1. BACKGROUND INFORMATION
In the last two decades organizational and cultural issues have been identified as vital in achieving safe operation. Safety culture is now a commonly used term. Starting from the basic document Safety Culture (Safety Series No.75-INSAG-4, 1991) the concept of nuclear safety culture has evolved to the Safety Requirements The Management System for Facilities and Activities (Safety Standard Series No. GS-R-3, 2006) and the Safety Guides, Application of the Management System for Facilities and Activities Safety Standard Series No. GS-G-3.1, 2006) and, The Management System for Nuclear Installations (Safety Standard Series No. GS-G-3.5, 2009). During this time there were several attempts to establish practical approaches for regulatory oversight in the area of safety culture on an international level, for example the joint American Nuclear Society (ANS)/Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) International Topical Meeting on Safety Culture in Nuclear Installations (April 1995, Vienna, Austria), the IAEA’s International Conference on Safety Culture in Nuclear Installations (December 2002, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), the IAEA’s Technical Meeting on the Role of Governments and Regulators in Fostering a Strong Nuclear Safety Culture (September 2003, Vienna, Austria), the OECD/NEA Workshop on How regulatory inspections can promote, or not promote, good safety culture (May 2006, Toronto, Canada), the joint NEA/IAEA Workshop on Maintaining Oversight of Licensee Safety Culture-Methods and Approaches (May 2007, Chester, United Kingdom) and, recently, the 10th OECD/NEA International Nuclear Regulatory Inspection Workshop (May 2010, Amsterdam, Netherlands) addressing experience from inspecting safety culture.
A major outcome of these international efforts is the recommendation for the development of a common understanding on how oversight of a licensee’s safety culture should be performed and how safety culture elements should be evaluated.
In parallel, several national initiatives were undertaken to develop different practical approaches for inspection, assessment and oversight of safety culture and safety management. On the licensee side, various nuclear installations implemented their own approaches for safety culture self-assessment and improvement.
Besides this, in the 2008 Fourth Review Meeting of the Convention on Nuclear Safety it was recognized that “safety culture assessments will continue to mature and become common place”.
2. THE OBJECTIVE OF THE TECHNICAL MEETING (TM)
The general objective of the meeting is to establish a common opinion on how regulatory oversight of safety culture can be developed to foster safety culture.
In order to reach this objective, the primary purpose of the meeting will be to facilitate a broad exchange of good practices and issues among Member States in the area of oversight of a licensee’s safety culture.
Further, the meeting should suggest ways as to how regulators and licensees may use the results of the oversight in order to create an environment that supports a continual improvement of safety culture.
It is intended that the output of the meeting will form the basis for a Safety Report Series document providing guidance on how regulators and licensees can deal with the safety culture components in order to continuously foster a positive safety culture.
3. PROPOSED TOPICS OF THE MEETING
The meeting will be composed of plenary and break-out sessions. In order to allow in-depth discussions and to foster a common opinion of the subject, it is intended that the break-out sessions will be the main format of the meeting.
Items for discussion and presentation will include the following topics:
• Understanding of safety culture (definition, characteristics, attributes, items for assessment, national and regional culture)
• Approaches to foster a positive licensee’s safety culture
- Regulation/requirements
- Safety culture oversight approaches (encouragement of licensees to conduct self-assessments, third-party independent assessment, regulator assessment…)
- Regulatory safety culture assessment process from data gathering to data analysis including the feedback to licensees.
• Development and implementation of an approach to foster a positive licensee safety culture
- Challenges when developing and implementing a safety culture oversight approach
- Integration within the existing inspection processes
- Challenges, difficulties, problems to overcome in doing oversight of safety culture
- Impact on the licensee’s safety culture
In addition, the outputs of the joint NEA/IAEA workshop on maintaining oversight of licensee safety culture - methods and approaches, held from 21 to 23 May 2007 in Chester, United Kingdom, could be used as a basis for the break-out sessions, pending the agreement of the future participants of this meeting. The proceedings are available on the web at the following address: http://www.nea.fr/nsd/docs/2008/csni-r2008-10.pdf
4. PARTICIPATION
Participation is solicited from regulatory bodies, technical support organizations, governmental, national and international organizations, scientific organizations, universities, and licensees of nuclear installations and utilities.
To ensure maximum effectiveness in the exchange of information, it is expected that participants are representatives experienced in dealing with safety culture aspects and/or with decision making roles.
The meeting 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.
5. QUESTIONNAIRE
For preparation of the Technical Meeting, participants are invited to supply information on their national regulatory approaches used in the oversight of safety culture in accordance with the attached questionnaire (Attachment B). For coordination purposes, and to avoid any duplication, the IAEA used as a basis the questionnaire prepared by OECD/NEA and addressed to OECD Member States last May in preparation for the 10th International Nuclear Regulatory Inspection Workshop organized by OECD/NEA and held in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The questionnaire should be submitted to the IAEA Sceintific Secretary by 17 January 2011.
