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 Berkeley Power Station and Centre Local Community Liaison Committee, LCLC, and covers activities associated with the regulation of safety at Berkeley Power Station and Centre. These reports are distributed quarterly. Site Inspectors of HM Nuclear Installations Inspectorate attend LCLC meetings and will be happy to respond to questions raised there by members of the LCLC. Any other person wishing to inquire about matters covered by this report should contact the HSE, Nuclear Directorate Information Centre on 0151 - 951 - 4103.
The Site Inspector made four inspection visits to Berkeley Nuclear Licensed site during the period April to June 2002. The visits were on:
15 - 19 AprilThe Site Inspector attended meetings of the Local Community Liaison Committee and the Emergency Planning Consultative Committee, and was accompanied by a fire precaution Specialist Inspector during the April inspection of fire precautions at the Centre.
The May visit included a joint inspection of the Centre's radioactive waste facilities with the Environment Agency.
One of ND's conventional safety inspectors visited the site on 26th June to inspect the safety provisions for the asbestos work on site and cooling water system project.
Routine inspection has continued. The condition of the low level waste facility at the power station was found to be particularly good
Inspections completed at the Power Station this quarter, the first under IES regime included ones against Licence Conditions, 4 (Quality Assurance), 23 (Operating Rules), 27 (Safety Mechanisms) and 28 (Maintenance).
Inspections at the Centre, also under the IES regime, included compliance inspections for Licence Conditions 7 (Incidents), 14 Safety Documentation) and 23 (Operating Rules). In addition, and as part of a joint inspection with the Environment Agency, inspections were conducted at the center against Licence Conditions 24 (Operating Instructions), 25 (Operational Records), 32 (Accumulation of Radioactive waste) and 33 (Disposal of radioactive waste).
The outcome of the inspections was generally satisfactory. Compliance for the topics inspected at the Centre with the Environment Agency was particularly strong and it was confirmed improvements were being made to the means of accounting for drummed waste for dispatch to Drigg. However, in the case of a number of Licence Conditions there were marked deviation between the practice on the ground and that dictated by the procedures, although, none of the deviations were judged in themselves sufficient to require regulatory action. The managers at the Centre and the Power Station have been made aware of the findings and action is being taken, this will be helped by the increased resource that has been made available. Progress will be monitored and reported to the LCLC.
There have been a number of incidents on site none of which have required intervention by the inspectorate.
The Site Inspector witnessed the response by the site team and the local fire brigade to a fire alarm at the Power Station; while it was found to be a false alarm the Power Station staff and response teams behaved is a very professional manner in accordance with procedures.
The site is progressing the improvements to the facilities to support the emergency arrangements in a satisfactory manner.
The proposed new discharge authorisation for the site and matters arising from it were reviewed with the Environment Agency and site management to confirm that it encompassed all site operations.
The management structure of Centre part of the site was formally changed at the start of the quarter. The change was inspected and it was confirmed that the change had been completed in compliance with Licence Condition 36 arrangements. The changes made included an increase in the level of resource available for management and compliance functions, this is welcomed by the Inspectorate.
A specialist inspection of the fire precautions at the Centre was completed in April as part of the process of revising and issuing a new fire certificate for the site. The inspection revealed a number of shortcomings; some areas of the office accommodation gave particular concern and the Licensee initiated immediate remedial action. The Licensee has been asked to complete a full survey, report the findings, and plan to complete the remedial work by the end of November.
The project work involving removal of asbestos and for the demolition of the cooling water structures in the river and consolidation, by backfilling, of those on site has continued. Inspectors from both HSE's Nuclear and Field Operations Directorates have been involved in establishing the safety of the work and carrying out inspections.
The Inspectorate has power under the Licence to issue Consents, Approvals and Directions. In addition the Inspectorate uses Licence Instruments to issue Specifications and Agreements under the conditions attached to the Licence. NII agreed, Licence Instrument G1, to the proposal made by BNFL to change the management structure of the company.
Published on the HSE web site 3 December 2002