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 Clyde Local Liaison Committee and covers activities associated with the regulation of nuclear safety at HM Naval Base Clyde. These reports are distributed quarterly. Site Inspectors of HM Nuclear Installations Inspectorate normally attend LLC meetings and will be happy to respond to questions raised there or subsequently by members of the LLC. Any other person wishing to inquire about matters covered by this report should contact the HSE, Nuclear Directorate Information Centre on 0151 - 951 - 4103.
1. Visits are made to the Base for the purpose of undertaking routine plant and project inspections or meeting site management or safety representatives. NII inspectors visited Faslane and Coulport during the quarter as follows:
22 - 24 January 20022. NII's normal method of business is to inspect the Clyde Base in accordance with a planned inspection programme and to discuss any matters arising with site staff. Plant 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 at the two sites. Meetings are also held routinely to discuss matters that affect the continued safe operation of the base. Discussions are also held with the Ministry of Defence internal regulators: the Naval Nuclear Regulatory Panel (NNRP), on matters of mutual interest.
3. In this period, the following matters in particular have been discussed:
a. Provision and assessment of safety documentation.4. The NII accompanied the NNRP on a safety audit of the Faslane shiplift during February. The audit concentrated on maintenance arrangements and control of operations. In addition to discussions and NII participation in the NNRP assessment of Defence Nuclear Accident Response Exercises, the visit provided NII with a useful and reassuring insight into the NNRP's regulation system. The NII inspector was also encouraged to provide comments and suggestions to include in the audit findings which were presented to the Base management at the end of the visit.
5. The NII site inspector and HSE Field Operations Division also carried out an inspection of the shiplift during the quarter. This visit concentrated on an inspection of the training arrangements for shiplift workers and a general walk round to assess general non-nuclear safety arrangements. A number of documents were examined including a locally developed system for recording training. It was apparent that a lot effort had been put into developing training profiles for each post together with a specification for training modules for particular roles. The two inspectors concluded their visit to the shiplift by a general safety walk round. The only deficiency observed was a scaffolding structure that was potentially unstable and did not meet best practice for erection of scaffolding. This matter was brought to the attention of the local management for corrective action.
6. Further discussions were held during this quarter on the requirements for complying with the Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations 2001 (REPPIR) which came into force on 20 September 2001. These regulations fully implement the emergency planning aspects of a European Directive which sets out basic safety standards for the protection of the health of the workers and the general public against the dangers arising from ionising radiation. The new regulations required amendment of some existing safety documentation as well the preparation of new documentation. Clyde Naval Base have now formally submitted reports of assessment for Faslane, Coulport and other locations in Scotland where nuclear submarines make visits. The NII are currently engaged in the assessment of these documents and further discussions and meetings will be held as required on any necessary clarification of the information contained in the reports.
7. The NII site inspector accompanied the NII Deputy Chief Inspector for Defence Related Sites on a familiarisation visit to Faslane and Coulport facilities. Visits were made to the shiplift, a Vanguard class submarine, the Explosives Handling Jetty and the Special Area facilities at Coulport.
8. The Inspectorate has taken no formal enforcement action on the Base during this period.
Published on the HSE web site 10 June 2002