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 Hunterston A Power Station Local Liaison Committee and covers activities associated with the regulation of safety at Hunterston A Power Station. These reports are distributed quarterly. Site Inspectors of HM Nuclear Installations Inspectorate attend LLC meetings and will be happy to respond to questions raised there 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.
The Site Inspector made three inspection visits to Hunterston A during the period July to September. The visits were on:
8 - 12 July
15 - 16 August
16 - 17 September
The Chief Inspector of Nuclear Installations, Mr L G Williams, in the company of his French counterpart, inspected the site on the 9th July, favorable remarks were made on conditions on the site but the slow progress with decommissioning and reduction of hazard drew comment.
An unannounced inspection was completed on the 15th August by a specialist conventional safety inspector. The site's Superintending Inspector attended the annual review and inspected the site on 16th September in the company of a Specialist Inspector and the Site Inspector.
Routine inspection has continued matters arising from the general inspections of the site have decreased in number in recent months this is seen as a measure of the improved condition of the site. There is also an increased willingness of staff, at junior levels, to act and initiate corrective action without waiting for instruction.
Licence Compliance Inspections completed this quarter, under the IES regime included ones against Licence Conditions, 7 (Incidents on Site), 10 (Training), 13 (Nuclear Safety Committee), 14 (Safety Documentation) and 18 (Radiological Protection). In addition, Licence Conditions 25 (Operational Records), 28 (Examination, Inspection, Maintenance and Testing) were inspected in respect of the Control and Instrumentation systems. The outcome of the inspections was satisfactory, although a number of possible improvements were identified for consideration by the management, and some work remains to be completed from the recent management change. However, compliance in some areas, e.g. Incidents on Site, was very good and the recent training provided to both supervisors and safety representatives to increase their safety awareness and understanding of their responsibilities is noted.
Follow up inspection of compliance with Licence Condition 24 (Operating Instructions) arrangements confirmed the position to be satisfactory.
NII meets with the Licensee on an annual basis to review the site's safety record, compliance with the site Licence and progress with decommissioning. The meeting was positive noting the improved safety record for the last 12 months, successful completion of the fire improvements, netting of the buildings, and completion of the management change programme. The recent improvement in progress of decommissioning projects and to reduction of the site's hazards was noted.
A specialist Inspector completed an unannounced inspection of conventional health and safety and compliance with safety legislation on the site. The inspection was guided by recent events, current activities on site, and HSE's revitalizing Health and safety programme. No significant issues requiring regulatory action were identified, although a number of improvements were identified and agreed.
The progress and supporting documentation for the retrieval and encapsulation of the sludge in miscellaneous tanks on site was reviewed, and the site works inspected. Progress is to schedule and the site conditions are satisfactory. However, some issues / discrepancies were identified with the documentation; the Licensee has been informed that these did have not materially effected safety they are not acceptable.
The documentation for the recovery and process the pond furniture was reviewed and site works inspected. Both were found to be satisfactory.
The Licensee has presented to NII's specialist inspectors its technical solutions and programmes for construction of a store and the retrieval of ILW from the solid active waste building and placement in the store. The material provided to date is in keeping with NII's expectations.
Six milestones from the current years programme were nominated for monitoring decommissioning progress. The first milestone due this quarter has been met to time, the third milestone in the programme has been met early; three further milestones are due next quarter.
There have been a number of incidents on site all of which are regarded as minor in respect of nuclear safety. However, it was confirmed that they are all being pursued as required by the compliance arrangements.
The silt found in the land drain catch pits, reported the last quarter, has been safely returned to the site, remediation work to prevent a repeat has been completed and the introduction of permanent modifications is underway.
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 3 December 2002