ABSTRACT
In the literature on human factors research on NPPs, the operation of these installations has received more attention than their maintenance. However, inadequate maintenance accounts for a greater share of the incidents in NPPs than does faulty operation (see Figure 21.1). It is thus likely that measures to improve maintenance could reduce trouble in NPPs. Yet several problems seem to have thwarted the emergence of research results on which to base such action. First, the components and pieces of equipment to be maintained are dissimilar, each having its own specifications and difficulties. Secondly, trouble caused by inadequate maintenance tends to occur long after the maintenance has been carried out, complicating thorough investigation into the root cause(s) of incidents, especially in terms of human factors. Thirdly, many companies, including electric power utilities, plant vendors, subcontractors, and component vendors, are involved in outage maintenance.
