regulations

[Lester.Slaback@nist.gov]

In a draft NRC report it is asserted that "Operational safety and
regulatory compliance are not exclusive concepts."

Just to start off the New Year right I would like to pose this question:
Do you agree with this?

Related questions:
What fraction of the regulatory compliance activities you are involved in
have a direct or immediate influence on operational safety?

I would argue that....
1. The two ARE largely exclusive.  Although obviously not completely so
the overlap is sufficiently small as to be ignorable.  While the
underlying purpose of the regulations is public and worker safety the bulk
of the regulations have a very tenuous relationship to safety.  Many
regulations exist simply to make the regulatory system work.  2. It is
entirely appropriate that they are largely exclusive since they serve
different purposes.  "Operational safety" is the function of maintaining
and administering a safe operation on a day to day basis. "Regulatory
compliance" is just that, and a large fraction (if not most) of the
regulations are only remotely related to operational safety.  3. Confusing
the two functions is detrimental to the successful accomplishment of both.

Have a Happy New Year.

 
the above are the personal musing of the author,
and do not represent any past, current, or future
position of NIST, the U.S. Government, or anyone else
who might think that they are in a position of authority.
NBSR Health Physics
NIST
Gaithersburg, MD 20899
301 975-5810
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Lester.Slaback@nist.gov
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