missions, Pre-OSART missions and OSART good practices are to be found in one document. It also includes the results of follow-up visits. Attempts have been made in this report to highlight the most significant findings while retaining as much of the vital background information as possible. This report is in three parts: Part I summarizes the most significant observations made during the missions and follow-up visits between 2001 and 2003; Part II, in chronological order, reviews the major strengths and opportunities for improvement identified during each OSART mission and summarizes the follow-up visits performed; Part III lists the good practices that were identified in the period covered. At the end of Part III is a summary of the good practices that were observed in the different review areas and of the contributions of individual NPPs to good practices for the period covered. Each part of the report is intended for different levels of management in the operating and regulatory organizations, but not exclusively so. Part I is primarily directed at the executive management level; Part II at middle managers and Part III at those involved in operational experience feedback. Individual findings varied considerably in scope and significance. However, the findings do reflect some common strengths and opportunities for improvement. Appendix I presents information on the database which collects the results of OSART missions (OSMIR), which can be valuable for user programmes that deal with operational experience feedback. Appendix II reviews the IAEA programme on education and training in nuclear safety. Appendix III covers the IAEA programme on education and training in radiation protection, transport and waste safety. Finally, Appendix IV presents the IAEA programme on ageing and long term operation which aim to increase the qualification of NPP specialists in different areas of nuclear and radiation safety and needs for long term operation