Human-factors considerations in emergency procedure implementation

The authors describe the effort expended by the Westinghouse Owners Group (WOG) in developing human-factored emergency response guidance in response to requirements imposed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) following the accident at Three Mile Island. They also address additional human-factors concerns identified in NRC audits of plant-specific emergency operating procedures, which were developed from the generic WOG guidance. Particular emphasis is placed on the development of an example guideline format and writing style that enables the efficient transfer of the appropriate information to the operator during transients and accidents. Concerns identified by the NRC in its audits of plant-specific emergency operating procedures are discussed together with utility responses and suggested resolutions to these audit findings.<>