Inspection plant safety programs

The aforementioned reviews and assessments were assimilated to characterize the effect of dielectric, rotational, and mechanical hazards on motor performance and operational readiness. Functional indicators were identified that can be monitored to assess motor component deterioration caused by aging or other accidental stressors. The study also includes a preliminary discussion of current standards and guides, maintenance programs, and research activities pertaining to nuclear power plant safety-related electric motors. Included are motor manufacturer recommendations, responses from repair facilities to a questionnaire, in-service inspection data, expert knowledge, USNRC-IE audit reports, and standards and guides published by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). 

Mr. Ken Robertson, president of Exxon Chemical America, discussed protective programs or mechanical integrity programs in a keynote address at the Chemical Manufacturers Association s Plant Inspection and Maintenance Forum in 1990. Indicating that public expectations are increasing, Mr. Robertson noted that there is less tolerance for oil and chemical spills as well as tragic plant safety incidents. [7]... 

Periodic inspections must be scheduled for the various departments and for the entire plant at stated intervals. Special inspections should also be conducted as needed. These must be incorporated into the overall safety program along with inspection sheets, instructions, and enforcement rules. Inspections of detectors, alarms, personal and fire protection equipment, and accident scenes (Appendix 3) are usually handled as special assignments. At the same time, all employees are expected to keep a constant check on their own safety equipment. 

Scriven (1967) first distinguished between the formative and summative roles of evaluation. Formative evaluations, conducted during the implementation of a safety program, provide directors information that helps improve the program. Formative evaluation typically involves content inspection by experts, pilot tests with small numbers of workers, field tests with larger numbers of workers in several plants, and so forth. Each step results in immediate feedback to the developers, who would then use the information to make necessary revisions (Worthen and Sanders 1987,34). 

Once construction of the plant kis commenced, field inspection concentrates on the quality, of materials of construction, fabrication and inspection methods, and component testing. By this time a plant commissioning program that details the plant tests Important to safety is formally required. No product material may be intro-... 

OSHA has the right of entry to any site to inspect or investigate for compliance with federal regulations. This does not reduce the responsibility of the plant owner, who should, at a minimum, monitor contractor incident reports for adverse trends. The owner should also have a program of surveillance by which he can monitor the contractor s day-to-day adherence to plant safety rules. 

Other parts of this section discuss the management of change, emergency response plans, permit programs for hazardous operations, incident investigation, the use of safety manuals and incentive programs, and plant safety inspections. 

The amount of special safety training needed for the safety reps is minimal. They need to know the hazards and safe work practices in their part of the plant. The safety reps should also be trained in conducting workplace safety inspections and monitoring the safety program s effectiveness. The safety reps will prove to be very useful sources of information when it comes time to update the system safety analysis or make a change in the process. 

The audit includes a review of the process safety information, inspection of the physical facilities, and interviews with all levels of plant personnel. Using the procedures and checklist, the team systematically analyzes compliance with the PSM Rule and any other relevant corporate policies. The training program is reviewed for adequacy of content, frequency and effectiveness of training. Interviews determine employee knowledge and awareness ofthe safety procedures, duties, rules, and emergency response assignments. The team identifies deficiencies in the application of safety and health policies, procedures, and work authorization practices to determine live actions. 

In 1992, the Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS), a section of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, released a how-to book [28] which contains practical appendices on inspection and test procedures. These appendices comprise the practices at major chemical manufacturing facilities. Chapter 8 should be consulted for specific information and actual plant programs. 

Regular, systematic inspections coupled with an adequate maintenance program enhance the safety of all operations. However, only trained personnel who are aware of the hazards associated with malfunctions of the equipment should be permitted to work on low-temperature and related systems. Numerous accidents have occurred as a result of repairs made by personnel who are not familiar with hazards associated with the cryogenic fluids and the interactions of these fluids with their surroundings. A safe plant or test facility can be completely destroyed by the replacement of one component incorrectly. 

After three years preparation, the TV inspection of the primary circuits internals has been successfully issued in April 2001. The Novatome division of Framatome-ANP, completed the extensive non-destructive inspection program requested by the Phenix plant with an inspection of the primary circuit internals. Included in its service package were the setting up of the TV inspection — which required the partial draining of the primary-side sodium — the supervision of the supply of various materials needed to be developed and qualified, and the actual carrying out of die inspection. Justification studies for the inspection were carried out at the same time focusing on the thermalhydraulic, safety and radiation protection aspects affected by the lowering of the sodium level in the primary vessel. 

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