Fire Science and Engineering (한국화재소방학회논문지)

Korean Institute of Fire Science and Engineering (한국화재소방학회)
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Risk Perception of the Firefighters Responsible for Nuclear Power Plants: Construct Validity

원자력발전소 화재에 대한 관할 지역 소방관의 위험인식: 측정도구의 개발과 타당화

  • Choi, HaeYoun (Department of Counseling, Korea Counseling Graduate University) ;
  • Lee, SangKyu (Department of Reactor System Evaluation, Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety) ;
  • Choi, Jong-An (Department of Psychology, Kangwon National University)
  • 최해연 (한국상담대학원대학교 상담학과) ;
  • 이상규 (한국원자력안전기술원 계통평가실) ;
  • 최종안 (강원대학교 심리학과)
  • Received : 2019.10.02
  • Accepted : 2019.10.22
  • Published : 2019.10.31
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Abstract

As the importance of first responses for fire accidents has grown in the safety management of nuclear power plants, a systematic approach to measure firefighters' psychological states and competence is needed. The current study investigated the construct of the risk perception of the firefighters working near nuclear power plant sites, and then developed and validated a new scale to measure firefighters' risk perception regarding nuclear power plant accidents. The scale items were developed on the basis of literature review and interviews with the firefighters working near nuclear power plant sites. In order to validate the new scale, we recruited 180 firefighters from five fire stations in the vicinity of the nuclear power plants in Jeonnam Province, Gyeongbuk Province, and Busan. The results of exploratory factor analyses revealed that the scale consisted of five factors: "manual" reflecting a lack of response guidelines and manuals for fire incidents and radioactive material release; "fear" reflecting a fear of fire incidents in the nuclear power plants and their catastrophic consequences; "resource" reflecting a lack of protective equipment and manpower for responding to fire incidents in the nuclear power plants; "trust" reflecting trust and cooperation with the counterpart institutions for firefighting in the nuclear power plants; and "knowledge" reflecting the knowledge of radioactivity and firefighting in the nuclear power plants. Further analyses provided statistical evidence supporting for the 15-item scale's internal consistency and construct validity. Finally, We discussed the implication and limitations of the current research.

원전의 안전관리에서 화재 대응의 중요성이 강조되는 시점에서, 화재 대응 인력의 심리적 상태와 역량을 체계적으로 접근할 필요가 있다. 본 연구는 원전 관할 지역 소방관들의 위험인식 구성개념을 규명하고, 이를 측정하는 측정도구를 개발 및 타당화 하였다. 원전 관할 소방관을 대상으로 실시된 인터뷰 분석과 문헌연구를 바탕으로 원전 화재에 대한 위험인식의 문항을 개발하였다. 개발된 문항들에 대한 타당화 연구에는 전라남도, 경상북도 및 부산 소재 원전 관할 소방서 및 119안전센터 5곳에서 참가자를 모집하여 총 180명의 소방관들이 참가하였다. 탐색적 요인분석 결과, 원전 화재의 재난적 결과 및 두려움을 반영하는 '두려움', 원전에서의 화재 및 방사능 누출에 대한 대응 절차와 지침의 부족을 반영하는 '매뉴얼', 원전 화재에 대응할 소방 인력 및 안전장치의 부족을 나타내는 '대응자원', 원전 소방활동을 위한 관계 기관과의 공조와 신뢰를 나타내는 '신뢰', 방사능 및 원전 소방 활동에 대한 지식을 의미하는 '지식'의 5개 요인 구조가 추출되었다. 최종 선별된 15개 문항으로 구성된 척도의 신뢰도와 타당도를 확인하였다. 본 연구 결과를 바탕으로 원전 관할 소방관들의 위험인식의 구성적 특성에 대해서 논의하였다.

Keywords

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