J8-TR-48876

INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY

Training Workshop on the IAEA’s Safety Culture Assessment Methodology IAEA Headquarters Vienna, Austria 18–22 November 2013

Information Sheet

A. Introduction The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is continuing, through this workshop, its efforts to disseminate knowledge about how safety performance at nuclear facilities can be improved through the promotion of culture, leadership and management for safety. The workshop aims to reinforce participants’ understanding of how to perform safety culture assessment based on the IAEA safety standards. Everyone working in the nuclear industry knows how important it is to have a strong safety culture. It has been observed that decline in safety culture is a common factor underlying many unwanted events at nuclear facilities. The importance of continuously improving safety culture cannot be overemphasized, as it is fundamental to the safe operation of such facilities, as pointed out in Fundamental Safety Principles (IAEA Safety Standards Series No. SF-1, Vienna, 2006). A strong safety culture can indeed be considered to be the backbone of defence in depth. Safety culture assessments are recognized to be a good way of working proactively with safety. It is important to know where the strengths and where the areas for improvements are. Nevertheless, many organizations around the world are struggling to make the concept of safety culture tangible and workable. That being said, assessing the deeper aspects of safety culture in order to disclose the basic assumptions and shared values and understandings of an organization has proved to be problematic. Experience has shown that only focusing on the visible manifestations of safety culture is not sufficient to guarantee sustainable change for the better. The IAEA Secretariat has taken an active role in providing Member States, upon their request, with guidance on how to practically improve safety culture. The first developments took place under the Norwegian extrabudgetary project KNPP1 on enhancement of safety culture. One of the outcomes was a new methodology for assessing safety culture. The methodology is based on the IAEA safety standards, past experiences and behavioural science. In conjunction with the KNPP1 project the preparation of two new Safety Reports on how to perform safety culture self-assessment and how to continuously improve safety culture was initiated. Typically there are different types of safety culture assessments. For example, in the Safety Guide The Management System for Nuclear Installations (IAEA Safety Standards Series No. GS-G-3.5, Vienna, 2009) safety culture assessment is divided into self-assessment and independent assessment. The IAEA’s new safety culture assessment methodology can be used for both types of assessment. In collaboration with safety culture experts the IAEA has also developed a two-week training course on safety culture self-assessment at which the new methodology is taught. Since 2010 the IAEA has delivered three training courses on safety culture self-assessment for both licensees and regulators. The assessment methodology has been used in independent safety culture assessments as part of the IAEA’s Operational Safety Review Team (OSART) service. In view of the great interest attracted by the IAEA’s new safety culture assessment methodology, the IAEA Secretariat is inviting Member States to participate in this training workshop. The workshop will provide an orientation to the new methodology and the five different assessment methods (interviews, document reviews, observations, focus groups and surveys). The new methodology marks a significant departure from the traditional ‘check-list’- or ‘audit’-type of assessment. During the workshop the participants will also be introduced to the analysis process, which is divided into two parts: a descriptive analysis followed by a normative analysis. The following topics will be briefly introduced:

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Perspectives and Basic Assumptions

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The Concept of Culture

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The Concept of Safety Culture

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The IAEA’s Approach to Safety Culture and Assessments

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The Nature of Change

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The Role of Senior Managers in Safety Culture

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The Assessment Team

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Introduction to the Assessment Process

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Safety Culture Assessment Methods o

Interviews

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Document Review

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Observations

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Focus Groups

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Survey

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Descriptive Analysis

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Normative Analysis

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Communication and Reporting of Results

Please note that the workshop is not a full training course. The workshop pedagogics will be based on a learning-by-doing approach, which entails case studies that the participants will work through.

B. Objectives The primary objective of the workshop is to provide an opportunity for senior managers, managers and safety culture experts to familiarize themselves with the IAEA’s safety culture assessment methodology and the nature of change.

C. Working Material The Scientific Secretary (see Section I below) will provide working material to participants in advance of the workshop. This working material will serve as the basis for dialogues at the workshop.

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D. Participation Participation is solicited from senior managers, managers and safety culture experts from organizations that are responsible for nuclear facilities or activities at any stage of development (including corporate organizations), as well as from regulatory bodies and their technical support organizations. Participants will be requested to: •

Submit together with their application a short summary of their personal experience related to the topic of the workshop (maximum: one A4 page; 600 words);

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Actively participate in the dialogues during the workshop; and

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Provide any other input useful to the IAEA’s activities in this field.

Participants should complete the Participation Form (see Attachment A) as soon as possible and send it to the competent official authority (Ministry of Foreign Affairs or National Atomic Energy Authority) for transmission to the IAEA Secretariat to arrive no later than 28 October 2013. Nominations of participants will be accepted only if forwarded by the Government of an IAEA Member State or by an organization invited to participate. The workshop is, in principle, open to all officially designated persons. The IAEA, however, reserves the right to limit participation due to limitations imposed by the available facilities. It is, therefore, recommended that interested persons take the necessary steps for the official designation as early as possible.

E. Visas Designated participants who require a visa to enter Austria should submit the necessary application to the nearest diplomatic or consular representative of Austria as soon as possible.

F. Expenditure The costs of the workshop are to be borne by the IAEA. There is no registration fee. Travel and subsistence expenses of participants will not be borne by the IAEA. Limited funds are, however, available to help cover the cost of attendance of certain participants. Such assistance may be offered upon specific request to normally one participant per country provided that, in the IAEA’s view, the participant on whose behalf assistance is requested will make an important contribution to the workshop. The application for financial support should be made at the time of nominating the participant.

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G. Working Language The working language of the workshop will be English.

H. Local Arrangements The workshop will be held at the Vienna International Centre, Vienna, Austria, and will start on Monday, 18 November 2013 at 9.00 a.m. and end at 4.00 p.m. on Friday, 22 November 2013. The workshop agenda and information on local arrangements will be sent to designated participants once the completed Participation Forms have been received.

I. Workshop Secretariat Scientific Secretary: Ms Monica Haage Division of Nuclear Installation Safety Department of Nuclear Safety and Security International Atomic Energy Agency Vienna International Centre PO Box 100 1400 VIENNA AUSTRIA Tel.: +43 1 2600 22551 Fax: +43 1 2600 7 Email: [email protected] Administrative Secretary: Ms Caroline Henderson Division of Nuclear Installation Safety Department of Nuclear Safety and Security International Atomic Energy Agency Vienna International Centre PO Box 100 1400 VIENNA AUSTRIA Tel.: + 43 1 2600 22037 Email: [email protected] Subsequent correspondence on scientific matters should be sent to the Scientific Secretary and correspondence on administrative matters to the Administrative Secretary.

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ATTACHMENT A

INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY

Training Workshop on the IAEA’s Safety Culture Assessment Methodology IAEA Headquarters Vienna, Austria 18–22 November 2013 To be sent to the competent official authority (Ministry of Foreign Affairs or National Atomic Energy Authority) for transmission to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna International Centre, PO Box 100, 1400 Vienna, Austria (Fax: +43 1 26007).

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