Introducing NuclearSafetySim

We have referred to NuclearSafetySim and the use of simulation tools on a regular basis in this blog.  NuclearSafetySim is our initiative to develop a new approach to safety management training for nuclear professionals.  It utilizes a simulator to provide a realistic nuclear operations environment within which players are challenged by emergent issues - where they must make decisions balancing safety implications and other priorities - over a five year period.  Each player earns an overall score and is provided with analyses and data on his/her decision making and performance against goals.  It is clearly a different approach to safety culture training, one that attempts to operationalize the values and traits espoused by various industry bodies.  In that regard it is exactly what nuclear professionals must do on a day to day basis. 

At this time we are making NuclearSafetySim available to our readers through a web-based demo version.  To get started you need to access the NuclearSafetySim website.  Click on the Introduction tab at the top of the Home page.  Here you will find a link to a narrated slide show that provides important background on the approach used in the simulation.  It runs about 15 minutes.  Then click on the Simulation tab.  Here you will find another video which is a demo of NuclearSafetySim.  While this runs about 45 minutes (apologies) it does provide a comprehensive tutorial on the sim and how to interact with it.  We urge you to view it.  Finally...at the bottom of the Simulation page is a link to the NuclearSafetySim tool.  Clicking on the link brings you directly to the Home screen and you’re ready to play.

As you will see on the website and in the sim itself, there are reminders and links to facilitate providing feedback on NuclearSafetySim and/or requesting additional information.  This is important to us and we hope our readers will take the time to provide thoughtful input, including constructive criticism.  We welcome all comments.