Things that rookie nukeworkers should know

[wlrun3@aol.com]

   
     There are 104 nuclear reactors located at 65 sites in the United States. They produce 20% of the country's electricity. They are shutdown and refueled every two years.
    Refuelings take one month and require one thousand temporary additional workers.
    Of that one thousand temporary additional workers per reactor, roughly 40 are radiation protection technicians.





     

[UncaBuffalo]

Books on tape are always great for traveling long distances...

...and, for some reason I don't understand, eating sunflower seeds helps me stay awake, too.

[Atomic_Punk]

Watch your back, cover your @$$, and don't let your guard down.  He or she who's your good buddy yesterday, won't hesitate throw you under the bus tomorrow. (took me a few times to learn that one)

Use protection:  Don't get some girl knocked-up at every plant you go to.  Some of these guys think they're Johnny Appleseed or something and have child support payments from hell.

Get a good accountant.

Hook up with the guys like UncaBuffalo and learn how to do things the right way.

Don't be an @$$kisser.   The only people who like @$$kissers are people who are @$$kissers themselves.

[Rennhack]

Don't be an @$$kisser.   The only people who like @$$kissers are people who are @$$kissers themselves.

Don't be a rude jerk, and justify it by claiming not to be an ass kisser.  People like to be around pleasant people that have a positive outlook on life, and are easy to get along with.

[wlrun3@aol.com]

   Light Water Reactor Designs...

      PWR...http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/teachers/04.pdf

      BWR...http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/teachers/03.pdf

[RDTroja]

...As far as calling me a "rude jerk", who's being rude here?

'Methinks thou doth protest too much.'

I don't know if you and Mike have a history that may make you think he is calling you names or not, but all I saw was someone showing the opposite side of the coin to the statement you made. It is important not to be a kiss-up, but it is also important not to be the opposite -- someone that is a rude jerk and does not give any consideration at all. I did not see that as being aimed at you at all. Like I said, I don't know your history (or even who you are) so I may be wrong.

[Rad Sponge]

I guess my two cents for what every newbie should know:

1. Minimize time in the break room.
2. Be early for your jump if you have to relieve someone
3. Smile
4. Go the little extra to help your peers
5. Don't cut corners
6. Fill out good maps
7. Take constructive criticism
8. Try and be better the next day
9. Try not to have sex with deconners.
10. Repeat number 9.

[vikingfan]

i wonders if jason did number 9 well maybe at least not with the boiler makers !!

[tera_rogue]

Understand Why You are Employed
   You are getting paid to perform a duty ... Do It.
Go to Work Fit for Duty
   It is hard enough to carry your own weight ... do not burden others and figure they will carry it for you.
Do not Show Up for Work without a Pen and a Watch
   Sounds stupid to say but you will be surprised how many people rely on others to know what time it is and for a pen to commit it to paper. Documentation is a very large part of your job ... every thing revolves on time ... you will need a pen to document when. 
Be on Time and Be Where You are Expected to Be
   If you have a watch this is not difficult to do ... no one wants to wait for you or look for you.
Onsite Your Badge and Dosimentry are You 
   Never ... Ever be separated.
Know Plant Procedures
   This cannot be stressed enough ... Three easy words.
   I repeat ... Know Plant Procedures ... If you do not know something ... the answers should always be in the procedures. You cannot depend on others for what you should have learned in training or on your own. Do not pin your job on the knowledge of others. If you do you will be setting yourself up for failure. I am embarrassed to say some people will give any answer to a question rather than not give an answer and admit their ignorance. Do not misunderstand ... our industry is loaded with exceptional knowledgeable personnel willing to assist you but it takes time to know who they are ... unfortunately time is limited. The answers are ultimately your responsibility to know ... do not think twice about looking them up in the procedures.
   Also remember plant procedures are not universal ... every plant is unique with procedures to reflect that fact. Different plants ... different procedures ... unless you are an expert do not question them (they usually have been questioned enough) learn them and know where to find them.

It is Your Job to Know Your Job
You are not born with Nuclear Knowledge ... Learn
Pay Attention
Think First ... Speak Second
Think First ... Act Second
Take Responsibility for Yourself and Your Actions
Self Check Should be Second Nature
Peer Checking is Essential ... Not Offensive
   You will overlook something sometime.
   Do not be insulted ... be thankful.
You are Human ... You Will Make Mistakes
   Learn from them and do not repeat them.
You Always Make A Difference
   Only you can determine if the difference is positive or negative.
Never Stop Improving Yourself
   You are the only one capable of elevating your value.
Respect Earns Respect

Now ... Get to Work

[wlrun3@aol.com]

