Predicting Errors, Violations, and Safety Participation Behavior at Nuclear Power Plants.

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health and Safety
• Nuclear Engineering
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Commissioning workers' performance is critical for nuclear power plant safety.
• Previous research has overlooked the specific behaviors of commissioning personnel.
• Understanding these behaviors is essential for enhancing plant safety protocols.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explain and predict errors, violations, and safety participation among commissioning workers.
• To apply the theory of planned behavior (TPB) framework to this specific workforce.
• To incorporate organizational and planning factors into the behavioral model.

Main Methods:

• A self-reported questionnaire was administered to 167 commissioning workers.
• The study evaluated a predictive model based on the theory of planned behavior.
• Statistical analysis was used to assess the relationships between variables.

Main Results:

• Perceived behavioral control, organization, and planning significantly impacted all measured behaviors.
• Worker attitudes directly influenced violations and errors.
• Subjective norms positively predicted errors, contrary to initial expectations.

Conclusions:

• The study elucidates the psychological and organizational drivers of commissioning worker behavior.
• Findings offer practical insights for improving safety management in nuclear power plant commissioning.
• The TPB, augmented with organizational factors, provides a robust framework for understanding safety-critical behaviors.