Safety Management for Nuclear Plants

Safety Management in nuclear power plants is moving to an integrated approach to capture the interaction between technical systems, organizational structures and human performance within increasingly complex operating environments. This study examines contributions published between 2017 and 2025, focusing on frameworks, assessment methods and operational tools developed to strengthen safety across different plant contexts. To organize the evidence, the analysis applied the CIMO structure, which makes it possible to link the operational setting, the nature of the interventions, the underlying mechanisms and their observable effects on safety performance. Across the analysed literature, several critical issues emerge. Traditional deterministic approaches remain essential even if limitations in interdependencies between defense levels, ageing infrastructure and variable operating conditions are present. Organizational and human factors continue to play a decisive role, particularly regarding communication, coordination and the ability to maintain consistent practices over time. Studies addressing the representation of safety functions highlight the need for clearer models capable of depicting how systems interact across plant states and defense layers. At the same time, the growing use of immersive training environmentsalthough not yet consolidated- suggest potential improvements in operator preparedness and collaborative tasks. The review highlights a general shift toward integrating technical, organizational and training-related measures within a more coherent and transparent framework. By the findings of the CIMO model, the study outlines how different approaches contribute to reducing operational risk and improving the reliability of safety-related decisions. The review ultimately provides an integrated perspective that can support the development of adaptable and methodologically consistent safety management practices for current and future nuclear installations.

Keywords: Nuclear plants; Safety Management; Fire safety; Human Organisation Factor; VR simulations; CIMO model.