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 three inspection visits to Berkeley Nuclear Licensed site during the period April to June. The visits were on:
16-17 JulyThe site's Superintending Inspector attended the annual review meeting and inspected the site on 3rd and 4th September Berkeley Centre and 11th and 12th September Berkeley Power Station.
Routine inspection has continued, matters arising from the general inspections of the site have decreased in number in recent months, a measure of the improved condition of the site have been identified directly to the appropriate members of staff and to the Decommissioning Site Manager for action to be taken.
Inspections completed this quarter, under the IES regime included ones against Licence Conditions, 17(Quality Assurance), 23 (Operating Rules), 24 (Operating Instructions) and 27 (Safety mechanisms). In addition, Licence Conditions 9 (Instructions to Persons on site), 10 (Training) and 26 (Control and Supervision of Operations) were inspected in respect of the management and the safety of contractors. The outcome of the inspections was generally satisfactory although a number of improvements were identified, e.g. improved cross referencing and linking of systems and procedures. These have been actioned through the Decommissioning Site Manager as part of the ongoing improvement programme and their progress will be monitored by NII.
Previous inspections of Licence Condition 22 (Modification or experiment on existing plant) found poor closure of the modification process. NII requested that improvements be made and the steps taken by the site were found by inspection to have been effective in addressing the immediate problem and providing a long-term solution.
Discussions have been held with the site managers about the management structure of the site and the change management process that is to be adopted on relicensing. This change will be undertaken in compliance with Licence Condition 36 arrangements.
The progress to develop and put in place a fixed access control point for management of emergencies has been monitored by NII. The positive approach taken by the staff has been noted as has the progress towards implementing the revised working practices. The new access control arrangements will be formally exercised in November.
There have been a number of incidents on site, these are regarded as minor in respect of nuclear safety. However, two of the events that drew attention from the inspectorate this was primarily motivated by safety culture issues and the local responses to the events rather than the events themselves.
The site inspector has had the opportunity to witness the response of the site's emergency teams to fire alarms (subsequently found to be false) at the Center. The response by the emergency teams and by those personnel effected was observed to be satisfactory, as was the case for the Power Station the previous quarter.
The work to improve the A new fire certificate was issued to the site in May following completion of the work required to bring the site up to modern standards. The means of modifying and maintaining the certificate and attached drawing in accordance with the regulations has been discussed and procedures agreed.
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. No legal documents have been issued under the Licence during this period.
Published on the HSE web site 20 May 2003