Protecting People and the EnvironmentUNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
SSINS No.: 6870
Accession No.:
8002280649
UNITED STATES
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555
April 2, 1980
Information Notice No. 80-14
SAFETY SUGGESTIONS FROM EMPLOYEES
On February 29, 1980, the NRC Office of Inspection and Enforcement issued an
instruction to NRC inspectors on the handling of safety suggestions received
from licensee employees during inspections. A copy of the instruction,
Temporary Instruction No. 1210/1, is enclosed.
The purpose of this instruction is to reaffirm to inspectors that they must
be sensitive to the safety concerns of employees. We encourage employees to
attempt resolution of their safety concerns through the normal communication
channels to their supervisors and managers. Nevertheless, there are
instances, where an employee apparently feels more comfortable expressing
his or her safety concerns to an NRC inspector. In these cases, the
inspector will follow the practices described in the enclosed instruction.
We suggest that licensees post this Information Notice and the enclosed
instruction in an area where employees can read them.
Enclosure: IE Temporary Instruction
No. 1210/1
.
TI 1210/1
Issue Date: 2/29/80
SAFETY SUGGESTIONS RECEIVED DURING INSPECTIONS
During inspections, inspectors may receive safety suggestions relating to
plant conditions or operations from licensee employees. Inspectors must be
receptive to such suggestions and should attempt to resolve or deal with
each one received. Even in those cases where the suggestion would require a
licensee to do more than is required by NRC regulations, license conditions,
or technical specifications, the inspector should discuss the suggestion
with the employee and provide, to the best of the inspector's ability, the
options that are available.
Depending upon the nature of the suggestion, some possible courses of action
are as follows:
1. Encourage the employee to forward the suggestion in writing to
plant management and, if appropriate, to the NRC.
2. For matters clearly under the jurisdiction of another Federal
agency, or a state or local agency, encourage the employee to
contact the appropriate agency, or offer to bring the information
to the attention of the proper official.
3. Inform the employee that the matter will be evaluated and, if
appropriate, brought to the attention of NRC management.
It is important that an employee proffering a suggestion related to safety
be made aware that the NRC is interested in such suggestions and they will
be pursued.
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