Health and Safety
Executive / Commission
Nuclear
LLC reports
This report is issued as part of the Health and Safety Executive's commitment to make infor-mation about inspection and regulatory activities relating to the above site available to the public. It is for distribution to members of the Chapelcross Site Stakeholder Group (SSG) and covers activities associated with the regulation of safety at Chapelcross Power Station. These reports are distributed quarterly. Site Inspectors of HM Nuclear Installations Inspec-torate normally attend SSG meetings and will be happy to respond to any questions raised there or subsequently by members of the SSG. Any other person wishing to inquire about matters covered by this report should contact the HSE, Nuclear Directorate on 0151-951-3484/3290.
This report will be put onto the HSE Website at http://www.hse.gov.uk/nuclear/llc/index.htm.
Nuclear DirectorateThe HMNII Site Inspector made the following planned visits during the period:
9 – 13 January; 6 – 10 February; 20-24 March.
Other HMNII Inspectors visited the site during the quarter to undertake inspections associ-ated with the upgrade of fuel route equipment and the reactor defuelling safety case.
Routine inspections continued throughout the period to check compliance with the conditions attached to the Nuclear Site Licence.
Improvements were made to the arrangements for preserving documentation, associated with demonstrating compliance with the licence conditions, and HMNII was able to Approve a re-laxation to the normal preservation period of 30 years for some of these records.
Improvements have been made to the arrangements for investigating events, and the revised arrangements should reduce the likelihood of events recurring.
Progress continued to be made on removing radioactive waste that has accumulated on the site, and on the provision of a radioactive waste processing facility. Progress was also made on introducing a new suite of documentation covering the management of radioactive waste.
The management and recording of events that occurred on the station during the period were inspected. Most of the events were relatively minor however several events were followed up in more detail with appropriate MEL staff and details are given below.
One event involved the failure of a running diesel generator during battery testing, the failure constituting a breach of a safety rule. The safety significance of the event was relatively mi-nor and the rule, which was over duly restrictive, has since been amended.
Another event concerned the tritium plant (CXPP), and a failure to undertake testing of equipment within required timescales. As this was the third event of this type within a year, the Site Manager set up an independent team to investigate the events. The team has con-cluded there were no common themes to the events. The CXPP event has led to the introduc-tion of more rigorous scheduling of work, and a more robust means of ensuring that work does not overrun.
The final report into the event concerning the depleted uranium store (B141), which was re-ported for the quarter 1 April to 30 June 05, was issued by MEL. MEL has made improve-ments to both procedures and management oversight to prevent a recurrence.
Two events were reported under RIDDOR (The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Danger-ous Occurrences Regulations 1995). In one event an operator suffered a calf strain whilst try-ing to open a large sliding door in the turbine hall. In the other a contractor was wearing overshoes and, whilst climbing a ladder, his overshoes slipped on the rungs and he fell break-ing his ankle. MEL has taken remedial measures to help prevent the recurrence of such events.
The Chapelcross Steering Group and the “cold” debrief of the Level 2 exercise “ZENA” were attended on 21/3/06.
No Level 1 Exercises were held, however the scenario for the forthcoming exercise in May was agreed.
Modification work continued on the upgrading of the fuel route discharges machines and as-sociated plant, and our assessment work on related matters continued. The upgrade work was on programme at the end of the quarter.
Lessons learnt by MEL and HMNII, from the implementation of the Post Operational Safety Case Project, will be utilised in managing the project.
Hold points for the project, the passing of which will require permission from HMNII, were agreed. Expectations, regarding the state of the plant and the readiness before inactive sys-tem commissioning begins, were also agreed.
Work on potential revisions to the Emergency Plan to cover defuelling is ongoing.
The environmental management plan, which was provided by MEL during the previous quar-ter, is being assessed by HMNII.
The Inspectorate has powers under the Nuclear Site Licence to issue regulatory documents collectively termed Licence Instruments. These Licence Instruments are issued under the li-cence conditions and arrangements and include Consents, Approvals, Directions, Specifica-tions, Notifications and Agreements.
The Licence Instrument given below was issued during the quarter.
Approval (Licence Instrument No 510) was issued on 23/1/06. The Approval covers the preservation periods for documentation associated with demonstrating compliance with the Nuclear Site Licence.
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 quarter.