"Leadership for Safety in the Nuclear Energy Industry" 

This course offers a unique opportunity to learn and understand well the role of leadership in Nuclear Energy Industry.  

After this course, the participants should

• Have knowledge about the demands for safety culture and safety leadership in nuclear energy production and why they are necessary, having in mind lessons learned from nuclear accidents and incidents; and based on this knowledge:
  • Be able to identify the critical features that will foster and ensure a high level of safety culture in companies and organizations involved in nuclear activities;
  • Be able to identify decision-making situation where the principle of “safety first” would appear to be in conflict with other operational objectives;
• Have general knowledge about the international and national legal framework applicable to nuclear activities, and the legal responsibilities incumbent on managers in nuclear utilities, suppliers of nuclear technology and regulatory bodies;
• Understand how managers in the nuclear industry are accountable to the society which permits and licenses nuclear activities: How to correctly and timely communicate information to authorities, local political leaders, media and the general public in case of operating anomalies, incidents and accidents.

Course main content

• Leadership, safety management, safety culture in nuclear activities
• Behavior of organizations in theory and practice
• Communication and media

Eligibility

Recommended prerequisites: Basic knowledge of nuclear power safety, for example corresponding to those given in the course SH2612.

Literature

Lecture handouts (presentations, papers, links to relevant literature, etc.) are available through the Canvas page of the course.

In addition, the Course Book “Leadership for Safety in the Nuclear Energy Industry” is also available through Canvas page. The chapters in the Course Book end with lists of additional background literature on selected topics, with links for downloading where available.

Examination

Final grade: A-F

Based on group and individual assignments – details given in course sessions.

Contact

Sean Roshan –  sean@safety.sci.kth.se

Lennart Carlsson –  lennartkarlcarlsson@gmail.com

Examiner

Sevostian Bechta – bechta@safety.sci.kth.se

Course Responsible

Sean Roshan –  sean@safety.sci.kth.se

Course coordinators:

Sean Roshan , Docent, Division of Nuclear Power Safety, KTH - sean@safety.sci.kth.se

Lennart Carlsson, former Head, Department of Nuclear Power Plant Safety, Swedish Radiation Safety Authority (SSM) - lennartkarlcarlsson@gmail.com

Lecturers

Lectures are given by KTH personnel and expert guest lecturers from authorities and industry:

Expert guest lecturers/panelists:

Lennart Carlsson, former Head, Department of Nuclear Power Plant Safety, Swedish Radiation Safety Authority (SSM) - lennartkarlcarlsson@gmail.com

Kerstin Dahlgren, senior safety expert with experience from SKI, IAEA and Vattenfall. mtosafety@gmail.com

Camilla Söderqvist, responsible for developing the Safety Management Program at UNIPER/OKG camilla.soderqvist@swe.uniper.energy

Per Lindell, former CEO E.ON Nuclear Sweden, former chairman of E.ON nuclear Safety Council, Chairman of IAEA Standing Advisory Group on Nuclear Energy. lindell_per@bredband.net

Tord Sterner, formerly design expert ASEA-ATOM. tord.sterner@gmail.com

Mats Ladeborn, Vice President Fleet Development, Vattenfall . Mats.Ladeborn@vattenfall.com

Michael Knochenhauer, Head, Department of Nuclear Power Plant Safety, Swedish Radiation Safety Authority (SSM) – Michael.Knochenhauer@ssm.se

Lars Axelsson,  senior expert in nuclear and airline safety, LVF Control of the air traffic in Swedish airspace. lars.axelsson1@gmail.com

Anders Jörle, former vice president Public Affairs of Swedish Space Corporation, former director of information at SKI and media spokesperson at the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. a.jorle@telia.com

Course language

The course is given in English. Key background literature is also available in English.

General structure of the course

In general, the course flows from analyses of actual cases (accidents and incidents, decision situations) to deducting the generic lessons to be learned from these cases and from relevant research in safety management. A summing up session will present key points for future leaders to keep in mind to create and maintain a high level of safety culture, and hence safety, in nuclear energy production.

 The course is built around the following main components:

1. Students are required to read the relevant chapters of the Course Book in advance (see course schedule), and to prepare, in groups, one or two key questions and comments to be discussed with the lecturer in the relevant topical session.
2. Lecturer summarizes key conclusions and “take-away points” for each topical
3. Assignments for group work on analysis of lessons learned from the case studies are given to be presented and

 This general structure is complemented by:

• A panel session with participants having senior executive experience in the nuclear
• A dialogue on the key lessons learned so far from severe accidents in commercial NPPs