Search results for "nuclear power plant"
showing 10 items of 30 documents
The (de)politicisation of nuclear power: The Finnish discussion after Fukushima
2017
When the Fukushima accident occurred in March 2011, Finland was at the height of a nuclear renaissance, with the Government’s decision-in-principle in 2010 to allow construction of two new nuclear reactors. This article examines the nuclear power debate in Finland after Fukushima. We deploy the concepts of (de)politicisation and hyperpoliticisation in the analysis of articles in the country’s main newspaper. Our analysis indicates that Finnish nuclear exceptionalism manifested in the safety-related depoliticising and the nation’s prosperity-related hyperpoliticisation arguments of the pro-nuclear camp. The anti-nuclear camp used politicisation strategies, such as economic arguments, to sho…
Manufacturing Risk Identification in the Steel Industry
2020
The steel manufacturing industry is an inseparable part of the nuclear power plant construction project. This industry is a business full of dynamics, risks, and challenges. The implementation of risk management becomes an obligation that must be executed in managing this very complex project. In general, risk management in manufacturing includes steps to understand and identify potential problems that may occur, evaluate, monitor, and handle risks. The main risk management objectives are to prevent or minimize adverse effects due to unforeseen events through risk aversion or preparation of contingency plans related to those risks. This paper describes the identification of risk factors and…
HUMAN SAFETY PERFORMANCE IN HIGH RELIABILITY ORGANIZATIONS: THE CASE OF THE NUCLEAR INDUSTRY
2018
Over the last few decades, the study of safety in high reliability organizations has not paid enough attention to the human role and its contribution to a reliable operation. Therefore, the literature about human safety performance is scarce and disjointed. The present paper integrates the existing knowledge on workers’ safety performance in high risk industries, specifically in the nuclear industry. In order to do this, we provide a literature review in which the concept of “safety performance” is clarified, and at the same time, we present the most recent research studies and models on this concept.
Linking empowering leadership to safety participation in nuclear power plants: a structural equation model.
2012
Abstract Introduction Safety participation is of paramount importance in guaranteeing the safe running of nuclear power plants. Method The present study examined the effects of empowering leadership on safety participation. Results Based on a sample of 495 employees from two Spanish nuclear power plants, structural equation modeling showed that empowering leadership has a significant relationship with safety participation, which is mediated by collaborative team learning. In addition, the results revealed that the relationship between empowering leadership and collaborative learning is partially mediated by the promotion of dialogue and open communication. Conclusions The implications of th…
Testing the validity of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safety culture model
2012
This paper takes the first steps to empirically validate the widely used model of safety culture of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), composed of five dimensions, further specified by 37 attributes. To do so, three independent and complementary studies are presented. First, 290 students serve to collect evidence about the face validity of the model. Second, 48 experts in organizational behavior judge its content validity. And third, 468 workers in a Spanish nuclear power plant help to reveal how closely the theoretical five-dimensional model can be replicated. Our findings suggest that several attributes of the model may not be related to their corresponding dimensions. Accordi…
Spanish validation of the mindful organizing scale: A questionnaire for the assessment of collective mindfulness
2018
Abstract Introduction Mindful organizing (also known as collective mindfulness) is a team level construct that is said to underpin the principles of high-reliability organizations (HROs), as it has shown to lead to almost error-free performance. While mindful organizing research has proliferated in recent years, studies on how to measure mindful organizing are scarce. Vogus and Sutcliffe (2007) originally validated a nine-item “Mindful Organizing Scale” but few subsequent validation studies of this scale exist. The present study aimed to validate a Spanish version of the Mindful Organizing Scale. Method The sample included 47 teams (comprising of a total of 573 workers with an average team …
RADIONUCLIDE CONCENTRATIONS IN AIR PARTICULATE AT PALERMO (ITALY) FOLLOWING FUKUSHIMA ACCIDENT
2012
Following the Fukushima accident, a series of samplings were carried out with a daily frequency to detect the arrival of radioactive contamination in air at Palermo (Italy) and to follow its evolution during the time. Air particulate collection was performed by suction of atmospheric air through cellulose filter paper by means of a high-volume air sampler (∼15 000 m(3) d(-1)). Spectrometric analysis of the filters highlights the presence of (131)I, (134)Cs, (137)Cs and, only for a few samples, traces of (132)Te-(132)I and (136)Cs. Maximum airborne concentrations were 883 μBq m(-3) for (131)I (only particulate), 81 μBq m(-3) for (137)Cs and 70 μBq m(-3) for (134)Cs. From a dose to population…
Desenvolupament i validació d'una metodologia per a l'avaluació de la cultura de seguretat per mitjà de l'observació de reunions de treball en una ce…
2010
L'objectiu d'aquest treball és descriure el desenvolupament i la validació d'una metodologia per a avaluar la cultura de seguretat per mitjà de l'observació de reunions de treball. Es va partir de la definició de cultura de seguretat més estesa dins el sector (International Atomic Energy Agency, 1991), les cinc dimensions que presenta i els atributs corresponents. La validesa d'aquesta metodologia es posà a prova en una central nuclear mitjançant l'observació d'un total de 36 reunions de treball de naturalesa molt diversa. Els resultats indiquen que l'observació de les reunions és un mètode útil per a l'avaluació de la cultura de seguretat. Comparada amb els mètodes tradicionals per a fer a…
Safety culture assessment in high reliability organizations: the use of questionnaires in the nuclear industry
2017
El objetivo principal de esta tesis es proporcionar una visión general de las formas actuales de entender, tratar, y evaluar la cultura de la seguridad (poniendo un énfasis particular en la industria nuclear y en la utilización de cuestionarios), y proporcionar orientación a los investigadores y profesionales sobre cómo capturar la cultura de seguridad de las centrales nucleares. Para ello, la tesis actual incluye los siguientes capítulos: CAPÍTULO I - Se presenta una breve introducción a la industria nuclear. Asimismo se presentan algunos de los más destacables pros y contras de la energía nuclear, y desafíos importantes a los que la industria nuclear se estado enfrentando en los últimos a…
Leadership and employees’ perceived safety behaviours in a nuclear power plant: A structural equation model
2011
Leadership is considered an essential element in guaranteeing the safe running of organizations. The purpose of the present study is to find out how leader behaviours influence employees' safety behaviours (perceived safety behaviours) in the nuclear field. In an attempt to answer this question, the authors of this research have considered the way this influence is exercised, taking into consideration some important factors like safety culture and safety climate. To achieve this, the empowerment leadership model, based on a behavioural approach to leadership, was used. The sample was made up of 566 employees from a Spanish nuclear power plant. The results indicated that when safety culture …