Some Organizational and Methodological Aspects of Psycho-Physiological Support of Functional Reliability of Russian Nuclear Workers

Purpose: To improve organizational and methodological approaches to psycho-physiological support of functional reliability of Russian nuclear workers. Results: The authors’ position on a number of topical organizational and methodological issues of psycho-physiological support of functional reliability of nuclear workers is presented. Measures aimed at optimizing the interaction of medical organizations of the FMBA of Russia and organizations of the Rosatom State Corporation in the preparation and conduct of psychophysiological examinations are proposed. The optimal solution to this problem, according to the authors, is the development of a joint regulatory document defining the rights and obligations of both parties by the FMBA of Russia and the State Corporation. The expediency of avoiding duplication in carrying out a number of diagnostic techniques after developing a mechanism for transferring test results from medical organizations of the FMBA of Russia to organizations of the Rosatom State Corporation is shown. According to the authors, the following issues are to be improved: a) the existing diagnostic arsenal, taking into account new technological capabilities, and having in mind the fact that some important tests are easily available on the Internet; b) the content of methodological recommendations, which should describe in detail sensorimotor and other tests, allowing for a variety of their interpretations, to ensure the invariance of their computer implementations. Such measures will increase the diagnostic value of the tests used, as well as the comparability of the results obtained using various software and hardware complexes. Authors also propose to reconsider the role of the Scientific and Technical Council of the State Corporation in improving the functional reliability of the personnel of the industry by integrating psycho-physiological and other areas related to human resources into the general research topics. Proposed actions: a) to create a thematic scientific and technical council on human resource management and reduction of anthropogenic risks including specialists in psycho-physiological, psychological, medical, sanitary-hygienic, ergonomic and other aspects of ensuring the functional reliability of personnel, and to elect a scientific adviser of the council; b) to include the development plan for the direction of ensuring the functional reliability of personnel in the new edition of the “Program of Innovative Development and Technological Upgrading of the Rosatom State Corporation for the Period up to 2030”; c) to add the direction on improving the reliability of the human factor in the Unified Industry Thematic Plan of Research and Development Work of the Rosatom State Corporation; d) to include the most important reports related to human resource management and reduction of anthropogenic risks in the plenary sessions of the conferences “Radiation Protection and Radiation Safety in Nuclear Technologies”. Conclusion: The above proposals are aimed at improving the organizational and methodological aspects of the psycho-physiological direction in ensuring the functional reliability of nuclear workers. According to the authors, this direction should be part of the human resource management system and the reduction of anthropogenic risks in the nuclear industry. The research part of this system should be integrated into the activities of the Scientific and Technical Council of the Rosatom State Corporation and meet the requirements of a systematic approach.