Health and Safety
Executive / Commission
Nuclear
LLC reports
The 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 Hinkley Point A Power Station's Local Community Liaison Council (LCLC) and covers activities associated with the regulation of safety at Hinkley Point A Power Station. These reports are distributed quarterly. Site Inspectors of HM Nuclear Installations Inspectorate normally attend LCLC meetings and will be happy to respond to questions raised there or subsequently by members of the LCLC. Alternatively, any other person wishing to enquire about matters covered by this report should contact the HSE, Nuclear Directorate Information Centre on 0151 951 4103.
The Site Inspector made the following visits to Hinkley Point "A" in the period covered by this report:
3 to 5 February 2004.
24 to 26 February 2004
17 to 19 March 2004.
30 & 31 March 2004.
During the site visits, NII's site inspector carried out planned sample inspections of the licensee's compliance with the conditions attached to the Site Licence and other relevant health and safety legislation, generally accompanied by a safety representative during plant inspections. An inspection of the licensee's compliance against The Ionising Radiations Regulations 1999 was made by two specialist NII inspectors on 10th & 11th July 2003. Some shortfalls were noted during this inspection. A programme of actions was agreed, the majority of which have now been completed by the licensee. The balance of the outstanding actions remain on track for completion during the first half of 2004. A joint inspection was made with a HSE Specialist Fire Safety Inspector, at the request of the licensee, to advise the licensee on arrangements for maintaining compliance with Fire Certificate requirements, as buildings were demolished or reused on the site, during decommissioning projects. The licensee has recently submitted an updated radioactive waste storage safety case to NII, which will be assessed by NII during 2004.
The site delivered presentations providing information regarding plans for future decommissioning projects. These presentations were made jointly to the NII Site Inspector and the Environment Agency Site Inspector. Both Site Inspectors also observed and commented upon the licensee's two day presentation of the Near Term Work Plan, to the Liabilities Management Unit of Dept for Trade & Industry, (the Near Term Work Plan underpinning the arrangements for the defuelling and decommissioning projects planned for the site, in the period from April 2004 to March 2006).
The site are planning to alter the approved emergency arrangements over the next twelve months, to reflect the reduced hazard from the site after defuelling has been completed. Demonstration emergency exercises are to be undertaken, to be observed by NII, prior to implementing the proposed changes. Arrangements for appropriate "silent hours" emergency exercises are being made between NII and the licensee. The site inspector also visited the Local Emergency Centre (LEC) at Taunton Police Station, to witness the Local Emergency Planning facilities there, with a satisfactory outcome. (Use of the LEC is included within the Hinkley Point "A" Emergency Plan and it would be used for coordinating the response in the unlikely event of a major site emergency).
As part of NII's planned inspections, the site inspector examined the licensee's arrangements for the recording and investigation of events on the station. The site inspector was content with the manner in which the minor events had been addressed by the licensee.
The licensee has responsibility for the appropriate control and supervision of contractors working on the licensed site. A number of contractors were now engaged in decommissioning projects, on the site and elsewhere, including the asbestos stripping operations underway within the Turbine Hall. The licensee's arrangements for controlling and supervising this work were inspected and found to be broadly acceptable.
None arising during this quarter.
The Inspectorate has powers under the Nuclear Site Licence to issue Consents, Approvals and Directions. In addition, the Inspectorate uses Licence Instruments (LI) to issue Specifications and Agreements under the conditions attached to the Site Licence. No Licence Instruments have been issued in this period.
Published on the HSE web site 20 February 2004