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 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 9 - 10 October and 3 - 5 December 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 inspected parts of the site during his visits. Particular attention has been paid to the compliance by Amersham with Licence Conditions 3 (Restriction on Dealing with the Site), 5 (Consignment of Nuclear Matter), 10 (Training), 18 (Radiological Protection) and 25 (Operational Records). The fundamental requirements needed for compliance with Licence Conditions 5, 18, 10, and 25 were noted. Full compliance with Licence Condition 3 could not be shown and Amersham has put in place measures to rectify some minor deficiencies.
The annual regulatory review of safety meeting was held during the period. The meeting was attended by the Superintending Inspector and Site Inspector and senior managers from Amersham nuclear licensed sites. The meeting is the forum at which the licensee reports to the regulator on progress on safety matters. It also provides an opportunity for discussing the licensee's future activities and programmes and also gives NII the opportunity to raise important safety matters and promote improvements in the licensee's safety performance. For the Maynard Centre site the NII emphasised the following;
The Nuclear Safety Committee is a senior safety committee that operates on the site to which Amersham can refer important safety matters for consideration and advice. Amersham has revised the Terms of Reference of the Nuclear Safety Committee and produced arrangements for the consideration of urgent safety proposals. Under the requirements of Licence Condition 13 (Nuclear Safety Committee) NII has to approve such revisions and additions and two Approvals covering the changes were issued in November (see paragraph 4 below).
In last quarter's report it was stated that Amersham had submitted the Pre-Construction Safety Report (PCSR) for the Carbon - 14 Waste Treatment and Enrichment Plant. The NII reviewed the PCSR and was satisfied that Amersham had properly considered the safety aspects of the plant. Following consultation with the Environment Agency a Licence Instrument was issued agreeing to the start of construction of the plant (see paragraph 4 below). Further Licence Instruments will be required before the start of active commissioning and the start of operation.
Amersham stores its arisings of carbon-14 and tritium waste in the Materials Handling Centre on the site. In order to be able to periodically inspect the drums without the need for manual handling and sorting Amersham has installed an x-ray facility that will provide real time non-invasive images of the drum contents. Amersham submitted safety documentation covering the operation of the x-ray facility and NII issued an acknowledgement Licence Instrument (see paragraph 4 below).
In October Amersham plc announced that General Electric of America had made an offer to take over the Company. The offer is subject to approval by competition authorities and is expected to close in 2004. The potential for the need to re-licence Amersham's sites is currently being considered by NII in conjunction with HSE solicitors and Environment Agency.
No statutory reportable radiological incidents have been notified to the NII during the quarter.
Approval No:12 was issued on 14 November 2003 in accordance with Licence Condition 13(3). This Approval was in respect of changes made to the Terms of Reference of the Nuclear Safety Committee.
Approval No:13 was issued on 14 November 2003 in accordance with Licence Condition 13(11). This Approval was in respect of providing arrangements for the consideration of, or advice on, urgent safety proposals.
Licence Instrument 9, an acknowledgement of receipt of safety documentation was issued on 13 October 2003 under arrangements made for the purposes of Licence Condition 19(1). This acknowledgement was in respect of the installation of an x-ray machine in the Materials Handling Centre.
Licence Instrument 10, an agreement to construct or install any new plant which may affect safety was issued on 11 December 2003 under arrangements made for the purposes of Licence Condition 19(1). This agreement was in respect of the Pre-Construction Safety Report for the Carbon-14 Waste Treatment and Enrichment Plant.
Published on the HSE web site 14 April 2004