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.
1 The Site Inspector made four visits to Hunterston A during the period January to March these visits were on:
27 - 31 January2 Two specialist inspectors supported the February inspection in respect of radiological of radiological and related matters. The Site Superintending inspector and two specialists witnessed the March demonstration of the site's emergency arrangements.
3 Routine inspection has continued. The number of visits has been increased as advised would be the case in the previous quarterly report to the Local Liaison Council.
4 Inspections completed this quarter under the site inspection plan included ones against Licence Conditions, 10 (Training), 11 (Emergency Arrangements), 18 (Radiological Protection), 25 (Decommissioning) and 36 (Control of change). In addition a follow up inspection of compliance with Licence Condition 12 (Duly Authorised, and Suitably Qualified and Experience Personnel) was completed. The outcome of these inspections was in the main acceptable but in each case marred by some element of unsatisfactory performance. For example the change of site manager was well managed but that of other members of the lead team was not as good, it is acknowledged that some of this is outside the immediate control of the station.
5 The inspections of the site's dosimetry system under the Ionising Radiation Regulations and arrangements for compliance with Licence Condition 18 were satisfactory. Progress is now being made towards using electronic dosimeters as the legal dosimeter on site. The inspection of contingency arrangements (Ionising Radiation Regulations) and the measures to meet the ALARP criteria for some of the project work revealed some short comings in comparison with the Inspectorate's expectations.
6 Follow up inspection of compliance with Licence Condition 12 revealed an improving situation.
7 The demonstration of the emergency arrangements showed once more that the arrangements currently in place result in a very slow recovery of casualties. The Inspectorate continues to have major concern about the slow speed of casualty recovery and is currently discussing the introduction of a rapid response capability for casualty treatment and the action required by the site to introduce its own emergency response capability. These discussions have been very productive, it being hoped time scales and programmes for the introduction of the changes can be agreed shortly.
8 The continued failure of the site to establish a decommissioning milestone programme and agree the programme with the Inspectorate is a concern, particularly as the current means of monitoring progress has expired and the there has been no response to NII's letter requesting the Licensee to declare some interim milestones in order to allow monitoring to continue.
9 Further inspection of the ponds area confirmed the improvements have been and are continuing to be made to the electric system, as identified in the previous report to the LLC. Steps have also been taken to reduce the amount of rainwater penetrating the building weather envelope.
10 It is disappointing to report that two serious events occurred on site during the quarter. Both events involved lifting operations that resulted in part of the load being dropped in the proximity of the staff undertaking the work and having the potentially to cause them serious injury.
11 Both of the events were investigated by the Inspectorate, the first immediately by the nominated inspector who was on site, the second in a follow up visit. The results of these investigations, coupled with events at the Licensee's other decommissioning sites, resulted in the Inspectorate seeking at a senior level in the Licensee action in respect of risk assessment and control and supervision of operations. This action is underway and the Inspectorate is being kept informed of progress.
12 The site's response to the events included a ban on all lifting operations while their own investigations were completed. Remedial action was taken against the findings followed by a controlled resumption of operations. These actions were inspected and judged to be appropriate by the Inspectorate who was kept fully informed throughout.
13 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 26 August 2003