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 Clyde Local Liaison Committee and covers activities associationed with the regulation of nuclear safety at HM Naval Base Clyde.
These reports are distributed quarterly and are available also from the Internet at www.hse.gov.uk/nuclear/llc/index.htm.
Site Inspectors of HM Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (part of the Health and Safety Executive’s Nuclear Directorate) normally attend LLC meetings and will be happy to respond to questions raised there or subsequently by members of the LLC.
Any other person wishing to inquire about matters covered by this report should contact the HSE’s, Nuclear Directorate on 0151-951-3484/3290.
Visits are made to the HM Naval Base Clyde for the purpose of undertaking routine plant and project inspections or meeting site management or safety representatives.
The Base consists of two sites at Faslane and Coulport. HSE-NII inspectors visited these sites during the quarter as follows:
10 November 2006
21 to 24 November 2006
HSE-NII’s normal method of business is to inspect HM Naval Base Clyde 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.
Between 21 and 23 November 2006 the Deputy Chief Inspector (Defence Sites), the Site Superintending Inspector, a Superintending Inspector, the Site Inspector and other Inspectors visited the site to take part in and assess the response from the Naval Base, Local Authority and other Stakeholders in testing the on-site and off-site emergency plans. These plans were being tested under the Radiation Emergency Preparedness and Public Information Regulations (REPPIR). A joint team from the Defence Nuclear Safety Regulator (DNSR) and HSE-NII assessed the results of the tests. This was a Grade A test of emergency Regulations as defined by the MoD and as such all elements of the arrangements were rehearsed.
The off-site response was found to be a satisfactory demonstration of the plan. HSE-NII has written on behalf of the Regulators to the Local Authority responsible for the off-site plan confirming a satisfactory demonstration and noting a number of areas that worked well and where improvements could be considered.
The on-site response was found not to have been demonstrated satisfactorily in some areas. DNSR has written to the site operator on behalf of the Regulators indicating those areas that remain to be demonstrated and those areas where a satisfactory performance was achieved. The Clyde Submarine Base has agreed to redemonstrate relevant areas of the on-site plan during May 2007.
During the emergency exercise a separate group of HSE-NII Inspectors to those assessing the response undertook duties within the Naval Base and at the Clyde Off Site Centre. These duties include the provision of relevant information and advice such that HSE-NII can discharge it’s responsibilities as stated in the emergency plan to Government and other Stakeholders.
On 24 November 2006, the Site Superintending Inspector and Site Inspector attended the site debrief on the exercise.
On 10 November, the Site Inspector visited the site to take part in a meeting to discuss the site’s forward improvement programme. This meeting was part of a UK wide review of proposed improvements across all the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Programme (NNPP) facilities.
The Inspectorate has taken no formal enforcement action on the Clyde sites during this period.
Clyde Naval Base Site Inspector
HM Nuclear Installations Inspectorate