Home > NRC Library > Document Collections > Generic Communications > Information Notices > 1993 > IN 93­

81

Information Notice No. 93­81: Implementation of Engineering

Expertise on Shift

UNITED STATES

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555

October 12, 1993

NRC INFORMATION NOTICE 93‐81: IMPLEMENTATION OF ENGINEERING EXPERTISE ON

SHIFT

Addressees

All holders of operating licenses or construction permits for nuclear power

reactors.

Purpose

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing this information

notice to alert addressees to potential problems resulting from the

ineffective implementation of the requirement for licensees to provide

engineering expertise on shift. It is expected that recipients will review

the information for applicability to their facilities and consider actions, as

appropriate, to avoid similar problems. However, suggestions contained in

this information notice are not NRC requirements; therefore, no specific

action or written response is required.

Description of Circumstances

As a result of recommendations to the industry and the NRC regarding

improvement of the ability of shift operating personnel to recognize,

diagnose, and effectively deal with plant transients or other abnormal plant

conditions following the accident at Three Mile Island in March 1979, each

nuclear power plant is required to have a shift technical advisor (STA) on

duty. The STA's function is to provide engineering and accident assessment

expertise to the shift supervisor in the event of abnormal or accident

conditions. The STA requirement was communicated to licensees in NUREG‐0578

(July 1979) and NUREG‐0737, Item I.A.1.1 (November 1980).

On September 25, 1985 the NRC approved the "Policy Statement on Engineering

Expertise on Shift," published in the Federal Register (50 FR 43621) on

October 28, 1985. This policy statement provides licensees two options for

meeting the STA requirement. Option 1 permits licensees to combine one of the

required on‐shift senior reactor operator (SRO) positions with the STA

position into a "dual role" position (SRO/STA). Option 2 permits licensees to

place on each shift a dedicated STA who is qualified and participates in

normal shift activities.

Recent NRC and industry surveys and studies, including the Office for Analysis
and Evaluation of Operational Data (AEOD) study "Operating Experience Feedback

Report ‐ Human Performance in Operating Events," Volume 8 of NUREG‐1275,

December 1992, have noted some weaknesses and considerable diversity in

licensee implementation of the STA requirement. "On‐call" STAs are in use at

9310060239

.

IN 93‐81

October 12, 1993

Page 2 of 3

14 of the 79 operating units that use dedicated STAs. Several of these

licensees have STAs whose responsibilities do not include participation in

such normal shift activities as shift turnover, plant log review, and shift

training. In addition, the NRC continues to identify potential problems with

some licensee's implementation of the "dual role" SRO/STA. Improper task

allocation may lead to the overburdening of the SRO/STA during an event,

particularly if that individual has been assigned additional duties. Improper

task allocation also could result in the remaining control room personnel

being overburdened when the "dual role" SRO/STA assumes the STA function.

Furthermore, some licensees assign the STA to concurrent roles such as

communicator or fire brigade member during an event. For example, according

to the procedures at one facility, the STA would respond to a fire as the fire

brigade leader rather than performing those functions identified for the STA

in the Commission's policy statement.

Discussion

The following are excerpts from the Federal Register notice promulgating the

Commission's "Policy Statement on Engineering Expertise on Shift:" "[The NRC]

required that as of January 1, 1980, each nuclear power plant have on duty a

Shift Technical Advisor (STA) whose function was to provide engineering and

accident assessment advice to the Shift Supervisor in the event of abnormal or

accident conditions....In this Policy Statement, .accident assessment. means

immediate actions needed to be taken while an event is in progress....The

[dedicated] STA should assume an active role in shift activities. For

example, the [dedicated] STA should review plant logs, participate in shift

turnover activities, and maintain an awareness of plant configuration and

status."

The above circumstances indicate the potential for distraction from or

interference with STA duties when the STA serves in concurrent roles such as

fire brigade leader or communicator. Timely response to the need for

engineering expertise in the control room of an affected unit was one of the

primary reasons for requiring an STA on shift.

The Commission's policy statement assumes that the STA will have an active

role in shift activities. STA review of plant logs, participation in shift

turnover activities, and maintenance of an awareness of plant configuration

and status is clearly contemplated by the policy statement.

Proper implementation of the STA requirement can provide significant assurance

that engineering expertise is available and accident assessment is carried out

for the immediate actions needed to be taken while an event is in progress.

This information notice, which affords licensees the opportunity to review

their STA programs and assure that all appropriate areas are addressed, was

provided in advance to the Commission as part of SECY‐93‐193. That SECY paper

states that staff follow‐up will be conducted through performance based

evaluations of operational events.
.

IN 93‐81

October 12, 1993

Page 3 of 3

Related Generic Communications

1. NRC Generic Letter 86‐04, "Policy Statement on Engineering Expertise on

Shift," dated February 13, 1986.

2. NRC Information Notice 91‐77, "Shift Staffing at Nuclear Power Plants,"

dated November 26, 1991.

This information notice requires no specific action or written response. If

you have any questions about the information in this notice, please contact

one of the technical contacts listed below or the appropriate Office of

Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) project manager.

Brian K. Grimes, Director

Division of Operating Reactor Support

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Technical contacts: Jesse A. Arildsen, NRR

(301) 504‐1026

Warren H. Swenson, NRR

(301) 504‐1015

Attachment: List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

.

Page Last Reviewed/Updated Tuesday, November 12, 2013