PURPOSE

The purpose of the Criticality Safety (CS) Subgroup is to facilitate the objectives of the Safety Analysis Working Group (SAWG) as related to the particular area of Criticality Safety, including the interface between CS and Safety Basis processes as well as review of other areas of interest to either the Office of Nuclear Safety Policy and Assistance (HS-21) or the DOE Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP) Manager. The CS Subgroup provides a forum for members to promote excellence in the Department of Energy (DOE) by sharing information and lessons learned, and by facilitating the application of information and techniques to the degree appropriate for their contract/facility.

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the CS Subgroup are to:

• Facilitate communications between the EFCOG (Energy Facilities Contractor Group) and the CS community (see Communications Plan Section.)

• Enable the success of DOE missions in terms of the CS process that support program and project objectives in a cost effective and safe manner.

• Promote, coordinate, and facilitate the active exchange of successful CS process, practices, procedures, lessons learned, and other pertinent information of common interest to the CS process which have been effectively utilized by contractors and subcontractors for DOE facilities.

• Promote CS process training by sharing management and technical information among contractors through vehicles such as websites, workshops, subgroups, and seminars.

• Enhance collaboration among DOE contractors and encourage early involvement of complex-wide experts, in order to maximize the probability of success of emergent or unique CS process initiatives.

• Provide feedback to DOE interested parties on proposed directives relating to Criticality Safety.

SCOPE

The scope of the CS Subgroup is as follows:

• The CS Subgroup will operate within the scope of EFCOG.

• The areas of contractor interest covered by the CS Subgroup include:

  • Applicability of the CS Process,

  • CS Control Selection and treatment for safety basis purposes, including application of the USQ (Unreviewed Safety Question) process,

  • Use of CS Incredibility Arguments,

  • CS Review/Self-Assessment processes used by DOE contractors,

  • Interface between the CS process and institutional procedures,

  • CS support of the Potential Inadequacy of the Safety Analysis (PISA) process,

  • CS support of the Justification for Continued Operations (JCOs) process,

  • CS support of the Evaluation of the Safety of the Situation (ESS) process,

  • Training related to the CS process interface with the DSA, USQ, and PISA processes,

  • Review and feedback on the NCSP Five Year Execution Plan[1]

  • Review and feedback on the NCSP Mission and Vision document1

  • Lessons learned from site-specific CS procedure development and implementation,

  • Other CS related lessons learned.  

• The CS Subgroup will communicate with other SAWG subgroups to ensure that no duplicative work occurs. There will be close communication with other subgroups.

• The CS Subgroup will not lobby, advocate independent positions, or try to change DOE policy. However, CS process practices as applied to DOE missions may be discussed and suggestions for improvement made to the DOE.

ORGANIZATION

The roles and responsibilities of individuals in the subgroup are defined as follows:

• Membership in the CS Subgroup is open to current EFCOG members or associate members, and one or more DOE interested parties Points of Contact

• Each participating contractor in the CS Subgroup will identify representatives to support subgroup activities. Equal participation by Criticality Safety and Safety Basis experts is desired from each site.

• The CS Subgroup will strive to maintain a balanced membership of DOE contractor representatives for all key missions from across the DOE complex. A review of representation will be conducted by the membership at least annually.

• Initially, the SAWG Steering Committee may assign the Chairperson. If elected from the group membership, the Chairperson position will require a majority vote by the active members. The Chairperson�s term of office will be one year. If for any reason the Chairperson is required to terminate prior to the designated time, the CS Subgroup shall elect a new Chairperson, if no vice-chairperson (chairperson elect) has been designated, or the Steering Committee may appoint a replacement.

• The duties of the CS Subgroup Chairperson include, but are not limited to, the items identified below:

  • Direct the overall actions of the subgroup.

  • Call meetings and establish subcommittees to carry out the objectives of the subgroup.

  • Serve as the single point of contact for official CS Subgroup communication. This is not intended to restrict other informal communications.

  • Prepare and maintain an up-to-date roster and have it posted on the EFCOG website.

  • Provide guidance to the leader or chairperson of task groups under the cognizance of the subgroup.

  • Serve on the SAWG Steering Committee.

