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 GE Healthcare Ltd Grove Centre Local Liaison Committee (LLC) and covers activities associated with the regulation of safety at the site. 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 attend LLC meetings and will be happy to respond to any questions raised there by members. Any other person wishing to enquire about matters covered by this report may contact HSE’s Nuclear Directorate on 0151-951- 3484/3290 .
[back to top]NII inspections were made on 18–20 July and 26–28 September 2006. (Inspections are also made at GE Healthcare Ltd’s nuclear licensed sites at Cardiff (the Maynard Centre) and Harwell. Where these are relevant to the Grove Centre they are included below. For instance, the sites have many arrangements in common for compliance with the conditions attached to their site licences.)
Inspections are undertaken for the purpose of monitoring compliance with (i) the conditions attached by HSE to the nuclear site licences, and (ii) other relevant provisions of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, including the Ionising Radiations Regulations 1999. In this period routine inspections included:
Issues arising from these and previous inspections are being pursued.
Annual Safety Review Meeting: The meeting for 2006 was held at the Grove Centre but, as usual, covered all four nuclear licensed sites. It was well supported by GE Healthcare Ltd; site directors of all its licensed sites attended, with their supporting managers, as well as the member of the board responsible for safety assurance. The licensee’s safety performance and plans were discussed, and NII indicated a number of topics that would be given particular regulatory attention in the coming year.
Annual Emergency Exercise: This year’s demonstration emergency exercise was held on 27 September. It simulated a fire in the cyclotrons building, leading to an escape of radioactive material and two casualties requiring rescue. We welcomed improvements in two important elements of the response that we have criticised in the past two such exercises. Again we were please to see the support given to the Company by Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service and Two Shires Ambulance Service. Overall, NII judged the exercise to be a satisfactory demonstration of the licensee’s arrangements for dealing with any accident or emergency arising on the site and its effects.
Incident: The licensee reported to NII in June that it had closed a waste store to further receipts. It had taken this precaution while it investigated the discovery that, though designed to operate for several decades more and having ample space, records showed it now contained more of some radionuclides than had been assumed in its design. The licensee was quickly able to show that this had no significance for normal operating conditions, and began a study to show the effect in fault conditions, which continues. The store is likely to remain closed to receipts until early 2007. NII concluded that the licensee was dealing with the occurrence appropriately.
Neighbours’ Meeting : The site inspector attended a meeting between the site and householders living next to it. The main safety-related topic was the licensee’s major studies into the radiological condition of soil and water under and around the site.
Safety Representatives : The site inspector held a periodic meeting with Safety Representatives, to support their function of representing employees and receiving information on matters affecting their health, safety, and welfare at work.
As part of its regulation under the nuclear site licence NII issues formal regulatory documents, which include Consents, Approvals, Directions, and Licence Instruments[1]. No such documents were issued in this quarter.
No other issues have arisen that have required formal regulatory action.