• Title/Summary/Keyword: Human and organizational factors

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ORGANIZATIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO NUCLEAR POWER PLANT SAFETY

  • GHOSH S. TINA;APOSTOLAKIS GEORGE E.
    • Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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    • v.37 no.3
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    • pp.207-220
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    • 2005
  • Nuclear power plants (NPP) are complex socio-technological systems that rely on the success of both hardware and human components. Empirical studies of plant operating experience show that human errors are important contributors to accidents and incidents, and that organizational factors play an important role in creating contexts for human errors. Current probabilistic safety assessments (PSA) do not explicitly model the systematic contribution of organizational factors to safety. As some countries, like the United States, are moving towards increased use of risk information in the regulation and operation of nuclear facilities, PSA quality has been identified as an area for improvement. The modeling of human errors, and underlying organizational weaknesses at the root of these errors, are important sources of uncertainty in existing PSAs and areas of on-going research. This paper presents a review of research into the following questions: Is there evidence that organizational factors are important to NPP safety? How do organizations contribute to safety in NPP operations? And how can these organizational contributions be captured more explicitly in PSA? We present a few past incidents that illustrate the potential safety implications of organizational deficiencies, some mechanisms by which organizational factors contribute to NPP risk, and some of the methods proposed in the literature for performing root-cause analyses and including organizational factors in PSA.

A Quantitative Assessment of Organizational Factors Affecting Safety Using System Dynamics Model

  • Yu Jaekook;Ahn Namsung;Jae Moosung
    • Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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    • v.36 no.1
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    • pp.64-72
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    • 2004
  • The purpose of this study is to develop a system dynamics model for the assessment of the organizational and human factors in a nuclear power plant which contribute to nuclear safety. Previous studies can be classified into two major approaches. One is the engineering approach using tools such as ergonomics and Probability Safety Assessment (PSA). The other is the socio-psychology approach. Both have contributed to find organizational and human factors and to present guidelines to lessen human error in plants. However, since these approaches assume that the relationship among factors is independent they do not explain the interactions among the factors or variables in Nuclear Power Plants. To overcome these restrictions, a system dynamics model, which can show cause and effect relationships among factors and quantify the organizational and human factors, has been developed. Handling variables such as the degree of leadership, the number of employees, and workload in each department, users can simulate various situations in nuclear power plant organization. Through simulation, users can get insights to improve safety in plants and to find managerial tools in both organizational and human factors.

Human and organizational factors for multi-unit probabilistic safety assessment: Identification and characterization for the Korean case

  • Arigi, Awwal Mohammed;Kim, Gangmin;Park, Jooyoung;Kim, Jonghyun
    • Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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    • v.51 no.1
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    • pp.104-115
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    • 2019
  • Since the Fukushima Daiichi accident, there has been an emphasis on the risk resulting from multi-unit accidents. Human reliability analysis (HRA) is one of the important issues in multi-unit probabilistic safety assessment (MUPSA). Hence, there is a need to properly identify all the human and organizational factors relevant to a multi-unit incident scenario in a nuclear power plant (NPP). This study identifies and categorizes the human and organizational factors relevant to a multi-unit incident scenario of NPPs based on a review of relevant literature. These factors are then analyzed to ascertain all possible unit-to-unit interactions that need to be considered in the multi-unit HRA and the pattern of interactions. The human and organizational factors are classified into five categories: organization, work device, task, performance shaping factors, and environmental factors. The identification and classification of these factors will significantly contribute to the development of adequate strategies and guidelines for managing multi-unit accidents. This study is a necessary initial step in developing an effective HRA method for multiple NPP units in a site.

