Protecting People and the EnvironmentUNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
UNITED STATES
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555
June 22, 1988
Information Notice No. 88-40: EXAMINERS' HANDBOOK FOR DEVELOPING
OPERATOR LICENSING EXAMINATIONS
Addressees:
All holders of operating licenses or construction permits for nuclear power
reactors.
Purpose:
This information notice provides addressees a copy of NUREG/BR-0122, "Ex-
aminers' Handbook for Developing Operator Licensing Examinations." It is
expected that recipients will review the information for applicability to
their facilities. However, the information contained in this information
notice does not constitute NRC requirements; therefore, no specific action or
written response is required.
Background:
The NRC staff has developed the above-mentioned handbook to improve the
content validity of the operator licensing examinations. The content has been
made more valid through the performance of job/task analysis focusing on the
delineation of essential knowledge and abilities. Additional copies of this
handbook are available for examination and copying for a fee at the Public
Document Room of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 1717 H Street, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20555.
Discussion:
After the NRC examiners have been trained in the procedures described in
NUREG/BR-0122, the format of the operator licensing examinations administered
under 10 CFR 55.41 or 55.43 should reflect the sampling plans contained in the
handbook. These sampling plans should incorporate the knowledge and abilities
requirements contained in NUREG-1122, "Knowledge and Abilities Catalog for
Nuclear Power Plant Operators: Pressurized Water Reactors" and NUREG-1123,
"Knowledge and Abilities Catalog for Nuclear Power Plant Operators: Boiling
Water Reactors."
The new format will change the sections of the written examinations for all
initial and replacement examinations. As detailed in the enclosed handbook,
the reactor operator written examination should normally sample: (1) 25% of
its content from the fundamentals area (reactor theory, thermodynamics, and
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. IN 88-40
June 22, 1988
Page 2 of 2
component operation), (2) 48% from plant systems and plant-wide safety and
administrative procedures, and (3) 27% from emergency and abnormal plant
evolutions. For senior reactor operators, the written examination content
should normally sample: (1) 24% from fundamentals, (2) 33% from emergency and
abnormal evolutions, and (3) 43% from plant systems and plant-wide safety and
administrative procedures. Candidates must obtain a score of 70% in each of
the three sections and an overall score of 80% to pass the written exami-
nation.
After full implementation of the handbook, expected in the fall of 1988,
NUREG/BR-0122 will provide guidance to operator licensing examiners for the
development of initial and replacement written licensing examinations. The
training staff at the plants may wish to become familiar with the handbook as
far in advance of their examinations as possible so that there will be a
maximum benefit for candidates.
No specific action or written response is required by this information notice.
If you have any questions about this matter, please contact the technical
contact listed below or the Regional Administrator of the appropriate regional
office.
Charles E. Rossi, Director
Division of Operational Events Assessment
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Technical Contact: Susan F. Shankman, NRR
(301) 492-1053
Attachments:
1. NUREG/BR-0122, "Examiners' Handbook for Developing Operator
Licensing Examinations"
2. List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices
. Attachment 2
IN 88-40
June 22, 1988
Page 1 of 1
LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED
NRC INFORMATION NOTICES
_____________________________________________________________________________
Information Date of
Notice No._____Subject_______________________Issuance_______Issued to________
88-39 LaSalle Unit 2 Loss of 6/15/88 All holders of OLs
Recirculation Pumps With or CPs for BWRs.
Power Oscillation Event
88-38 Failure of Undervoltage 6/15/88 All holders of OLs
Trip Attachment on General or CPs for nuclear
Electric Circuit Breakers power reactors.
88-37 Flow Blockage of Cooling 6/14/88 All holders of OLs
Water to Safety System or CPs for nuclear
Components power reactors.
88-36 Possible Sudden Loss of RCS 6/8/88 All holders of OLs
Inventory During Low Coolant or CPs for PWRs.
Level Operation
88-35 Inadequate Licensee Performed 6/3/88 All holders of OLs
Vendor Audits or CPs for nuclear
power reactors.
88-34 Nuclear Material Control 5/31/88 All holders of OLs
and Accountability of or CPs for nuclear
Non-Fuel Special Nuclear power reactors.
Material at Power Reactors
87-61, Failure of Westinghouse 5/31/88 All holders of OLs
Supplement 1 W-2-Type Circuit Breaker or CPs for nuclear
Cell Switches power reactors.
88-33 Recent Problems Involving 5/27/88 All Agreement
the Model Spec 2-T States and NRC
Radiographic Exposure licensees
Device authorized to
manufacture,
distribute or
operate radio-
graphic exposure
devices and source
changers.
_____________________________________________________________________________
OL = Operating License
CP = Construction Permit
