Abstract
This paper outlines the main Human Factors/Ergonomic tasks to be solved to enhance the safety of the Shelter (Sarcophagus) of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plants's destroyed Unit #4 during current maintanance and forthcoming reconstruction as were observed during our visit to this site.
The convential Human Factors problems are connected to personnel activities such as: traffic organization, radiation cartography, communications, monitoring of the personnel activity inside the Shelter, protective clothes, instruments, illumination, and ventilation.
Macroergonomic problems include: uncertainty, risk to health, and high technical level of instruments and equipment used. Shelter workers have to assimilate many different professions and the scope of their training needs to be very large. Both situational and spatial uncertainties of the Shelter set special training problems. Three dimensional models and virtual reality tools are needed to help in solve these problems. Psychological training should also be conducted.
The investigation was performed within the framework of cooperation between Russian an American ergonomists (Parsons et al. 1992).
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