Human Factors Verification and Validation: Tecnatom’s Experience

Tecnatom has been performing Human Factors Engineering Verification and Validation (HFE V&V) from the mid-eighties. This activity started as one of the various activities of the post TMI requirements followed also in Spain: performing detailed Control Room Design Reviews (DCRDRs). All the existing Spanish Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) were reviewed to identify Human Engineering Discrepancies (HEDs). DCRDRs were completed by the mid-nineties, and the following V&V activities have been related to new designs and plant modifications as part of the activities described in the Human Factors Program Review Model (HFE PRM), included in NUREG-0711 since 1994. The NRC recommends following the HFE PRM or an acceptable alternative method in the case of the HFE activities and the Spanish Regulatory Body (CSN) recommend the same approach for new designs, design modifications and even for conventional plants. The activities embedded in a HFE V&V process are Task Support Verification (TSV), HFE Design Verification (HFE DV) using NUREG-0700 HFE Guidelines, and Integrated System Validation (ISV), with the execution of performance based tests, mainly in simulator facilities. This paper describes some of the experience of Tecnatom during the past years regarding the execution of these V&V activities previously mentioned, and in relation to the applicability and methodological aspects of each of these activities. Methodological aspects regarding TSV are related to its execution when there is a no Task Analysis to use. Methodological aspects regarding the HFE DV are related to the type of HSI to verify (small or large), its development status (paper design or implemented), the selection and translation of applicable HFE guidelines, and the HED preparation. Methodological aspects regarding the ISV are related to the necessary crews, training, number of scenarios, issues to test, data collection and performance measures. The experience is mainly related to Tecnatom’s work is Spanish NPP like Jose´ Cabrera, Almaraz and Vandello´s and in the case of foreign plants Beznau and an advanced NPP in Taiwan amongst others.