Maintaining Quality in a Decommissioning Environment

Attas, Michael

Title: Maintaining Quality in a Decommissioning Environment

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Abstract

The decommissioning of AECL's Whiteshell Laboratories is Canada's largest nuclear decommissioning project to date. This research laboratory has operated for forty years since it was set up in 1963 in eastern Manitoba as the Whiteshell Nuclear Research Establishment, complete with 60 MW(Th) test reactor, hot cells, particle accelerators, and multiple large-scale research programs. Returning the site to almost complete green state will require several decades of steady work in combination with periods of storage-with-surveillance. In this paper our approach to maintaining quality during the long decommissioning period is explained. In this context, 'quality' includes both regulatory aspects (compliance with required standards) and business aspects (meeting the customers' needs and exceeding their expectations). Both aspects are discussed, including examples and lessons learned. The five years of development and implementation of a quality assurance program for decommissioning the WL site have led to a number of lessons learned. Many of these are also relevant to other decommissioning projects, in Canada and elsewhere: - Early discussions with the regulator can save time and effort later in the process; - An iterative process in developing documentation allows for steady improvements and input throughout the process; - Consistent 2-way communication with staff regarding the benefitsmore »« less

Authors:

Attas, Michael ^[1]

Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, Whiteshell Laboratories, Pinawa, Manitoba, R0E 1L0 (Canada)

Publication Date:: Tue Jan 15 00:00:00 EST 2008

Research Org.:: American Nuclear Society, 555 North Kensington Avenue, La Grange Park, Illinois 60526 (United States)

OSTI Identifier:: 21144222

Resource Type:: Conference

Resource Relation:: Conference: DD and R 2007: ANS Topical Meeting on Decommissioning, Decontamination, and Reutilization 2007, Chattanooga, TN (United States), 16-19 Sep 2007; Other Information: Country of input: France; Related Information: In: Proceedings of the 2007 ANS Topical Meeting on Decommissioning, Decontamination, and Reutilization - DD and R 2007, 336 pages.

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS//MATHEMATICS, COMPUTING, AND INFORMATION SCIENCE; DECOMMISSIONING; HOT CELLS; HOT LABS; MANITOBA; QUALITY ASSURANCE; SAFETY; TEST REACTORS; WNRE

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                    Attas, Michael. Maintaining Quality in a Decommissioning Environment.  United States: N. p., 2008. 
        Web.

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                    Attas, Michael. Maintaining Quality in a Decommissioning Environment.  United States.

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                    Attas, Michael. 2008.  
        "Maintaining Quality in a Decommissioning Environment".  United States.

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@article{osti_21144222,

  title        = {Maintaining Quality in a Decommissioning Environment},

  author       = {Attas, Michael},

  abstractNote = {The decommissioning of AECL's Whiteshell Laboratories is Canada's largest nuclear decommissioning project to date. This research laboratory has operated for forty years since it was set up in 1963 in eastern Manitoba as the Whiteshell Nuclear Research Establishment, complete with 60 MW(Th) test reactor, hot cells, particle accelerators, and multiple large-scale research programs. Returning the site to almost complete green state will require several decades of steady work in combination with periods of storage-with-surveillance. In this paper our approach to maintaining quality during the long decommissioning period is explained. In this context, 'quality' includes both regulatory aspects (compliance with required standards) and business aspects (meeting the customers' needs and exceeding their expectations). Both aspects are discussed, including examples and lessons learned. The five years of development and implementation of a quality assurance program for decommissioning the WL site have led to a number of lessons learned. Many of these are also relevant to other decommissioning projects, in Canada and elsewhere: - Early discussions with the regulator can save time and effort later in the process; - An iterative process in developing documentation allows for steady improvements and input throughout the process; - Consistent 2-way communication with staff regarding the benefits of a quality program assists greatly in adoption of the philosophy and procedures; - Top-level management must lead in promoting quality; - Field trials of procedures ('beta testing') ensures they are easy to use as well as useful. Success in decommissioning the Whiteshell Laboratories depends on the successful implementation of a rigorous quality program. This will help to ensure both safety and efficiency of all activities on site, from planning through execution and reporting. The many aspects of maintaining this program will continue to occupy quality practitioners in AECL, reaping steady benefits to AECL and to its customers, the people of Canada.},

  doi          = {},

  url          = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/21144222},
  journal      = {},
number       = ,

  volume       = ,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Tue Jan 15 00:00:00 EST 2008},

  month        = {Tue Jan 15 00:00:00 EST 2008}

}

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