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Charter

11/19/07

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Purpose

The Safety and Security Regulatory (SSR) Working Group is an Energy Facility Contractors Group (EFCOG) working group that focuses on nuclear/radiological safety, worker safety and health, and information security regulatory activities.  The purpose of the working group is to enhance communications and cooperation with the DOE Office of Enforcement and to promote excellence at DOE (including NNSA) facilities through the understanding and implementation of nuclear safety, worker safety and health, and classified information laws and regulations, information sharing, and application of lessons learned.

Objectives

 The objectives of the SSR Working Group are to:

  • Provide planning and actions necessary to achieve the overall objectives of the EFCOG in the area of nuclear/radiological safety, worker safety and health, and classified information security regulatory activities.

  • Promote, coordinate, and facilitate the active exchange of programs, practices, procedures, lessons learned, and other pertinent information on safety and security regulatory activities.

  • Provide an avenue for communications to and from the DOE Office of Enforcement on matters of enforcement programs, expectations, clarifications, complex-wide issues, and guidance.

  • Promote training and learning on safety and security regulatory activities by sharing of management and technical information among DOE contractors through mechanisms such as workshops, task teams, and conferences.

 Scope

The SSR Working Group will operate within the scope of EFCOG.  Areas that can benefit from focused and coordinated contractor attention are as follows:

  • Safety and security compliance assurance, including noncompliance reporting.

  • Conduct of Enforcement Investigations, Conferences, and Program Reviews.

  • Graded or tailored approaches to safety and security regulation implementation, including appropriate benchmarking activities.

  • Working relationships with regulatory counterparts (e.g., DOE Coordinators and DOE-HQ Office of Enforcement personnel).

  • Addressing other issues as identified by the DOE Office of Enforcement, EFCOG Executive Directors, EFCOG Sponsor, and/or the Working Group Strategic Planning Committee.

The primary focus of the Working Group is on safety and security in the context of DOE enforceable regulations throughout the entire life cycles of facilities and activities. Relationships to other laws and regulations (e.g., DOT 49 CFR provisions) can be included in the scope of the Working Group to the extent necessary to assist in the understanding of the relationships and interfaces.  Coordination with other EFCOG Working Groups is appropriate and encouraged, especially where the technical aspects of the other Working Groups relate to DOE enforceable regulations.

The Working Group covers management and technical issues and initiatives. The exploration, analysis/evaluation, and recommendation for more efficient and cost-effective approaches and processes are included in this scope.

Organization

Each participating DOE contractor organization may identify one or more representative as appropriate to facilitate communications within each organization.  These representatives constitute the SSR Working Group Membership.  Guests, subject matter experts, and other non-members from DOE contractor organizations are welcome and encouraged to participate in Working Group workshops, conferences, and/or task team initiatives when appropriate to ensure utilization of adequate technical expertise.

The SSR Working Group has Co-Chairs.  The co-chairs and six (6) members of the Working Group make up the Strategic Planning Committee (SPC); one of the six additional members is appointed as a Leader of the SPC.  These eight (8) positions all have renewable terms of 2 years.  The EFCOG Sponsoring Director, based on input and recommendations received from the Working Group makes renewal, replacement, or selection of appointees to any SPC position.  One of the Co-Chairs must be from a contractor principally supporting NNSA operations and the other Co-Chair must be from a contractor principally supporting ES&E operations.

Sub-Groups and Task Teams will be created as necessary by the SPC. Sponsoring members from the Committee may be assigned to support and mentor Task Teams to ensure appropriate focus on deliverables and effectiveness.  All active Sub-Groups and Task Teams will report on completed and ongoing activities at least annually.

Process

 SSR Working Group meetings/workshops will be held typically twice a year.  The Strategic Planning Committee will determine the specific schedule.  The Strategic Planning Committee will meet in conjunction with workshops.

The cost of workshops will be covered by the workshop host to the extent appropriate per the host’s contractual arrangements with DOE and any applicable DOE Directives.  Contractors are expected to fund the costs of their respective attendees at workshops.

Minutes of Strategic Planning Committee meetings and Working Group workshops shall be prepared and distributed to member contractors.  The Strategic Planning Committee minutes shall be prepared by the Committee Leader and provided to the Co-Chairs, the EFCOG Sponsoring Director and other EFCOG Directives as deemed appropriate.  Minutes of a workshop will be prepared by the Co-Chairs and sent to workshop attendees, member contractors, Strategic Planning Committee members, and the EFCOG Sponsoring Director.  (Note that distributions of any of these minutes can be made through posting on the EFCOG web-site.)

Proposed changes to this Charter require agreement from the Strategic Planning Committee and approval by the EFCOG Sponsoring Director. The changes become effective upon approval from the EFCOG Sponsoring Director.  

(Last Revised November 19, 2007)