Reference no: EM132262815

Respond to...

Working in the nuclear industry requires clear and unambiguous communication for activities involving critical steps that have a high potential for catastrophic failure or irreversible harm if performed improperly. Communication factors contributing to the possibility of incorrectly performing critical steps include: Time Pressure (in a hurry), Simultaneous/multiple tasks, Interpretation requirements, and Inaccurate risk perception (Pollyanna syndrome)(Institute of Nuclear Power Operations Human Performance Reference Manual, 2006).

When performing critical steps the use of repeat-backs for Simultaneous/multiple tasks and the phonetic alphabet for Interpretation requirements are techniques that I use to ensure communications are understood and work is completed without incident. For example; Worker A is called on radio to check pressure readings on two lines 41-B and 52-Z.

Worker A hears request from control room and repeats back what he hears using repeat-backs and the phonetic alphabet to ensure clarity; Worker A states, "Understand control room I heard check pressure on line forty-one Bravo and line fifty-two Zulu". Control rooms responds to worker A, "That is correct". Worker A proceeds to check the pressures and reports the findings; "Control room this is worker A, over".

Control room responds, "Go ahead worker A". Worker A states, "Control room pressure reading on line forty-one Bravo is 1,2,5 and pressure reading on line fifty-two Zulu is 5,0". Control room responds, "Understand, I heard pressure reading on line forty-one Bravo is 1,2,5 and pressure reading on line fifty-two Zulu is 5,0". Worker A responds, "That is correct".

Repeat-backs and the use of the phonetic alphabet are two ways to verify communications are heard and understood without ambiguity. Repeat-backs ensure I'm doing what you said and the phonetic alphabet ensures that the letter designator is not misheard (the letter "e" can sound like "d" but the word "Echo" does not sound like "Delta").