Nuclear power plant availability and the role of human factors performance

Most nuclear power plant control room systems are controlled and monitored by human operators. These operators are one of the several factors that can either degrade or improve system availability. A deterioration in plant availability can simply be the result of a poor man-machine interface. Inadequate instrument displays or improperly located panel controls can impose a burden on the operator's abilities and unintentionally induce failures. Therefore, the system availability scope should include the human element. This paper discusses how improved system availability can be achieved by the implementation of a comprehensive set of human factors engineering principles, computer systems, and cathode-ray-tube (CRT) displays that optimize the interface between the operator and the process