Understand Why You are Employed
   You are getting paid to perform a duty ... Do It.
Go to Work Fit for Duty
   It is hard enough to carry your own weight ... do not burden others and figure they will carry it for you.
Do not Show Up for Work without a Pen and a Watch
   Sounds stupid to say but you will be surprised how many people rely on others to know what time it is and for a pen to commit it to paper. Documentation is a very large part of your job ... every thing revolves on time ... you will need a pen to document when. 
Be on Time and Be Where You are Expected to Be
   If you have a watch this is not difficult to do ... no one wants to wait for you or look for you.
Onsite Your Badge and Dosimentry are You 
   Never ... Ever be separated.
Know Plant Procedures
   This cannot be stressed enough ... Three easy words.
   I repeat ... Know Plant Procedures ... If you do not know something ... the answers should always be in the procedures. You cannot depend on others for what you should have learned in training or on your own. Do not pin your job on the knowledge of others. If you do you will be setting yourself up for failure. I am embarrassed to say some people will give any answer to a question rather than not give an answer and admit their ignorance. Do not misunderstand ... our industry is loaded with exceptional knowledgeable personnel willing to assist you but it takes time to know who they are ... unfortunately time is limited. The answers are ultimately your responsibility to know ... do not think twice about looking them up in the procedures.
   Also remember plant procedures are not universal ... every plant is unique with procedures to reflect that fact. Different plants ... different procedures ... unless you are an expert do not question them (they usually have been questioned enough) learn them and know where to find them.

It is Your Job to Know Your Job
You are not born with Nuclear Knowledge ... Learn
Pay Attention
Think First ... Speak Second
Think First ... Act Second
Take Responsibility for Yourself and Your Actions
Self Check Should be Second Nature
Peer Checking is Essential ... Not Offensive
   You will overlook something sometime.
   Do not be insulted ... be thankful.
You are Human ... You Will Make Mistakes
   Learn from them and do not repeat them.
You Always Make A Difference
   Only you can determine if the difference is positive or negative.
Never Stop Improving Yourself
   You are the only one capable of elevating your value.
Respect Earns Respect

Now ... Get to Work

Best entry on this thread... I'm impressed.

[tera_rogue]

Thanks wlrun3 ... It is nice to know I can still impress.

[Joe Ferguson]

tera_rogue,
I concur - that is great advice.  I replied to this thread earlier, but you have underscored many important points, especially about the procedures, relieving your peers on time, and being accountable for your actions.

Thanks for the write - I hope our new comers read and follow.  Where were you at when I was in containment and waiting 20 minutes on my relief?

rotag

[vikingfan]

    Tera,

awesome posting. especially the notations about self check and peer checking !! we get these drilled into us at every outage but alot of folks don't follow them. alot of situation come to mind such as verifying core locations for CRB removal, valve manipulations, electrical ops, where peer check and self check are essential. if you didn't read the procedure the first time do yourself and and your co- workers a favor and read it before doing a job.

[illegalsmile]

...and if you work on the Vessel Service Platform, learn to tie a proper knot, right, JJ?

[vikingfan]

thats right wayne, gotta at least know how to tie a bowline, and do not do like others " can't tie a knot tie alot " !!

[UncaBuffalo]

9. Try not to have sex with deconners.
10. Repeat number 9.

HEY!?!?!?  Deconners need love, too! 

[UncaBuffalo]

You are Human ... You Will Make Mistakes
   Learn from them and do not repeat them.

And that is the biggest reason to work outages, instead of DOE.

Let's say your success/failure ratio is 50/1.  In an outage, you can make a couple of mistakes each night and still be a "Good Tech" because you have 100 successes to offset them. 

In DOE, when you screw up, you will be working at such a slow pace that it could be weeks before you have enough successes to be back to feeling good about the job.  (Of course, you could just do nothing...and not fail at all!  This is actually the option-of-choice for many DOE workers...  :/    )

[B.PRESGROVE]

   As a former DOE worker I can say with all honesty that you are right on the money.  One of thier many sayings "All it takes is One Ah S...., and that can screw up your entire review."  How backwards can a place be!!!!!  I will be going into commercial ops at the first of the year and cant wait to be in the real nuclear field. 

[UncaBuffalo]

People like to be around...people that have a positive outlook on life, and are easy to get along with.

Actually, that description fits The Punk to a 'T'...and people do really like working for/with him!

Karma on BOTH of you! 

[jasmin]

And leave the women where you found them

LOL - in my case that'd mean being left driving our rx! 

[workinman]

No matter how many amateur "Tax Professionals" you run into on the road, get yourself a professional!  Don't be fooled by those who say they can outsmart the government, that will never happen!  Big Brother is always watching!

Don't pad your resume with endless pages of detail, recruiters know the specifics of your job.

And no matter how you twist it, tweak it, articulate it to death!--- Pushing a laundry buggy is not job coverage time!

Finally, don't give up!  This industry is in desperate need of replacements.  When the rest of us have been planted and are pushing up daises, someone will have to carry on!

[rocknrollrick]

 ;That's right on the money!!!! Well said!!! Oh, one more thing, when sitting in the breakroom there's more to life than this job and war stories. Disengage the mouth and open the mind, you might learn something new!!!!

[workinman]

Also Well Said!  Great advice Rick!

[idrum4food]

Keep yer mouth shet, do whit yer towld, park wher yer spose tew.

[B.PRESGROVE]

Man this entire thread is great advise for the noobies and the experianced.  You can never learn to much, because you forget about as much as you learn.