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 Berkeley Power Station and Centre Local Community Liaison Committee, LCLC, and covers activities associated with the regulation of safety at Berkeley Power Station and Centre. These reports are distributed quarterly. Site Inspectors of HM Nuclear Installations Inspectorate attend LCLC meetings and will be happy to respond to questions raised there by members of the LCLC. 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 inspection visits to Berkeley Nuclear Licensed site during the period January to March 2004. The visits were on:
16 to 19 February
1 to 5 March
15 to 19 March
25 to 26 March
2 On 2 March, the Site Inspector was accompanied by Mr L G Williams, the Chief Inspector of Nuclear Installations. Mr Williams was visiting the site as part of his programme of visits to all Nuclear Licensed Sites. On 3 and 4 March, the Site inspector was accompanied by a Specialist Inspector to undertake a review of the sites arrangements for compliance with the Ionising Radiations Regulations. On 25 and 26 March the Site Inspector was present at the site's presentation of its Near Term Work Plan to the Liabilities Management Unit of the DTI.
3 Routine inspection has continued. Matters arising from the general inspections have been identified directly to the appropriate members of staff and to the site manager for action to be taken. It has been a continued inspectorate objective to ensure that the process of site integration is completed and that the regulatory interface on decommissioning plans is defined.
4 Inspections this quarter have been conducted against a site licence inspection schedule designed to cover all aspects of site licence compliance over a three year period. Inspections are targeted on a whole site basis or against areas of site or specific projects or themes. Inspections in the quarter have included: Licence Condition 9 (Instructions to Persons on Site), LC12 (Duly Authorised and Other Suitably Qualified and Experienced Persons), LC18 (Radiological Protection), LC22 (Modification or Experiment on Existing Plant), LC26 (Control and Supervision of Operations) and LC36 (Control of Organisational Change).
5. The inspections have found that there is compliance with site licence conditions although the systems in place do not allow compliance to be demonstrated with ease. While responsibilities within the management chain are not easily determined, working level responses to the requirements of site licence compliance are generally acceptable.
6. The conclusions of the Team inspection in December were formally communicated to the site. A total of 26 conclusions were reached. The site responded to those conclusions on 31 March 2004. The Site response has been positive is being evaluated by the Inspectorate
7. Site Management are aware that HSE requires improvements in the site management systems and have commenced those improvements. Discussions have been held with the Site Manager and members of his team on a revised set of management accountabilities and a changed management structure. The changes are to be implemented in two phases, on 1 May 2004 and in September 2004. HSE expects that implementation of these will enhance the licensee's ability to safely manage the Berkeley Site.
8. Discussions have been held with BNFL and Magnox Electric Management related to the proposed reorganisation of BNFL to reflect the needs of the LMU.
9. An inspection against the IRRs was undertaken. This followed up and enhanced a previous inspection in July 2003. It was clear that the site had put significant effort into clearing the findings of the previous inspection. There were no significant findings during the inspection and a number of instances where best practice was observed.
9. There have been a number of incidents on site; these are regarded as minor in respect of nuclear safety.
10. The site has provided revised fire drawings for the Berkeley Reactor Site. HSE is in the process of issuing a new fire certificate.
11. The Site Inspector was present when the site presented its decommissioning plans (as the Near Term Work Plan) to the LMU. Prior to this, discussions were held with the Site Manager and his representatives on their plans for the decommissioning of the site. The plans have arisen from the site review of decommissioning progress as well as the preparation of work plans in the light of the proposed Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. HSE has to ensure that these plans are consistent with the safe operation of the site. The plans therefore need to include sufficient hold points at which time HSE can review both plans and progress. The Site Inspector has written to the Site Manager indicating how including a range of matters that relate to regulatory interfaces can enhance the plans. The Site Manager has indicated that it is site's intention to programme these matters.
11 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.
12 One License Instrument No 7 - 'AGREEMENT UNDER ARRANGEMENTS MADE UNDER LICENCE CONDITION 22(1) FOR THE REMOVAL OF Co-60 SOURCES FROM THE GAMMA IRRADIATION FACILITY AT BERKELEY CENTRE BUILDING E23 - PMP/BC/2/1132 NOVEMBER 2003 ISSUE 1' was issued in the period.
Published on the HSE web site 28 May 2004