Translating Human Factors Research to Regulatory Guidance in the Nuclear Industry

Abstract

The human factors staff of the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) reviews nuclear power plant control room designs and modifications to verify that they incorporate human factors principles to support safe and reliable performance. Applying a standardized approach to guidance development is critical to ensure the regulatory review process is transparent, consistent, and technically defensible. The fundamental steps involved in the NRC’s human factors guidance development methodology include, (1) user needs analysis, (2) technical basis and guidance development, (3) peer review, and (4) guidance integration and publication. Yet there is also nuance in applying these steps depending on the topic, maturity of the state of knowledge, and applicability of past research to the nuclear industry. This paper expands on the 4-step process to highlight areas important to the translation of research into guidance, especially as the complexity and interactions among technical areas increase with more advanced concepts of operation.