Health and Safety
Executive / Commission
Nuclear
LLC reports
Inspections
Routine Matters
Non Routine Matters
Regulatory Activity
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 Amersham plc, Maynard Centre Local Liaison Committee (LLC) and covers activities associated with the regulation of safety at the site. 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.
Inspection visits were made to the Maynard Centre site on 13 -15 May and 3 - 4 June 2003.
The main thrust of NII activity during the period of this report has been regulatory compliance and issues related to the plants being developed on site to recycle carbon - 14 and tritium liquid and gaseous wastes.
Routine compliance inspection of plant was carried out to the inspection plan and the site inspector has inspected parts of the site during each of his visits. Particular attention has been paid to the compliance by the licensee with Licence Conditions 7 (Incidents on the Site) and 22 (Modification or Experiment on Existing Plant). An adequate level of compliance with these Conditions was shown.
Two NII specialist inspectors carried out an inspection of the Safety and Quality Management Systems against the requirements of Licence Condition 17 (Quality Assurance). The general findings were that Health and Safety is given high priority at the site and significant progress has been made in introducing the Safety, Health and Environment Arrangements (SHEAs). A commitment to implementing an integrated health and safety management system was in evidence and a professional approach to its achievement was being followed. An adequate level of compliance with Licence Condition 17 was shown.
A tripartite meeting was held between NII, Environment Agency and Amersham to discuss progress on the plants being developed to recycle carbon - 14 and tritium liquid and gaseous wastes. It is anticipated that the first pre-construction safety documentation will be submitted to the regulators in the third quarter of 2003.
Amersham staff gave a presentation to a number of NII specialist inspectors and the site inspector on the health and safety aspects of the carbon -14 and tritium liquid and gaseous waste recycling plants. Topics discussed included the development of safety cases, radiological and conventional hazards and engineering design. NII was of the opinion that the radiological hazard presented by the plants was relatively low, but hazards were presented by the use of materials such as hydrogen. Further assessment of the health and safety aspects of the plants will be undertaken when the safety documentation has been submitted by Amersham (see paragraph above).
The NII Superintending Inspector covering the Maynard Centre moved to another post within the NII during the quarter. His successor is planning to make a familiarisation visit to the site in the future.
No statutory reportable radiological incidents have been notified to the NII during the quarter.
No legal instruments were issued during the quarter.
Published on the HSE web site 3 October 2003