  • Assume other roles as decided by a majority vote, when the need for such arises.

• The duties of the CS Subgroup Vice-Chair include, but are not limited to, the items identified below:

  • Prepare meeting minutes for the teleconferences.

  • Assist in calling teleconferences and meetings

  • Support subcommittees to carry out the objectives of the subgroup.

  • Assist in preparing and maintaining an up-to-date roster and have it posted on the EFCOG website.

• The CS Subgroup Vice-Chair�s term of office and method of selection will be the same as for the Chairperson.

• The SAWG Steering Committee shall review the charter of any Topic/Task subgroups formed under the direction of the CS Subgroup.

• The CS Subgroup will operate under the guidance of its established leadership, receive oversight and support from the SAWG Steering Committee, follow the EFCOG Charter, and abide by the EFCOG Executive Council and Working Group Manual. The SAWG Sponsoring Director is the final approval authority for the CS Subgroup charter. The EFCOG Board of Directors will be advised of the creation of this subgroup and provided a copy of the charter, if required, as information.

PROCESS

The CS Subgroup will meet its objectives by working on contemporary issues of import to the DOE Complex pertaining to the CS process, contacting interested parties, developing and sharing lessons learned, conducting workshops, seminars, and other information sharing forms of communication.

• CS Subgroup meetings will be held when needed, as determined by the CS Subgroup Chair or at the request of a minimum of three other members.

• Generally, the cost of workshop activities will be covered by a registration fee assessed by a workshop committee

• The goals, objectives, and effectiveness of the CS Subgroup shall be reviewed annually by the CS Subgroup Chair and documented in the SAWG Annual Report to the EFCOG Directors.

• A change to this charter requires concurrence from two-thirds of the membership and approval by the same level as the original approval authority.

• As a minimum, the CS Subgroup will conduct quarterly teleconferences.

COMMUNICATIONS PLAN

A measure of success of the CS Subgroup will be the ability to effectively communicate within the EFCOG Working Group, interested DOE Parties  (HS Office of Nuclear Safety Policy and Assistance  and the DOE NCSP) � and communications with key  groups within the Criticality Safety Community. Communications to include:

• Communications with the DOE interested parties will follow normal EFCOG protocol.  

• Preparations of formal correspondence to DOE will be shared with the Key CS Groups listed below prior to submittal.

• Informal communications with the below groups will occur on a periodic basis (at a minimum semiannually in concert with existing meetings and conferences.)

Key NCS Groups:

• The DOE Nuclear Criticality Safety Program    (http://ncsc.llnl.gov )

• The American Nuclear Society Nuclear Criticality Safety Division (http://nCSd.ans.org/site/index.shtml)

DELIVERABLES (GENERAL DESCRIPTION)

The CS Subgroup will produce an Annual Report of activities, including a summary ofachievements and any cost savings or other benefits for members resulting from sharing information or participating in DOE directive implementation impact studies. Other deliverables will be produced on an as-needed basis as issues arise within the CS Subgroup area (see Scope statement).

The Chairman will prepare a Priority Issue list to be maintained and update in consultation with the EFCOG SAWG Steering Committee and the DOE interested parties. Updates shall occur as significant issues are identified and at least annually. The Chairman of the CS Subgroup will maintain that

DURATION (SUNSET CLAUSE)

The estimated duration of the CS Subgroup is intended to be long term, but a provision for annual effectiveness review is incorporated into this charter. It is understood that the EFCOG Board of Directors will determine on an annual basis whether the group should continue, be disbanded, or reconstituted.

COST BENEFITS (EFFECTIVENESS)

The EFCOG Board of Directors tracks the effectiveness of subgroup activities to determine whether there have been reasonable benefits. The charter of the CS Subgroup provides that the Annual Report document the achievements and any cost savings or other benefits for members resulting from sharing information or participating in DOE directive implementation impact studies.  The CS Subgroup acknowledges that effectiveness is most readily demonstrated by tangible deliverables that are planned on an annual basis and pursued with project management type discipline. It is understood that effectiveness may also be demonstrated by tangible or intangible cost savings to the DOE.

Updated 01/17/2012