Considerations for the industrial safety management during decommissioning of nuclear facilities

The objective of this paper is to identify considerations for industrial safety management during decommissioning of nuclear facilities. During decommissioning of nuclear facilities, accidents resulting in worker fatalities and injuries such as radiation exposure, fires, explosions, falls, and drops have beene occurred. During the decommissioning process, unforeseen circumstances cannot be eliminated despite various efforts. Especially in the case of older facilities, documentation may be lacking or modifications may occur without data updates. Therefore, when establishing a decommissioning plan, one should anticipate such issues and prepare to address them appropriately if they arise. This approach not only enhances the efficiency of the decommissioning project but also improves its safety. The root causes of unforeseen circumstances during the decommissioning process are often attributed to a lack of detailed design information or the loss of records regarding facility operations, changes, and maintenance activities. It is essential to verify the design information of existing facilities and ensure that configuration management techniques are applied throughout all stages of the facility's lifecycle. Regardless of severity, unforeseen circumstances ultimately lead to changes in the existing decommissioning plan, resulting in schedule delays and increased costs. Consequently, regardless of the facility's condition, whether in the conceptual design or decommissioning phase of the overall lifecycle, it is necessary that a decommissioning plan for nuclear facilities should be systematically developed on the basis for occupational safety and health management system.