Good Practices - s1043cn10017

DOE-STD-1043-93

4. GOOD PRACTICES

This good practice provides instruction on how to administer and control an effective operator

aids program, including operator aid development, approval, documentation, posting, use, and

review. Each of these six steps are important to ensure that only useful operator aids are posted,

and that they remain updated during their use.

Operator aids should be developed to provide the user with information that might otherwise be

overlooked. The need for an operator aid should be concurred with prior to expending

resources in its development. Operator aids may be developed to supplement procedures, but

should not be developed to alter (e.g., correct or update) procedures. Only procedure changes

and revisions should be used to alter procedures. For more information on procedures refer to

DOE Order 5480.19, Chapter XVI, "Operations Procedures."

Operator aids must not be developed for personnel and equipment safety situations where danger

or caution tags should be used. The facility lockout and tagout procedure should address the

correct mechanism(s) for protecting personnel and equipment. For information on lockouts and

tagouts, refer to DOE Order 5480.19, Chapter IX, "Lockouts and Tagouts."

Operator aids should not be developed for use as equipment and piping labels. Guidance

concerning labeling should be provided in the facility's equipment and piping labeling program.

For information pertaining to labeling, refer to DOE Order 5480.19, Conduct of Operations

Requirements for DOE Facilities, Chapter XVIII, "Equipment and Piping Labeling."

4.1 Operator Aid Development

Facility personnel should be encouraged to develop needed operator aids. Therefore, all

personnel, including support personnel, should be aware of the operator aid development

process. Prior to developing an operator aid, personnel should be trained on the

development process. As a minimum, this training should cover the importance of

controlling posted information and the procedure or guidelines for developing an operator

aid. Information control topics such as why it is important to use only approved operator

aids, how to tell if an operator aid is approved, what to do if it is not approved, and how

to verify that an operator aid is current should be addressed.

When developing operator aids, personnel should use the most current information. This

may require communicating with personnel in the facility's document control organization

to ensure that the most current revisions of reference documents (e.g., procedures,