India

5.10.1. General description of the SAT methodology used

The term systematic approach to training (SAT) was introduced in India in Indian NPPs only in 1990, after IAEA-TECDOC-525 was published. An attempt was made to implement the concept as a pilot project m mechanical maintenance training and qualification. Detailed task listings for major pumps were attempted but had to be abandoned due to extremely high resource demands with concurrent priorities of on-going training activities However, all-out efforts towards improving human performance m NPPs were also launched around this time in India, thanks to international work made available on good practices and human factors. A strong foundation of technical training built over operating experience of twenty-five years rendered easy identification of performance deficiencies m general and of human element m particular Continuous feedback by various evaluators by then had already built a logical structure for qualification of all NPP personnel It was, therefore, feasible to undertake m nineties, SAT based training systems m parts using now more friendly the "Job-competencies" criteria as outlined in the IAEA Technical Reports Series No. 380 There is a strong management commitment to slowly, but, progressively implement this methodology m all disciplines of training The text below summarizes the process of our organization learning and concludes with a typical illustration of SAT application to nuclear power plant maintenance qualification

5 10 1 1 Training aims and experiences in the 1970s & 1980s

In the seventies, with just two to three units operating, the aim was to master and manage the high technology m nuclear power plant and provide adequate skilled manpower out of fresh trainees The training addressed NPP orientation, safeties and basic commissioning skills. The regulatory mandates then, were in general terms applicable only to the licensing of shift charge engineer and the control room operator and to a limited extent, the fuel handling panel operator. A policy decision was taken at this stage to provide intensive foundation training to all operations & maintenance (O&M) personnel lasting 1 year to 2 years, allocate to commissioning stages and eventually place them in O&M positions An on-going system of induction of trainees with matching resources of nuclear training centre and commissioning based on-job training practices could got then established

With the introduction of more nuclear power plants m India in the eighties the scope of regulatory and corporate evaluation of training increased. The role played by direct operations was endorsed, but that of maintenance, QA and trainers staff were also highlighted. The contributions made by members at all levels from tradesmen to management towards safety were underlined, As a result, it was necessary to expand the scope of entire system as given below.

• Senior management officials with non-licensed background needed to have broader competencies, i.e either a license for operation or at least a special additional qualification that focuses on safety culture, design and operation safety and root cause analysis.

• Commissioning trained system experts needed more training to get licensed to operation engineers position due to their divided attention to commissioning tasks and self training for licensing

• On-job trainers lacked experience in specifying the learning goals and standards for each task They also lacked perspectives of human factors in learning

• Shift charge engineers had not been exposed to operational experience in on-power refueling as rightly observed by regulators

Licensed staff used as examiners for written examinations did not have specific guidelines m formulating of tests and there were non uniformity across nuclear power plants

Trainers did not find adequate challenge, being busy with administrative co-ordination and academic teachings Their contribution in on-job training was limited because of its highly routine, unstructured nature

5 10 1 2 Correctives actions — 1980s

The following improvements were brought about m the training system of eighties

• A revised five level organization, with specific competencies requirements at each level for all positions in operations, maintenance, technical services and training centre, was put in effect This structured all qualifications and also provided equal opportunity and career to all, including support personnel

• A separate system of training and operation qualification for management personnel was implemented This strengthened management skills

• A special procedure was designed and implemented for training shift charge engineers towards on-power refueling this created a more cohesive on-shift organization

• A one year compulsory formal nuclear training on plant systems and on-job orientation on shift operation was put in effect for all engineers This paved way for licensing up to management levels

• Simulators, both full scope as well as PC based, were taken up as in house effort Trainers got new challenges in contributing as trainers, simulator developers as well as intermittently m duties of qualified nuclear power plant O&M engineers Trainer motivation towards developing training resources increased

• More nuclear training centres (NTC) were set up Each NTC was equipped among others things mock-ups/loops for hands-on training, e g assembly and seal replacement of reactor coolant pumps, ice plugging reactor feeder pipes, stroking and testing control valves, setting motorized valve actuator switches, and calibration and testing of instruments and so on

• Training quality as well as trainer effectiveness accordingly improved because of improved training settings

• A centralized licensing examination system for all stations were created The bank was designed on SAT principles, i e defining job competencies for each licensed position, designing knowledge and skill test items and implementing through matching training and testing activities from headquarters and fully endorsed by regulators Similarly, job competencies were structured for all non licensed and maintenance positions also in the form of a Corporate document on qualifications

5 10 1 3 Training needs — 1990s

The early 1990s saw emergence of concepts of organization development with key words

"root causes", "human factors", "systematic approach to training" guiding all actions It is here, where the corporate management set the minimum nuclear power plant performance goal as "not more than one outage per month"

This goal has now been more than achieved in Indian nuclear power plants. Yet in early 1990s, the performance was to be enhanced and accordingly training system was put for review for improving human performance. Even though our training system imparted adequately, the appropriate technical concepts and skills, there was a need to assess human performance. This could be possible only if we could sensitize station personnel towards systematic self assessment to find out real causes and perform problem solving to avoid recurrence of inappropriate actions. This was done in steps below.

• Train in the first step, a group of 20 root cause analysis facilitators through a US consultant.