The Effect of Organizational Influence on Precondition for Unsafe Acts in Pilots - Focused on HFACS - (조직영향이 조종사들의 불안전행위의 전제조건에 미치는 영향 - HFACS를 중심으로)

  • Yu, TaeJung;Song, Byeong-Heum
    • Journal of the Korean Society for Aviation and Aeronautics
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    • v.25 no.4
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    • pp.161-169
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    • 2017
  • The Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS) is a general human error framework originally developed and tested within the U.S. military as a tool for investigating and analyzing the human causes of aviation accidents. Based upon Reason's (1990) model of latent and active failures, HFACS addresses human error at all levels of the system, including the condition of aircrew and organizational factors. As a result, this study aims to examine the influence between the latent conditions based on HFACS. This study seeks to verify the factors of "Organizational Influence" effecting the "Precondition for Unsafe Acts" of HFACS. The results of empirical analysis demonstrated that the organizational influence had a positive influence on precondition for unsafe act, especially the "Organizational Climate" of organizational influence had even greater influence on precondition for unsafe acts.

A Study on Factors Related to Knowledge Management and Organizational Performance: A Conceptual Model and Implications (지식경영 및 조직성과와 관련된 변인들에 관한 연구: 개념적 모델과 시사점)

  • Song, Taekyung;Oh, Jeong Rok
    • The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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    • v.16 no.7
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    • pp.1-18
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    • 2016
  • Although previous studies show that organizational culture and organizational communication could be influential factors in knowledge management and organizational performance, the more integrated research to indicate relationships among all of the factors is still needed. By indicating the inter-relationships among the factors and the direction of the influence, this paper suggests various ways to develop an integrated approach to the improvement of organizational performance through knowledge management and other related factors. Thus, the purpose of this study is to investigate the relationships among national culture, organizational culture, organizational communication, knowledge management, and organizational performance. Based on a comprehensive review of extant literature on the relationships among these factors, the relationships are summarized in the conceptual model. According to the model, organizational performance is influenced by knowledge management, organizational communication, and organizational culture, and knowledge management is influenced by organizational communication and organizational culture. Based on the conceptual model, implications for human resource (HR) researchers and practitioners seeking to optimally improve organizational performance are presented.

A System Dynamics Model for Assessment of Organizational and Human Factor in Nuclear Power Plant (시스템 다이내믹스를 활용한 원전 조직 및 인적인자 평가)

  • 안남성;곽상만;유재국
    • Korean System Dynamics Review
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    • v.3 no.2
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    • pp.49-68
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    • 2002
  • The intent of this study is to develop system dynamics model for assessment of organizational and human factors in nuclear power plant which can contribute to secure the nuclear safety. Previous studies are classified into two major approaches. One is engineering approach such as ergonomics and probability safety assessment(PSA). The other is social science approach such like sociology, organization theory and psychology. Both have contributed to find organization and human factors and to present guideline to lessen human error in NPP. But, since these methodologies assume that relationship among factors is independent they don't explain the interactions among factors or variables in NPP. To overcome these limits, we have developed system dynamics model which can show cause and effect among factors and quantify organizational and human factors. The model we developed is composed of 16 functions of job process in nuclear power, and shows interactions among various factors which affects employees' productivity and job quality. Handling variables such like degree of leadership, adjustment of number of employee, and workload in each department, users can simulate various situations in nuclear power plant in the organization side. Through simulation, user can get insight to improve safety in plants and to find managerial tools in the organization and human side. Analyzing pattern of variables, users can get knowledge of their organization structure, and understand stands of other departments or employees. Ultimately they can build learning organization to secure optimal safety in nuclear power plant.

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A Study on Human Error Countermeasures considering Hazardous Situational Context among Organizational Factors in NPP (원전에서 조직 위험요소의 상황적 맥락을 고려한 인적오류 관리방안 제고)

  • Luo, Meiling;Kim, Sa-Kil;Lee, Yong-Hee
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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    • v.30 no.1
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    • pp.87-93
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    • 2015
  • Most incidents and accidents involved human during operating NPPs have a tendency to be structured by complicated and various organizational, individual, and environmental factors. The salient feature of the human error in NPP was extremely low frequency, extremely high complicated and extremely serious damage of human life and property. Our research team defined as 'rare human errors'. To prevent the rare human errors, the most researchers and analysts insist invariably that the root causes be made clear. The making them clear, however, is difficult because their root causes are very various and uncertain. However, These tools have limits that they do not adapt all operating situations and circumstances such as design base events. The purpose of this study is to improve the rare human error hazards consider the situational contex. Through this challenging try based on evidences to the human errors could be useful to prevent rare and critical events can occur in the future.

