Human factors and NPPs at EDF

In 1982, after the Three Mile Island accident (1979), the Nuclear and Fossil Generation Division of Electricite de France (EDF) set up a team of specialists in human factors with the task of analyzing all significant incidents of human origin. Systematic investigation showed that approximately 40 % of the significant incidents could be attributed to human error. Various actions were initiated to reduce the probability of cases of human error arising. These actions have been backed up by supplying information and constantly drawing the attention of operators and designers to the principal incidents of human origin experienced in the EDF plants. It is difficult to determine quantitatively the impact of the measures developed by EDF for improving human reliability. Nevertheless, the number of scrams can be considered an indicator of human influence on operating quality, and the reduction of their number by half since 1983 allows us to conclude that the preventive actions already carried out were worthwhile. 1 fig