2010 Status of Safety at AREVA group facilities
Alternatives #5: The renaissance of solar homes
Alternatives #4: Hydrocarbons, cocktails of the future
Alternatives #3: Geothermal modesty
Alternatives #2: Tomorrow's reactors
Alternatives #1: Energies, what scenario for 2050?
Quiz: Test what you know about sustainable development
Quiz: Checking on the state of the Earth
Game: Nuclear energy key words
Game: Energy Memory Game
Nuclear safety and excellence, first and foremost
Nuclear safety and occupational safety go hand-in-hand with AREVA's goals for development in the global energy market. In fact, the group’s development rests largely on its ability to conduct its operations safely, efficiently and in an innovative manner, throughout the nuclear cycle. This requires unfailing commitment from every one of the group's employees, each at his or her level of responsibility, and adherence to rules and regulations by all subcontractor personnel at the group's sites or by its own personnel when they provide services at customer sites.
People manage risk
People in management positions are vital to managing risk. From top management to the operator, each person has a role to play in preventing risk and in continually improving risk prevention measures, as stated in the Nuclear Safety Charter.
Active management of nuclear safety at every stage of facility operations is central to risk prevention. A key component of the safety culture is managers’ ability to convey risk prevention messages in the field. Their example is the strongest incentive for individuals to exercise care and commit personally to safety at the workplace. This involvement at the local level also helps identify even small slips early on so that they can be corrected and incidents and accidents prevented.
Deviations, anomalies and incidents are tracked and "weak signals" detected by means of an internal organization. Everyone has a duty to report, to make use of lessons learned and to share information that goes beyond company boundaries. Risk prevention is a difficult and important challenge that requires, above all, that human and organizational factors be taken into account, whether in production operations and services, or in industrial projects.
A safety culture for everyone
The choice of subcontractors and of the responsibilities assigned to them is made carefully. Here, too, high standards and thoroughness are key words. Subcontractor personnel must meet the same requirements as AREVA employees, particularly in terms of training and qualifications. Subcontracts are worked out in careful detail, and inspections and other checks are performed to ensure quality of service.
The importance of transparency
AREVA’s nuclear sites prepare and distribute a nuclear safety report each year, in keeping with the French law on transparency and security in the nuclear field. Before it is released, the report is submitted to the site’s health, safety and working conditions committee.
In addition, the group’s General Inspectorate prepares an annual report of the status of safety in AREVA group facilities, as provided in the Nuclear Safety Charter. The report draws on the findings of facility inspections, on analyses of events, and on items identified by the safety specialists and their networks. The report is submitted to the group’s Executive Committee and presented to the Supervisory Board prior to external release.