6. WORKING LANGUAGE
The working language of the meeting will be English. No simultaneous interpretation will be provided.
7. IAEA SECRETARIAT
The IAEA Scientific Secretary for the meeting is Ms Anne Kerhoas of the Division of Nuclear Installation Safety.
Address: International Atomic Energy Agency
PO Box 100, Wagramer Strasse 5
1400 Vienna, Austria
Ms Anne Kerhoas
Tel: +43-1-2600 22656
Fax: +43-1-26007
Email: a.kerhoas@iaea.org
Administrative assistance:
Ms Yuliya Yushko
Tel + 43-1-2600 26069
Email: y.yushko@iaea.org
8. VISAS
Designated participants who require a visa to enter Austria or any other Schengen State should submit the necessary application to the nearest diplomatic or consular representative of that State as soon as possible. In the case of Austria, persons who require a visa have to apply for a Schengen visa at least 14 days before entry into Austria. In States where Austria has no diplomatic mission, visas can be obtained from the consular authority of a Schengen Partner State representing Austria in the country in question.
9. EXPENDITURE
The costs of the Technical Meeting are borne by the IAEA; no registration fee is charged to participants.
Travel and subsistence expenses of participants will not be borne by the IAEA. Limited funds are, however, available to help cover the cost of participants from countries eligible to receive technical assistance under the technical cooperation programme. Such assistance can be offered, upon specific request, to one participant per country provided that, in the IAEA’s view, this participant will make an important contribution to the meeting. The application for financial support should be made at the time of designation of the participant.
10. APPLICATION PROCEDURES
Nominations should be submitted on the attached Participation Form (attachment A). Completed forms should be endorsed by and returned through the official channels. They must be received by the IAEA not later than 31 December 2010. Nominations received after that date or applications sent directly by individuals or by private institutions cannot be considered. Nominating Governments will be informed in due course of the names of the selected candidates and at that time full details will be given on the procedures to be followed with regard to administrative and financial matters.
11. LOCAL ARRANGEMENTS
The Technical Meeting will be held in The Press Room (MOE), , at the IAEA’s Headquarters in Vienna, Austria, and will start on Tuesday, 15 February 2011 at 9.30 a.m. and end at 12 p.m. on Friday, 18 February 2011. You are kindly requested to be at Checkpoint 1/Gate 1 of the Vienna International Centre (VIC) at least half an hour before the meeting starts to allow adequate time for your photo badge to be issued. Please bring some form of a personal identification with you, such as a national passport, so you can identify yourself to the Security Officers at Checkpoint 1.
The Technical Meeting agenda and local details, together with information on local arrangements, will be sent to designated participants when the completed participation forms have been received.
12. ACCESS TO THE VENUE VIENNA INTERNATION CENTRE
By public transportation
The Vienna International Centre (VIC) can be reached with the U-Bahn by taking the line U1 (marked in red on city maps, herewith attached) towards Leopoldau and getting off at the station Kaisermühlen-Vienna International Centre. Single tickets, multiple tickets for 2, 4 or 8 rides or for 1, 3 or 8 days, and weekly tickets can be purchased from vending machines in all U-Bahn stations or at tobacco shops marked Tabak Trafik, and also at the VIC newspaper stand located in building C. The weekly ticket is valid Monday through Sunday with unlimited use of all Viennese public transport facilities (U-Bahn, bus, tramway, S-Bahn (Schnellbahn)).
Further information can be obtained at: www.wienerlinien.at
By taxi
As all participants will have to go through the registration formalities, passengers should ask the driver to drop them off at Wagramer Strasse 5, Gate 1. For departures, a taxi may be requested at Security Services, Gate 1. An additional fee is charged for taxis ordered by telephone. The customary tip in Austria for taxi drivers is 10% of the fare. Please note that there may be an extra charge for luggage, which is not shown on the meter.
From Vienna Airport
By bus: The Vienna Airport Lines operate seven days a week, at hourly intervals, from 6:10–20:10. The VIC bus station is located on Wagramer Strasse in front of Gate 1. The trip takes about 30 minutes.
By train: There are two options: First is the S-Bahn (Schnellbahn) from the airport to the City Air Terminal located next to the Hotel Hilton. The S-Bahn leaves approximately every 30 minutes. The trip takes about 25 minutes. After arriving at the City Air Terminal change to the underground line U4 and then U1 (see info listed under public transportation) to get to the VIC. The second option is the City Airport Train (CAT), linking the airport with the City Air Terminal. The trip takes about 16 minutes (passenger fare is €9 for a single ticket and €16 for a return ticket).
For further information, please visit: www.cityairporttrain.com and www.tripadvisor.com.
13. HOTEL ACCOMMODATION
A list of hotels close to the meeting venue offering negotiated room rates for participants attending IAEA meetings is herewith attached.
14. PROCEEDINGS
The outputs of the meeting will be published in a technical report in electronic form.