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 Dungeness Local Community Liaison Council and covers activities associated with the regulation of safety at Dungeness B Nuclear Power Station. These reports are distributed quarterly. Site Inspectors of HM Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (part of the Health and Safety Executive's Nuclear Directorate) attend LCLC meetings and will be happy to respond to any questions raised there by members of the LCLC. Any other person wishing to inquire about matters covered by this report should contact the HSE's Nuclear Directorate Information Centre on 0151 951 4103.
1. The Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII) Site Inspector visited Dungeness 'B' on the following dates during the quarter covered by this report:
22 to 25, and 31 July,2. Other NII inspectors with specialist technical expertise also visited site during the period so as to support the Site Inspector by performing inspections on licence condition compliance, compliance with the power station's nuclear safety case, conventional safety and assisting with an investigation into an incident.
3. Compliance Inspections: During the visits listed above the Site Inspector, and assistants, carried out planned inspections of the licensee's compliance with: (i) the conditions attached to the Site Licence; (ii) the Ionising Radiations Regulations; and (iii) other relevant health and safety legislation.
4. Emergency Arrangements: A team of NII inspectors supported the Dungeness A Site Inspector when witnessing a Level 1 Emergency Exercise on 18 September 2002. The exercise was judged by NII to provide an adequate demonstration that the site's emergency arrangements could cope with a major event, however, some improvements to the Dungeness B equipment have been identified and are being addressed.
5. Incidents on Site: As part of routine, planned inspections the Site Inspector examined the licensee's arrangements for the recording and investigation of incidents at the power station and, where appropriate, undertook independent investigations to the extent that was warranted by the significance of the incident.
6. Prohibition Notice Issued: During an evening inspection on 9 September the Site Inspector saw an ambulance leaving site. An investigation found that a contractor was being taken to hospital after taking ill while working in part of the Cooling Water Culvert. The investigation found that the access and egress arrangements, at the place where the contractor had been working, were inadequate and therefore Prohibition Notice PN/nuclear/0909/2002/IW was issued to the senior manager on site at the time. Work stopped immediately and much improved access and egress arrangements were put in place. The contractor recovered sufficiently to attend work the following day.
7. British Energy Announcement to Stock Exchange: Following British Energy's 5 September announcement to the Stock Exchange that it had entered into talks with the Government on refinancing and restructuring, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Nuclear Installations, Laurence Williams, stated: "British Energy's nuclear site licences and the conditions attached to them remain in force. The duties to comply with licence conditions therefore continue, together with the duties to comply with other health and safety legislation. My inspectors will continue to check BE's compliance with their licence conditions and other relevant safety regulations and will not hesitate to take any appropriate action to ensure nuclear safety and the protection of the public is maintained."
Site Inspectors for British Energy power stations have since contacted the Station Directors and site Safety Representatives to inform them that NII will continue to inspect the sites' nuclear safety management during this period, to ensure that their focus on nuclear safety is maintained. They have also held joint inspections with their Environment Agency/Scottish Environment Protection Agency counterparts, to ensure that the licensee is appropriately managing any potential safety or environmental issues arising from the announcement.
8. The NII has powers within the standard Nuclear Site Licence Conditions to issue Consents, Approvals and Directions. In addition NII uses Licence Instruments to issue Specifications and Agreements under the conditions attached to the Licence. In accordance with formal regulatory procedures under Site Licence No. 61 the NII issued the following:
Approval No 11 was issued approving an amendment to the Dungeness B Operating Rules.Approval No 12 was issued approving an additional amendment to the Dungeness B Operating Rules.
Licence Instrument No 50 agreed to an extension of the current operating period of Reactor 21.
Licence Instrument No 51 specified that the Dungeness B Management of Change procedure Preface should be submitted for HSE approval.
Licence Instrument No 52 agreed to the removal of the redundant boiler house temperature trip system from operational service.
9. Under Health and Safety legislation the Site Inspector, or other HSE Inspectors, may issue formal notices in the interest of safety. Following the investigation described in paragraph 6 a Prohibition Notice was issued:
Prohibition Notice PN/nuclear/0909/2002/IW was issued on 9 September 2002 as an HSE Inspector was of the opinion that for work in the CW Culvert area suitable, sufficient and effective safe access and egress had not been provided, so far as was reasonably practicable, from the top of the access ladder to the place of work. He was of the opinion that there had been a contravention of Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 Sections 2 and 3 and The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 Regulation 13.
Published on the HSE web site 27 March 2003