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ICRI 2021 Fall Convention
Special and Unique: Lessons Learned from the Implementation of Pull-Off Testing as Part of Project Quality Assurance and Quality Control at Operating Nuclear Power Plants
Pull-off testing appears straightforward, but applying it inside a nuclear quality program requires much more than a test procedure. This presentation examines how acceptance criteria, work sequencing, performer qualification, documentation, and communication interact when concrete repairs affect regulated structures. Three lessons learned show why variable test results need clearly defined response paths—and why ambiguity can turn a field issue into a project-wide delay.
Key ideas
- Design acceptance criteria around test variability and failure modes, not a single number alone.
- Align work orders, procedures, prerequisites, and quality plans with the actual work sequence.
- Define technical-review and communication pathways before unexpected results occur.
- Revise controlled documents when field conditions require a different method rather than normalizing undocumented deviations.