Guidelines For Assessing Operations

DOE-EM-STD-5505-96

6. GUIDELINES FOR ASSESSING OPERATIONS

6.1 Assessing Operations Organization and Administration (OPS O&A).

6.1.1 Discussion. The organization and administration of operations should ensure that a high

level of performance in DOE activity operations is achieved through effective implementation and

control of operational activities. A high level of performance in DOE operations is accomplished

by establishing high operating standards, by communicating operating standards to the working

level, by providing sufficient resources to the operations department, by ensuring personnel are

well trained, by closely monitoring performance in operations, and by holding workers and their

supervisors accountable for their performance in conducting evolutions.

6.1.2 Preparing to Assess OPS O&A. To develop an assessment plan for OPS O&A,

assessors should first review the activity-specific graded-approach document and determine which

guidelines are applicable at the activity. This will allow them to determine the scope of the

assessment and which applicable activity policies and procedures to review when developing the

assessment plan. Sections 5.4 and 5.8 provide a detailed explanation of assessment planning and

the use of assessment techniques.

OPS O&A provides the philosophical underpinning of Conduct of Operations. As such, OPS

O&A provides the framework for the management controls contained in sections 6.2 through

6.18. Because it is an all-encompassing section, OPS O&A should be continuously evaluated by

all assessors. All assessors should measure how well management has defined and communicated

their policies, how well working-level personnel understand and execute management's

expectations, and how management monitors operations. Assessors should continuously ask

themselves three questions:

Do workers know what is expected of them?