Analysis of the relationship with the Human Resource in the service economy era according to the type of organization -Focusing on organizational culture and structure - (조직유형에 따른 서비스경제시대 인재상 관계분석 -조직문화와 조직구조를 중심으로-)

  • Baek Kyeong Hui;Kim Hyun Soo
    • Journal of Service Research and Studies
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    • v.11 no.3
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    • pp.98-116
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    • 2021
  • With the advent of the era of the 4th industrial revolution, various factors such as economy, management, and culture are changing in modern society, unlike in the past. Among them, the main characteristic of management is the change from intangible goods to tangible goods, and companies are trying to pursue innovation such as introducing a new management method, converting from manufacturing to service, and expanding technology. However, with regard to human resources, which is becoming the most important for sustainable value creation in a changing era, efforts to enable practical innovation are lacking as they are still in a simple transition. Therefore, in this study, after recognizing the importance of human resources, we verified the relationship between the elements of the human resource in the service economy era according to organizational culture and organizational structure. The relationship between organizational culture and organizational structure by type was verified using the items of human resources, we verified the relationship between the elements of the human resource in the service economy era that were derived and verified in recent research. As a result, there were some significant differences in the image of human resources, we verified the relationship between the elements of the human resource by organizational culture and type of organization, but when the two factors were combined and interpreted, it was found that all of the human resources, we verified the relationship between the elements of the human resource in the service economy era were necessary. However, in order to overcome the limitation that the indicators of this study were limited, it is necessary to continue research through samples that consider various factors in the future and systematic classification by type of organization and industry by industry.

An Assessment of the Job Stress Factors and the Organizational Personality Types in the Procedure‐based Job Conditions of Nuclear Power Plants (원자력발전소의 절차서 기반 업무에서 직무스트레스의 조직요인과 조직성향 분석)

  • Kim, Dae-Ho;Lee, Yong-Hee
    • Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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    • v.25 no.3
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    • pp.77-83
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    • 2006
  • The purpose of this study is to assess the organizational types and the job stress factors that affect the procedure-based job performances in nuclear power plants(NPPs). We derived 24 organizational factors affecting to the job stress in NPPs from the job stress analysis models of NIOSH(1989), Cooper(1990), and Karasek(1990). onsidering the safety characteristic in operating tasks of NPPs, we individuate among the tasks in NPPs through the division of duty and the analysis of cost activity. Through the questionnaire survey, a structured interview with the responsible employees, and expert panels, we assess 70 tasks among 777 tasks managed officially under the procedures. They are the representative tasks to the duties of each division and are directly related to the safety. We utilize the OPTI(organizational personality type indicators) to characterize the personality type of each organization in NPPs.

The causal loop digaram for organizational and human factors in nuclear power plant (원자력 발전소의 조직 및 인적 인자 영향관계 모델개발)

  • 유재국;안남성;곽상만
    • Korean System Dynamics Review
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    • v.2 no.2
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    • pp.63-84
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    • 2001
  • There are many activities to improve Nuclear Power Plant(NPP) performance and safety such as equipment improvement, redundancy and the like. Since public perception about NPP safety affects nuclear policy of site selection. Recent researches for NPP safety are including not only technical approaches but also social ones. In. this contexture, the purpose of this study is to develope cuassal loop digaram for assessment of organizational and human factors in NPP safety. Through real data from interview with NPP employees we develope causal loop diagram which can explain the relations of cause and effect among variables, and depict social system for organizational and human factors in NPP safety.

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