4.6. An important part of designing a monitoring programme in a step by step manner is the initial assessment to establish what needs to be known and how this knowledge is to be gained. In general, the design of the monitoring programme should include the following:
- Identification and justification of the selection of the properties, processes, phenomena and observable quantities that are significant to the safety case;
- Establishment of the scope and objectives for the monitoring programme;
- Establishment of processes for independent assessment of the monitoring programme;
- Identification and justification of the selection of the methods to be used, based on the properties, processes, phenomena and observable quantities significant to the safety case, the scope and objectives for the monitoring programme and on available monitoring technology and its characteristics;
- Establishment of a process to verify the qualifications and certifications of equipment vendors;
- Identification of and justification of the selection of the locations for measurements;
- Identification of and justification of the selection of the duration and frequency of monitoring, including criteria according to which monitoring may be scaled back or terminated;
- Identification and justification of the selection of the instruments to be used (on the basis of their accuracy, measurement range, etc.);
- Assessment of the robustness of the monitoring technology over the relevant time period of the measurements;
- For each type of monitoring, specification of how the results will be used and communicated;
- Establishment of levels for action on the basis of existing regulations and the assumptions and models used in the safety case;
- The taking of decisions on what actions should be pursued in the event that levels for actions are exceeded;
- Establishment of specifications for management and for reporting of the results of monitoring;
- Balancing of the benefits of monitoring against its costs or any detriment that might result from monitoring (see para. 4.5);
- Specification of acceptable ranges (tolerances) for monitoring results, and establishment of a clear action plan in the event that any results collected fall outside these ranges;
- Establishment of procedures for the dismantling of monitoring instrumentation;
- Establishment of an appropriate documentation and archiving system for monitoring data.