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 3 - 4, 16 - 17 February and 30-31 March 2004.
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 plc with Licence Conditions 6 (Documents, Records, Authorities and Certificates) and 21 (Commissioning). The fundamental requirements needed for compliance with Licence Condition 6 were noted. Amersham plc has put in place measures to improve compliance with Licence Condition 21.
Mr Laurence Williams, HM Chief Inspector of Nuclear Installations, visited the site as part of his programme of visits to nuclear licensed sites. Amersham plc gave a presentation covering site operations, waste storage and issues relating to the site, and visits to a number of facilities on the site were made. He commented positively on Amersham's commitment to the safe operation of its facilities and to working within the nuclear regulatory regime and emphasised the importance of carrying out operations in such a way that personal contamination is minimised.
The annual meeting to discuss safety matters with the Chief Operating Officer, Mr Loescher, was held in March. The NII was represented by the Superintending Inspector and two Site Inspectors. Four main topic areas relevant to the Maynard Centre were discussed:
Mr Loescher noted the points and said that safety had a high priority in Amersham plc.
The Site Inspector attended the annual liaison meeting between the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) Advisers and NII, Environment Agency and Food Standards Agency inspectors concerned with Welsh nuclear licensed facilities. The meeting provides the forum for WAG to be updated on site developments and issues. The principal discussions on the Maynard Centre covered waste management issues.
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 and liquid gaseous wastes. It is anticipated that the pre-construction safety documentation covering the tritium facility will be submitted to the regulators in mid-2004.
For a number of years Amersham has let space on the Maynard Centre site to Ortho Clinical Diagnostics, using five specific leases. Amersham has recently revised these leases but before they can come into effect Nuclear Site Licence Condition 3 (Restriction on Dealing with the Site) requires Amersham to seek NII's consent to let part of the site. Five Consents covering the revised leases were issued in March (see paragraph 4 below).
Amersham are proposing to move the waste handling area currently housed in Research Products 2 building to an annexe of the Materials Handling Centre. Amersham submitted safety documentation covering the move and NII issued an acknowledgement Licence Instrument (see paragraph 4).
Following the announcement in October 2003 that General Electric of America had made an offer to take over Amersham plc NII considered the potential need to relicense Amersham's sites. NII's conclusion is that the General Electric acquisition would not in itself necessitate the relicensing of the sites. However, any future changes to organisational structure or resources which may affect safety will be subject to Site Licence Condition 36 control.
No statutorily reportable radiological incidents have been notified to the NII during the quarter.
In response to a request by Amersham plc, Consents numbered 14 to 18 were issued on 12 March 2004 under Licence Condition 3. The Consents were in respect of the renewal of building leases to Ortho Clinical Diagnostics.
Licence Instrument No 11, an acknowledgement of receipt of safety documentation, was issued on 27 February 2004 under arrangements made for the purposes of Licence Condition 19(1). This acknowledgement enabled Amersham plc to proceed with the transfer of waste handling operations in Research Products building 2 to the Materials Handling Centre.
Published on the HSE web site 16 June 2004