Assessing Nuclear Security Culture: The Experience of Indonesia

Human factors and security culture are critical components in ensuring the security of nuclear facilities, infrastructure and transport - their importance cannot be overestimated. To reflect that, the IAEA and international experts have developed the concept of nuclear security culture and its implementing guide, which was published by the IAEA in 2008 under the Nuclear Security Series No. 7. The importance of nuclear security culture has also been recognized by the two nuclear security summits in 2010 and 2012. As the next step in promoting and improving nuclear security culture, the IAEA has been working with a group of international experts to develop and implement a robust methodology for self-assessment at nuclear facilities to provide national authorities and facility management with a benchmark information on the status of nuclear security culture, and later for the development of a set of measures to fill the identified gaps. The methodology is currently in the final stages of development, and will be released in 2014 as an IAEA technical guidance document. The National Nuclear Energy Agency of Indonesia (BATAN) promulgated nuclear security culture at all levels with reference to the international guidance (IAEA NSS No. 7 Nuclear Security Culture). In the autumn of 2012, BATAN, in cooperation with the Center for International Trade and Security at the University of Georgia, USA (CITS/UGA) and in coordination with the IAEA, initiated a pilot project to implement the self-assessment methodology at BATAN research reactor facilities. BATAN operates three research reactors located in Bandung, Yogyakarta, and Serpong. Three selfassessment teams were selected from each facility, and they participated in a series of briefings with CITS/UGA and IAEA experts to become acquainted with the methodology and prepare for the self-assessment. These teams implemented the pilot self-assessment during the December 2012-January 2013 time period, with preliminary results summarized and discussed in February-March 2013. This paper presents these results in an aggregated format and shares some lessons learned in designing and implementing the self-assessment exercise by BATAN teams. The authors hope that lessons learned may be beneficial to everyone interested in implementing self-assessment at their nuclear facilities.