Health and Safety
Executive / Commission
Nuclear
LLC reports
This report is issued as part of the Health and Safety Executive's commitment to make information about inspection and regulatory activities relating to the above site available to the public. It is for distribution to members of the Dounreay Stakeholders Group (DSG) and covers activities associated with the regulation of nuclear safety at the Naval Reactor Test Establishment (NRTE) Vulcan. These reports are distributed quarterly and are also available on HSE’s web site at http//www.hse.gov.uk/nuclear/llc/index.htm.
Site Inspectors of HM Nuclear Installations Inspectorate usually attend DSG meetings and will respond to questions raised there or subsequently by members of the DSG. Any other person wishing to inquire about matters covered by this report should contact the HSE’s Nuclear Directorate Information Centre on 0151-951-3484/3290.
Nuclear Directorate
Health and Safety Executive
Redgrave Court
Merton Road
Bootle
Merseyside
L20 7HS
1. Visits are made to the NRTE VULCAN, at Dounreay for the purpose of undertaking routine plant and project inspections or meeting site management or safety representatives. The Site Inspector visited the site from 11 to 13 September 2007 accompanied by a Specialist Health Physics Inspector. The Site Superintending In-spector visited the site on 13 September 2007. On 11/12 September, the Site Su-perintending inspector and other Inspectors visited the Northern Constabulary Po-lice HQ Control Centre in Inverness.
2. NII’s normal method of business is to inspect NRTE VULCAN in accordance with a planned inspection programme and to discuss any matters arising with site staff. Inspections are undertaken for the purpose of monitoring compliance with the relevant provisions of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act (1974) including the Ionising Radiations Regulations 1999 (IRRs), and the Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations 2001 (REPPIR) at the site.
Meetings are also held routinely to discuss matters that affect the continued safe operation of the establishment. Discussions are also held with the Ministry of De-fence Regulator, on matters of mutual interest.
With limited resources, HSE-NII necessarily employs a sampling regime in its regu-lation of sites that is proportionate to the risks, and which is targeted primarily on those activities with the highest risks or where the hazards are least well controlled. In order to maximise the effectiveness of regulatory resource, inspections from HSE-NII and MoD Defence Nuclear Safety Regulator (DNSR) work jointly, a position de-fined within an HSE/MoD Letter of Understanding.
On 12 September 2007 HSE-NII Inspectors worked with DNSR Inspectors both at the Vulcan site and at the Northern Constabulary HQ at Inverness during the Lonestar Grade B demonstration emergency exercise. HSE-NII led the assessment of the exercise at Inverness and DNSR led the assessment at the Vulcan site. Both areas of the demonstration were concluded as satisfactory.
During her visit on 11 and 13 September the Specialist Health Physics Site Inspector inspected practices at the site in the use and layout of changerooms and in undertaking radiography. No significant findings emerged. A letter has been written to site giving advice on areas where improvements could be considered.
The Superintending Inspector met with the Naval Superintendent and discussed matters of substance including future strategies related to the site and HSE-NII. He visited the DSMP facility and met with the Site Safety Representatives.
During his visit the Site Inspector discussed outline arrangements for a Quality Assurance Inspection due to be undertaken in November 2007.
3. There were no non-routine matters.
4. The Inspectorate has taken no formal enforcement action on the Site during this period.