XIth International Nuclear Forum “Safety of Nuclear Technologies: Safety Culture” took place in St. Petersburg

10 October 2016

More than 300 participants from 9 countries took part in Forum this year. State Atomic Energy Corporation «Rosatom» leaders and specialists of the IAEA, representatives from leading enterprises of nuclear industry of Russia were the speakers and experts.

Inspector General of State Atomic Energy Corporation «Rosatom» and the Plenary Session Chairman, Sergey ADAMCHIK, opened the Forum with presentation about organization of the safety culture in State Corporation. More than 70 leading experts from nuclear power industry have presented their reports over the Forum. Topical areas concerning the development of legislative and regulatory framework regarding the safety culture management at nuclear facilities and the integration of the safety culture into management system of an organization were deepened during this Forum. The models of the safety culture as well as national and international experience in mastering the safety culture in nuclear power industry, manufacturing industry and in other potentially hazardous industries have been addressed at round-tables and plenary sessions. Issues related to the interaction within a system ‘man-technology-organization’ and practical methods on enhancement the safety culture (such as selection and training of personnel, activities of educational and training complexes and centers, psychological assistance, medical care and ergonomic provision) have been considered during discussions.

Every year this Forum is a traditional meeting point for nuclear power industry leading specialists from different countries with the purpose to exchange the experience and to ensure the greater levels of safety at facilities where nuclear technologies are applied. The topic of this Forum has emerged due to high engagement of all stakeholders of nuclear power industry in formation and improvement of the safety culture and this is particularly important in face of the nuclear power industry development world-wide. Enhancement of the safety culture and personnel reliability at enterprises of the nuclear power industry is one of the key-priority directions of activity in the course of nuclear technologies safety ensuring.

“The safety culture – is important link in safety provision of any nuclear power plant or nuclear fuel cycle enterprise – said Mr. Tair TAIROV, the Director of the St. Petersburg Branch of the Central Institute for Continuing Education &Training of ROSATOM (ROSATOM - CICE&T).– The two factors – technical and human – remain as most relevant. The feedback has demonstrated that the human factor mostly creates accident situations. That is the reason why the nuclear power engineering is considered the first industry to develop the concept of ‘the safety culture’. Therefore, continuously over the years, and fully aware of such serious responsibility, the representatives from Russian and foreign organizations of nuclear power engineering are gathered together on the platform of the Forum and share their experience and knowledge aiming to minimize all risks possible. And we, as the Forum organizers, are focused on making it extremely useful and informative for the participants, thereby making our contribution to the safety culture improvement in the industry”.

Many representatives from nuclear branch enterprises of the Russian Federation, Austria, the United Kingdom, Spain, China, Hungary, Romania, Finland and Germany took part in the Forum.

In the framework of this Forum, the V-th International Safety and Security Culture School took place; this School has become increasingly attractive and popular to forward-looking in-country and foreign specialists. The leaders and specialists from organizations and companies of State Atomic Energy Corporation “Rosatom”, the representatives of the IAEA and national regulatory authorities and power-generating companies from different countries are involved into the Safety and Security Culture School’s activity. Globally recognized experts, top-specialists in the sphere of practical application of the safety culture management methodology are the lecturers in this School.

The main objective of the International School is development and promotion of the safety culture methodology and the safety culture management practices in organizations, which apply hazardous technologies following the purpose to provide safety and efficiency for their activities.

Courses of the International School are usually organized through consideration of information blocks followed by discussions and accomplishment of various activities, role-play exercises and business games, brainstorming sessions and panel discussions along with work in small groups to examine specific situations.

Safety and Security Culture School was established in 2011 according to the decisions of the IAEA and Atomic Energy Corporation “Rosatom” representatives, specialists from nuclear power plants of the “Rosenergoatom” Concern, JSC “VNIIAES” and specialists from foreign organizations.

The International Nuclear Forum “Safety of Nuclear Technologies” and International Safety and Security Culture School took place in St. Petersburg branch of Rosatom Central Institute for Continuing Education and Training (ROSATOM-CICE&T) .

Reference information

Safety culture is qualification and psychological preparedness of all persons when safety ensuring of a nuclear fuel cycle facility is a top-priority purpose and internal demand that results in understanding of the personal responsibility and self-monitoring in the course of implementation of all activities affecting safety.

St. Petersburg branch of Rosatom Central Institute for Continuing Education and Training (ROSATOM-CICE&T)

The main line of the Institute activity — is the assistance to organizations of nuclear power industry and energy sector in their effectiveness and safety increasing through provision with quality-level services in the area of continuing professional education of personnel, scientific research and carrying out of scientific & technical and other activities.

Professional retraining and improvement of professional skills for specialists of nuclear power industry civil engineering complex (on types of works: engineering surveys, designing, construction and projects management in construction) are the most important direction of St. Petersburg’s branch of ROSATOM-CICE&T. The Institute currently has Center of special competencies, Center of security competencies, Center of competencies on nuclear facilities construction, Center of regional education, International center for NPP personnel training and Regional center on public information, which was presented by large exposition on nuclear power engineering.