About the Procedure Professionals Association
Mission
The Procedure Professionals Association, Inc. (PPA) is the collective voice and leader in procedure and work instruction writing, processing, and associated training for member facilities that span industries such as commercial nuclear power generation, Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Defense (DOD), Oil and Gas. The association provides consistent and benchmarked guidance to its members. PPA accomplishes this mission by:
• Conducting an annual conference that provides opportunities for sharing of information, operating experience, and lessons learned. The annual conference provides exceptional opportunities for benchmarking and networking. For over 30 years, this conference has been the premier learning opportunity for procedure writers, reviewers, approvers, and program managers. PPA remains committed to continually improving this opportunity.
• Maintaining a training program and PPA Certified Instructors to deliver training to Procedure Writers and Planners at both member and non-member facilities.
• Maintaining an open and effective forum for member engagement throughout the year via the PPA Website and ready availability of Steering Committee members.
The Principles of Operation provides additional details on how PPA is organized and operated to meet these goals.
Focus
PPA achieves its mission by:
- Sponsoring the annual procedure symposium
- Sponsoring procedure standards PPA-AP-907-001(Process), PPA-AP-907-005(Writing), and supporting sub-standards
- Managing the writer certification program
- Promoting procedure quality, information sharing, networking, and benchmarking opportunities
- Interfacing with regulatory and evaluation agencies
- Coordinating with other groups in its area of interest
PPA History
1988 – First Procedure Symposium
As as result of the increasing focus on procedure quality, the publication of INPO 85-026 (Writing Guidelines for Maintenance, Test, and Calibration Procedures), and the resulting procedure upgrade projects, NUS/Scientech hosted a small group of commercial nuclear industry operations, maintenance, and administrative procedure writers and managers to discuss areas of common interest. NUS/Scientech would continue to sponsor this annual event until 2005.
2005 – 17th Annual Procedure Symposium
The Professionals Procedure Association (PPA) was founded to give the stakeholders a strong platform for providing input to the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO) and the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI).
2006 – PPA members were integrally involved in the development of AP-907-001 (Procedure Process) and AP-907-005 (Procedure Writers Guide), both elements of the Standard Nuclear Performance Model (SNPM). Since 1998, SNPM has provided a concise summary of nuclear processes including cost definitions, staffing definitions, and key performance indicators.
2007 – PPA members supported an INPO sponsored task force that developed INPO Best Practice INPO 09-004, Procedure Use and Adherence.
2011 – INPO reissued this Best Practice document as INPO 11-003, Guidelines for Excellence in Procedure and Work Instruction Use and Adherence. PPA also developed and issued training materials for Procedure Writer and Planner Writing Certification based on the INPO Systematic Approach to Training process.
2013 – 25th Annual Procedure Symposium
PPA celebrated the 25th annual procedure symposium at the Vinoy Renaissance in St. Petersburg.
2015 – PPA upgraded and streamlined the procedure writer certification training materials and created a new writer qualification for work planners.
2018 – 30th Annual Procedure Symposium
PPA celebrates the 30th annual procedure symposium at the Doubletree Hilton Hotel in the Charleston, South Carolina historic district.