Camille Farkas, a graduate of the Specialized Master's®in Risk Management, received theAINF University Prizeon January 21, 2021, for her thesis written as part of her professional training contract at EDF, in the Risk Prevention department of the Civaux Nuclear Power Plant.
Preventing occupational risks with nudges
In her professional thesis, Camille Farkas studied the benefits for organizations of using nudges in the field of occupational risk prevention and presented their application in a nuclear power plant.
A nudge is a concept that originated in behavioral science research. It involves modifying an individual's decision-making context to bring about a change in their behavior, while leaving them free to make their own choices.
The nudge approach therefore encourages individuals to make better decisions. It is "anadditional means of helping employers to make occupational risk prevention measures more effective and thus meet the performance requirements imposed on them by regulations," explains Camille Farkas.
The problem of decision-making in uncertain situations
Camille Farkas' professional thesis, entitled "Can behavioral science findings (cognitive biases and nudges) help improve the performance of nuclear power plants in terms of occupational risk prevention?" was co-supervised by Laurent Dehouck (ENS Rennes), Marc Lassagne (Arts et Métiers), and Fréderic Germaneau (EDF).
"The MS® Risk Manager takes a cross-functional approach to risk management, based on the issue of decision-making in uncertain circumstances. Camille Farkas' work builds on this theoretical foundation and explores one of its fields of application: occupational risk management," explains Marc Lassagne.
Recognition of the value of this practice
Camille Farkas adds: "My Master's degree allowed me to learn about various occupational risks and discover nudges and cognitive biases. The context in which I wrote my professional thesis was nevertheless privileged, as the employees of the Civaux Nuclear Power Plant were informed about the process of creating nudges and were supportive of it, which is not always the case in other sectors. Receiving the AINF Association Award is therefore recognition of the value of this practice in reducing occupational risks."
A concrete manifestation in new prevention measures
Camille Farkas' work was praised by theAINF association juryashighly innovative in applying nudges to the field of Health, Safety, and Work, whereas they are mainly used today in public policy. Her thesis led to the concrete implementation of new prevention measures at the Civaux Nuclear Power Plant.
