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 Hartlepool Local Community Liaison Council and covers activities associated with the regulation of safety at Hartlepool Power Station. These reports are distributed quarterly. Site Inspectors of HM Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (part of the Health and Safety Executive's Nuclear Directorate) attend LCLC meetings and will be happy to respond there to questions raised by members of the LCLC. Any person wishing to inquire about matters covered by this report should contact the HSE, Nuclear Directorate Information Centre on 0151 951 4103.
This report will be placed on the HSE website at www.hse.gov.uk/nuclear under “Local Liaison Committee Reports.The site inspector visited the site on seven occasions during the quarter:
| 6th to 8th April | 6th and 7th June |
| 27th to 29th April | 14th to 17th June |
| 17th to 19th May | 29th June to 1st July |
| 23rd to 26th May |
In addition specialist NII inspectors, and the Superintending Inspector responsible for all BE sites, visited the site during the period to assist with inspections related to their expertise.
As part of their routine work NII inspectors inspect for compliance against the requirements of the Station’s Nuclear Site Licence, the Health and Safety at Work Act and other relevant safety legislation. They monitor events, plant operations, projects, modifications and safety case changes and any other matters which are important to safety. Planned inspections during the quarter included management of the site boundary and safety related buildings (LCs 2 and 16), event reporting (LC 7), training (LC 10), duly authorised and experienced persons (LC 12), safety cases (LC 14), quality assurance (LC 17), radiological protection (LC 18), modifications (LC 22), operations (LCs 23, 24 and 26), maintenance (LC 28) and control of organisational change (LC 36).
In general the station’s arrangements were found to be satisfactory. In those areas where improvements were identified, satisfactory commitments to address the issues were made by the station. Routine aspects of particular significance are summarised below:
Safety case against flooding and fire from turbine disintegration
The Inspectorate has continued to monitor the station’s consolidation of the safety case. Work during the reporting period has included extending the turbine hall flood barrier to 6.0 m.
Low Pressure Back Up Cooling System
The inspectorate has maintained detailed involvement with the arrangements for this major replacement of a significant safety system. We are encouraging the station to work rigorously to their arrangements for modifications, within a sound quality management framework.
Safety Review Meeting
The annual safety review meeting was held on 14th June. NII inspectors, including the Superintending Inspector responsible for all BE sites, toured the plant and held discussions with a wide range of station staff. Our overall impression was that the station is making improvements through the introduction of a consolidated programme to improve the plant and the effectiveness of staff.
12-hour shifts
During the reporting period the station embarked on a 20-week trial of a proposal to change the shift pattern for operations technicians, from the current 3-shift pattern to a 12-hour shift system. NII are monitoring the trial and its outcome in detail. Human factors specialists at HSE’s Health and Safety Laboratories are working with NII in the assessment.
As part of their planned inspection site inspectors examine safety related events that have occurred and the Licensee’s response to them. Generally the Licensee’s internal system for following up events is robust and the appropriate actions are implemented. More noteworthy events during the period include the following:
RAETP Event on 9th June 2004
NII and EA held a joint inspection on 16th June to review the station’s response to this event, which occurred in June 2004. There was good evidence that all the station’s numerous actions have been effectively dealt with. The condition of the facility has been significantly improved and we concluded that the actions required to address the previous issues have been successfully concluded. There is a major on-going programme of further refurbishment and improvement, which NII will continue to monitor.
Leaking fuel
Evidence of a small leak from fuel in Reactor 1 occurred during January. The Inspectorate closely monitored the station’s approach to locating and removing the leaking elements, which remained within the parameters of the relevant safety case at all times. The leaking fuel was discharged from the reactor into the sealed decay store during March.
Disruption to services during excavation for alternative low pressure back up cooling system (LPBUCS) route
The Site Inspector has continued to progress the station’s development of an improved risk assessment process and station has been advised that he intends to inspect the final position against the relevant statutory requirements in September.
Under Health and Safety legislation the Site Inspector, or other HSE Inspectors, may issue formal notices to secure improvements to safety. No such notices were issued during the reporting period. Th e Inspectorate has powers under the Licence to issue Consents, Approvals and Directions. In addition the Inspectorate uses Licence Instruments to issue Specifications and Agreements under the conditions of the Licence. These are all called Licence Instruments. One Licence Instrument was issued to Hartlepool during the quarter:
Licence Instrument 503, requiring British Energy not to implement some aspects of the LPBUCS replacement without a formal Agreement from NII.
HM Nuclear Installations Inspectorate 22nd April 2005
St Peter’s House
Stanley Precinct
Bootle
Merseyside
L20 3LZ