Oral Boards

DOE-HDBK-1080-97

Satisfactory with no deficiencies: The trainee displayed a satisfactory knowledge

showing no weak points of any significance, and receives a signature.

Satisfactory with minor deficiencies (corrected to satisfactory):

The trainee

demonstrated a good overall understanding of the topic, but lacked information on minor

details. The examiner should teach the trainee those details and consider the checkout to

be satisfactory or have the trainee review those details and return with the correct answer

to those questions. The same approach should be used if the trainee has a lack of

understanding on some principles for which a reference is not readily available. After the

details are discussed to the satisfaction of the examiner, the trainee receives a signature.

Unsatisfactory: The trainee has a significant lack of understanding of the material.

In this case, the trainee should not receive a signature and should be counselled as to (1)

what material to restudy and (2) the best method of studying it (including scheduled

retraining if necessary) before receiving another checkout. The examiner should establish

the date for the trainee to return for the checkout. Establishing a date for the checkout

gives the trainee direction and a goal for the completion of the restudying.

5.3 Oral Boards

5.3.1

Oral Board Preparation

The trainee's manager and/or the training manager (or other persons as described in the

training program description) should determine when a trainee approaches the point in their

qualification program where an oral board is deemed appropriate. Management selects the

oral board members and chair, as specified by facility procedure. The location of the oral

board should be selected using the guidelines in the section on Oral Board Facilities. The

board date should be established well in advance so that the trainee and board members

have sufficient time to prepare. The board chair should also schedule time after the board

with the Training Manager to discuss any significant problems identified in the trainee's

knowledge.

Before convening an oral board, the board chair should ensure that board members meet

the requirements to sit on the board (see section on Oral Board Participation for more

details). The training department and board members should review the trainee's training

records to verify that all prerequisites, such as practical factors, oral checkouts,