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HM Nuclear Installations Inspectorate

HM Nuclear Installations Inspectorate

NRTE VULCAN, at Dounreay

Quarterly report for 1 OCTOBER TO 31 DECEMBER 2005

CONTENTS

FOREWORD

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 Dounreay Stakeholders Group and covers activities associated with the regulation of nuclear safety at NRTE VULCAN. These reports are distributed quarterly. Site Inspectors of HM Nuclear Installations Inspectorate normally attend these meetings and will be happy to respond to questions raised there or subsequently by members at the time. Any other 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 put onto the HSE Website at http://www.hse.gov.uk/nuclear/index.htm

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INSPECTIONS

1. Visits are made to the NRTE VULCAN, at Dounreay for the purpose of undertaking routine plant and project inspections or meeting site management or safety representatives. NII inspectors visited these sites during the quarter on the following dates:

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ROUTINE MATTERS

2. NII’s normal method of business is to inspect NRTE VULCAN in accordance with a planned inspection programme and to discuss any matters arising with site staff. Inspections are undertaken for the purpose of monitoring compliance with the relevant provisions of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act (1974) including the Ionising Radiations Regulations 1999 (IRRs), and the Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations 2001 (REPPIR) at the two sites.

Meetings are also held routinely to discuss matters that affect the continued safe operation of the base. Discussions are also held with the Ministry of Defence Regulator, on matters of mutual interest.

Inspection topics covered during the above visits included:

  1. Attendance, with the MoD internal regulatory staff, at a re-demonstration of the areas of the Lone Star 05 exercise which in need of improvement. They were successfully demonstrated;
  2. Conducting an in depth team inspection of the arrangements at the site for compliance with the IRRS. The arrangements were found to be satisfactory;

In general, the inspections indicated that the site staff are continuing to manage and control the activities in a satisfactory manner, and no significant issues were identified.

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NON-ROUTINE MATTERS

Nothing to report.

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REGULATORY ACTIVITY

The Inspectorate has taken no formal enforcement action on the Base during this period.

NRTE VULCAN Site Inspector
HM Nuclear Installations Inspectorate
5 January 2006