Development of a national Human Reliability Program (HRP) model for an emerging nuclear country: Nigerian case study

The current demand for electricity and concern of the climate change in emerging countries has led to the rise in the number of nations adopting nuclear technology options. Besides this, the global rise in terrorism and the existence of credible threats in Nigeria and other emerging countries embarking on nuclear program for peaceful application may pose a critical challenge in implementation of this technology. Furthermore, the dual threat issue of providing electricity, while inadvertently producing weapon and radiological material that could similarly undermine international security must be mitigated. In order to achieve the mitigation target, it is highly important to know the elements human factors, reliability and security culture could play through the life cycle of such scheme as it traverses from cradle to grave. Additionally, the knowledge of these factors will help anticipate and correct the deficiencies that might arise from the degradation of designed procedures in the face of this emerging threats and the catastrophe that any failure could bring about. This knowledge will also provide critical guidance to Nigeria and other nuclear emerging countries that could in turn bring about significant long-term improvements in how facilities and materials are secured and managed. Establishment of a virile Human Reliability Program (HRP) is one of the requirements that is relied upon to promote such assurances of mitigation, safe, secure and uninterrupted application of nuclear technology. The outcome of this research recognizes and establishes; the acceptance and existence of credible nuclear and radiological threats, the role that HRP could play in detection and mitigation of aberrant behaviors. And most importantly, the need to establish and develop a national HRP policy for Nigeria and by extension to other emerging countries implementing nuclear power program for peaceful application. Additionally, a strategy for national threat assessment and evaluation is suggested as this is the first step that precedes the development of an HRP plan. However, this is must take into consideration the dynamics of threat spread over the country and the cost of sustaining the planning and implementation.