• Developed specific diagnostic training packages focusing on human deficiencies and conducted a series of workshops on problem solving in nuclear power plants. In parallel, a massive needs survey was organized.

• Each training workshop, as a bonus, provided voluminous diagnostic data on "attitude deficiencies" e.g.

- "lack of verification culture"

- "lack of team work and supervision"

- "failure to follow procedure"

- "inadequate communication".

• A consensus was arrived on such cases that while level of technical skills was adequate, special training programmes were needed on

- self assessment - team training - quality assurance.

• Maintenance training, on-job training to be precise, was taken up for detailed examination.

Examples below typified findings of human knowledge, skills and attitudes deficiencies.

- inattention of maintainers causing inappropriate actions of sudden ground faults, lifting leads, left-open drain valves, left closed guard valves, etc., was all found due to lack of knowledge of importance of the job on hand

- poor workmanship due to haste on pump seals replacement or flange gaskets was due to lack of verification checks

- untrained maintainers did overgrazing due to lack of supervision causing bum-out of motors.

Only in cases of new technologies adopted in new nuclear power plants did certain personnel show inadequate technical skills acquired through training.

5.10.1.4. Training system improvements — 1990s

The following outlines the initiatives and decisions taken to bring in needed improvements.

• All training packages would incorporate tailored team training, root cause analysis and quality orientation.

Continuing training would include periodic reviews of all significant events by licensed staff and bring out specific data on human deficiencies. These provide continuously organizational

Hiaimnctno (Jat3 tOO.

Maintenance personnel in recently commissioned nuclear power plants/new units would undergo only SAT based qualification programme. A beginning for one of the nuclear power plants is already made and the system has been described here later Mock-up training equipment is being built in new units

PC based trainers for complex I&C systems such as, micro-processor based controllers would be made available during commissioning of new units This has been developed in house.

As on-power refueling system simulator would be built m-house to tram and license refueling as well as main plant personnel.

Full scope simulator training including LOCA training being now mandatory, would be made available m-house and well before cnticahty of new units The lesson plans for them would include not only technical skills building, but also human factors such as team work, communication and supervision cases

An integrated corporate organization for HKD and training was built which paved way for implementation and control of staffing, training and career planning from one standpoint Top management reviews and issues directives m monthly meetings for developing, implementing and evaluating SAT based training activities, which provided continuous impetus to trainers and line managers on SAT

5.10.2. Role of regulators

The training and qualification systems are developed in Indian nuclear power plants with continuous communication and concurrence of the regulators. Regulators audit periodically all licensing practices, oversee staffing and training activities and conduct expert reviews of training and qualification. In particular, regulators participate in licensing assessment interviews and have key role in such decision making. Regulators also approve or advise on administrative procedures followed for licensing A set of codes and guides on the subject are also being published shortly. SAT, however, is not yet a regulatory requirement.

5.10.3. Experience gained through introduction and use of SAT

During our efforts to introduce SAT, we leamt several lessons Some of these are:

• There are mental barriers to provide data on root causes on human deficiencies. We solved this by using massive training workshops as producers of fast and reliable sources of data for

"needs analysis". Training setting provides a conducive, objective climate for free and frank examination not otherwise easy to do

• Root cause analysis (RCA) provided a powerful tool and culture to separate human deficiencies from other equipment or procedural defects, as also solutions that are best served by training improvements. Unless thinking is root cause, training improvements might only add more training burden Without this tool of RCA, training needs analysis would not be effective

« Training department personnel are to be developed and motivated as owners of SAT based programme. They will get specialized on SAT and as SAT based training design is expressed in the language of plant managers, they give ready acceptance and value-addition to trainers efforts in this direction

• However, massive training to SAT facilitators and selected line managers are necessary for speedy implementation and acceptance. Lot of resistance or indifference, initially, came only due to ignorance about SAT.

• Government of India has a scheme for developing trainers on design of training: on SAT principles. We found this programme as very effective for training SAT facilitators, who could extend the methodology even to administration, finance and materials management personnel, besides in core areas.

• SAT based training materials are very demanding in terms of time, efforts and skills and require considerable planning. Unless materials are available, no trainer can discharge trainer duties on SAT lines and SAT implementation would suffer.

• Training setting for certain on-job training on operation & maintenance were very effective in manufacturers works or R&D test loops or during construction. However, this limited breadth of trainees/candidate knowledge and skills and shift charge engineers did not get enough training time to master other areas. This increased licensing time.

• Licensed operation engineers were found best trainers as subject matter experts (for SAT methodology) on process systems. However, for I&C and electrical systems, maintenance qualified engineers are best resource persons.

• Continuing training must be designed using finding of all root cause analyses and for this retraining course members are best trained as resource persons to analyse, develop and implement training.

• A central agency to continuously analyse all incidents for human factor analysis is a must for developing and upgrading training packages on SAT lines. This is the best evaluation of training, using root cause analysis.

5.10.4. How SAT based training programmes are maintained

The trainers, along with corporate head quarters, have been assigned major role to support line managers in implementing SAT based programmes. The logistics such as data bases of competencies are being jointly developed by trainers and line managers. Trainers have been trained to facilitate maintenance of SAT based programmes and will carry out this duty as we make more progress in this direction.