DOE Lessons Learned Information Services Catches the Eye of Corporations and Educational Institutions

Since the Department of Energy (DOE) Corporate Lessons Learned Information Services (LLIS) was put into production in 1995, several commercial companies and educational institutions have been very interested in using the DOE system within their own organizations. Companies that have received copies of the Lessons Learned Database include Motorola, Sprint, Marathon Oil, and others. Spokespersons from these organizations indicate there is significant value-added to having a lessons learned program and consider DOE's implementation an excellent starting point for their own systems.

Within DOE, Lessons Learned programs have been instrumental in aiding training and work planning organizations to improve the knowledge and work performance of DOE workers and managers. Many DOE sites have robust internal Lessons Learned programs and dedicated Lessons Learned program managers or advocates. Lessons Learned programs are an important component of ISM in that they feed back learned experiences and good practices into the overall work process while warning organizations of adverse work practices or experiences. The results include improved safety performance, reduced worker injuries and exposures, and reduced property damage.

The LLIS is a direct result of implementing DOE Lesson Learned Standard (DOE-STD-7501-99), to facilitate the collection and dissemination of lessons learned from all DOE facilities. Several site contractors provide the bulk of lessons learned and include Hanford, Los Alamos National Laboratory, the three Oak Ridge Sites, and Bechtel Nevada. All DOE sites are encouraged to provide their Lessons Learned to the DOE Community via a Web-based form available at http://www.hss.energy.gov/CSA/Analysis/DOEll/index.asp. Registration required.

Information components of the DOE Corporate LLIS include, but are not limited to, the following technologies:

1. Lessons Learned website/portal - general information source which also provides access to the Corporate Lessons Learned Database. The Lessons Learned Portal is currently part of the DOE My ES&H Page and has been implemented using a best-of-breed commercial portal product.
2. Corporate Lessons Learned web-based database - A Microsoft Access database that allows registered users to access Lessons Learned provided by DOE sites.
3. Lessons Learned list server - an automatic email distribution of Lessons Learned to a list of 538 people. Lessons Learned are predominately input via a web-based form.
4. Site Lessons Learned websites - web linkages (URLS) from the DOE Corporate Lessons Learned web site to DOE sites that have Lessons Learned programs available on the Internet.

The original lessons learned database began as a Lockheed Martin project at Oak Ridge to provide site-wide lessons learned. The database was recognized by Headquarters personnel as a worthwhile model and subsequently moved it to DOE Headquarters to become today's DOE Corporate Lessons Learned database. In December 2000, the Headquarters Lessons Learned program sponsoring organization was merged with the Office of Oversight. At that time, the Environment, Safety, and Health (EH) Office of Information Management (OIM) accepted the task of maintaining and updating the Lessons Learned portal and database to ensure current lessons learned are captured and disseminated to the DOE Community. Today, the Office of Oversight is the primary sponsor with EH OIM supporting the Information Technology needs of LLIS.

Future enhancements to the LLIS and other Lessons Learned activities include converting the Lessons Learned listserver to a Lotus Notes application, enhancing the Corporate Lessons Learned database, and integrating the LLDB with the future EH Data Warehouse project. Also, Bruce Breslau, Office of Oversight, indicated that the LL Working Group has completed a first draft of an IEEE standard for Lessons Learned programs. Members of this group include DOE Headquarters personnel, Nevada Test Site office, Hanford, Westinghouse, Safety Management Solutions, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Institute of Nuclear Power Operations, George Washington University, Texas Utilities, Colonial Pipeline, and others. The members will also meet in March to discuss the standard before submitting it to the IEEE committee.

From the ongoing activities and interest of outside organizations, it is important to note that DOE is considered a leader in the lessons learned area and continues to improve its internal program. Further successes of the DOE Lessons Learned program are strongly dependent on participation by its members and DOE continues to solicit that active participation. A strong Lessons Learned program is crucial to fostering a safe work environment for DOE and DOE contractor employees.