| The nuclear industry is experiencing enormous | | | | risk of findings that lead to negative inspection |
| opportunities in the UK with new nuclear power | | | | outcomes during a regulatory audit. |
| stations being planned and continued | | | | Project Management - Managing a nuclear |
| decommissioning of older plants. Since the 1960's, | | | | project requires a great deal of security, control, |
| regulatory compliance, computerization, and supply | | | | and effective document management. The |
| chain management have undergone radical | | | | project may use various designs, images, project |
| changes. These changes have given rise to many | | | | management software, and process mapping |
| challenges that need to be overcome to bring | | | | tools that would need to be incorporated in one |
| about harmony between actual infrastructure and | | | | single system to facilitate ease of use by key |
| the laws mandated by regulatory authorities. | | | | personnel. Managing documents throughout a |
| One of the biggest challenges the nuclear industry | | | | project's life cycle is also termed as information |
| faces today is its need to improve documentation. | | | | management. Information may vary with the age |
| The nuclear industry, like many others, still relies | | | | and type of project being managed. For relatively |
| on paper as the medium of recording critical | | | | newer projects, information may be produced as |
| information about nuclear plants and projects | | | | often as every day, wheras, older projects |
| undertaken. Information about a plant may include | | | | require archiving of information and periodic |
| the configuration details, operation, standard | | | | retrieval of older documents. |
| operating procedures for response to | | | | Performance Improvement - The |
| emergencies, and maintenance records. Whilst | | | | requirement and implementation of performance |
| dealing with this complex information, the nuclear | | | | improvement initiatives across the nuclear industry |
| industry is striving to achieve the standards of | | | | has resulted in better safety and productivity. The |
| documentation to deal with health, safety, and | | | | performance improvement model, as per INPO, |
| environmental issues. The only way to achieve a | | | | incorporates three critical branches; performance |
| standard of documentation is by making available | | | | monitoring, implementing solutions, and analyzing, |
| the right information, to the right people, at the | | | | identifying, and planning solutions. These objectives |
| right time, ensuring the right decisions are made. | | | | can be met through benchmarking, self |
| Documentation Challenges in the Nuclear Industry | | | | assessment, observations, action planning, |
| Duplication of documents | | | | effectiveness review, reporting, management |
| Improving visibility of information | | | | review, and task assignment. With changing |
| Ensuring the security of critical information | | | | technology and the adoption of electronic |
| Reducing the overhead costs of printing, | | | | workflow and document management methods, |
| reproducing and distributing paper documents | | | | the challenge in many organizations is that each of |
| Document traceability years after the | | | | these systems work in silos and don't integrate |
| completion of a project | | | | with each other. |
| Increased chaos and inconsistencies due to a | | | | Knowledge Management - Throughout the |
| mix of home-grown solutions | | | | nuclear project/facility lifecycle, information is |
| Lack of integration between various | | | | created by knowledgeable workers, lessons are |
| departmental solutions within the same | | | | learned, and best practices are created. For the |
| organization | | | | survival and growth of the nuclear industry it is |
| Poor efficiency and accuracy of procedures | | | | critical to store and pass on the information in |
| Stricter regulatory requirements and slow | | | | various stages of a project's lifecycle. With the |
| approval process | | | | vast knowledge and human experience in the |
| Using a document management system to deal | | | | nuclear industry environment, there is a need for |
| with documentation needs is the route few | | | | a method that will easily organize and capture the |
| companies in the nuclear industry have taken. The | | | | information. |
| trend to delay implementing a documention | | | | Is an Electronic Document Management System |
| standard is changing and with growing regulatory | | | | the Solution to These Challenges? |
| requirements, increasing numbers of companies | | | | With the use of an electronic document |
| are beginning to use technological solutions to | | | | management system, the pressures of |
| manage their documents more efficiently. When | | | | maintaining volumes of records and managing |
| choosing an electronic document management | | | | information can be overcome. There are many |
| system, one must ensure that it not only | | | | different schools of thought when it comes to |
| manages documents of all types but that it also | | | | deploying an electronic system for document |
| makes it easier for the user to understand the | | | | control, with each one having its own ideologies. |
| relationship between various documents. With | | | | Even though a paper-based system is antiquated |
| users from numerous departments and teams, a | | | | and cumbersome to manage, it has certain value |
| document management system must offer a | | | | in some organizations where either the number of |
| user-friendly interface that easily presents | | | | documents to be handled is small or the team |
| information based on user's roles and | | | | doesn't wish to move to an electronic method of |
| requirements. | | | | documentation (which is unlikely in a growing and |
| Poor knowledge about why and how to use of a | | | | forward-thinking organization). The electronic |
| document control system might fail the purpose | | | | document control system will provide long term |
| of deploying one. Before choosing a system for | | | | savings on cost and time. These savings can be |
| your organization, you must determine the areas | | | | achieved by: |
| departments that will benefit from the use of | | | | Faster and better flow of information |
| this technology. | | | | Quick approval processes |
| In the nuclear industry, document management | | | | Greater visibility of information throughout the |
| may be required in the following areas: | | | | team |
| Training - INPO has defined a set of | | | | Automatic revision control so that the team |
| integrated training processes that need to be | | | | sees and reviews only the LIVE version |
| followed for operation and support of existing and | | | | Controlled access to documents to only key |
| new nuclear facilities. INPO's method of proposed | | | | personnel |
| training needs are analyzed, a training program is | | | | Competitive advantage with efficient |
| then developed, implemented, and then evaluated | | | | processes |
| to ensure professional development. | | | | Faster return on investment |
| Regulatory Compliance - Effective compliance | | | | With the electronic documentation system, there |
| is the core of all activities in a highly regulated | | | | is the assurance that none of the processes go |
| industry such as the nuclear industry. The life | | | | unnoticed and/or unsigned as everyone is given |
| cycle of a nuclear facility relies on strict | | | | access to review and propose changes to critical |
| governance that ensures the compliance and | | | | documents. |
| licensing commitments are being met. Lack of | | | | Conclusion |
| compliance can heavily burden the company with | | | | The growth of the nuclear sector will also grow |
| penalty costs, regulatory oversight, and customer | | | | the need to manage information efficiently. Since |
| concerns. In the process of managing compliance, | | | | most of the information in the nuclear industry is |
| companies may have to ensure information | | | | stored in documents and stacked on shelves, |
| regarding human, material, and data resources is | | | | stakeholders always face issues such as slow |
| stored and managed efficiently. Increased visibility | | | | response time or delayed document retrieval |
| of critical information may increase safety, reduce | | | | which may directly affect the success of time |
| risks, and guarantee compliance throughout the | | | | critical projects. It is evident the electronic |
| organization. Moreover, a tighter control of | | | | document control system offers far more |
| processes & complete audit cycle will reduce the | | | | benefits than the old style paper-based system. |