Assessment of criticality safety in DOE facilities
A study was made to assess nuclear criticality safety in DOE Facilities and to assess the effects of various types of possible improvements. The accident statistics in DOE operations show that the fatalities caused by Nuclear Criticality accidents are small compared to other accident categories. The data show the safety performance after 1965, compared to prior years, was considerably improved indicating that overall safety programs have been effective. Data on criticality safety violations were collected from eight major facilities. These data were categorized by severity indexes and causes were assigned. A total of 421 violations were used in the data base for analysis in a fault tree model. Calculations were made using the fault tree methodology to show expected improvement in safety (reduction in probability of a criticality accident) for a fixed reduction in the number of criticality violations. Based on this analysis, about equal emphasis should be placed on reducing mechanical failures and operator errors as efforts in these two areas will likely produce the most significant improvements in safety. A criticality safety infraction form was prepared to facilitate uniformity in recording data on infractions for subsequent analysis. Discussions with Nuclear Safety Specialists working in the field instilled confidence that criticality safety is being handled by concerned, capable, and knowledgable persons.
- Research Organization:
- Battelle Pacific Northwest Labs., Richland, WA (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC06-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 6136869
- Report Number(s):
- PNL-3790; ON: DE81029822
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
42 ENGINEERING
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
RADIATION ACCIDENTS
SAFETY
CRITICALITY
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FEED MATERIALS PLANTS
FUEL FABRICATION PLANTS
FUEL REPROCESSING PLANTS
GASEOUS DIFFUSION PLANTS
NUCLEAR INDUSTRY
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
US DOE
USA
ACCIDENTS
DATA
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
INDUSTRY
INFORMATION
ISOTOPE SEPARATION PLANTS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
POWER PLANTS
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
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054000* - Nuclear Fuels- Health & Safety
420203 - Engineering- Handling Equipment & Procedures
050700 - Nuclear Fuels- Fuels Production & Properties
050500 - Nuclear Fuels- Uranium Enrichment
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