HM Naval Base Clyde

Quarterly report for 1 October 2010 to 31 December 2010

Inspections
Routine matters
Non routine matters
Regulatory activity
Proposed changes to the status of HSE’s Nuclear Directorate

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 Clyde Local Liaison Committee (LLC) and covers activities associated with the regulation of nuclear safety at HM Naval Base Clyde. These reports are distributed quarterly and are also available on HSE's web site.

Site Inspectors of HM Nuclear Installations Inspectorate usually attend LLC meetings and will respond to questions raised there or subsequently by members of the LLC.

Inspections

The majority of sites inspected by HM Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII), a part of the Health and Safety Executive, are licensed by HSE/NII under the Nuclear Installations Act 1965 (as amended). HM Naval Base Clyde is not a licensed site although it operates under Authorisation from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) Defence Nuclear Safety Regulator (DNSR). The site comprises the Faslane and Coulport facilities and is regulated by NII through other legislation as noted below. This report summarises the inspection and regulatory activities associated with HM Naval Base Clyde which are co-ordinated with inspections by DNSR. The focus for HM Naval Base Clyde is safe and timely servicing of the UK’s Nuclear submarine fleet. This is being progressed through provision of facilities on the site which are being upgraded to meet the continued operational requirements of the Base.

The NII Site Inspector made inspection visits to the Faslane and Coulport sites or to the Clyde Off-Site Centre (COSC) at Rhu on the following dates during the quarter: -

27th October

The Superintending Inspector for Naval Nuclear Propulsion Plant Inspection also attended on this date.

Routine matters

Inspections on site are undertaken are taken as part of monitoring compliance with:

The Health and Safety at Work etc Act (HSWA) 1974 and
Regulations made under the HSWA for example the Ionising Radiations Regulations1999 (IRR99), the Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations 2001 (REPPIR) and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (MHSW99)

The Superintending Inspector for NNPP Inspection and the Site Inspector attended the Level 2 Regulatory Interface Forum, which is an annual meeting of senior base personnel and nuclear regulators (NII, DNSR and SEPA). The aims of the meeting were to discuss HMNB Clyde’s Safety Strategy and 10 year programme, to receive updates on key nuclear safety implicated projects and for regulators to inform the site of developments within their organisations. Many of the same personnel also discussed the first HMNB Clyde Annual Review of Safety. This was based on practice at Licenced sites where a review of successes and challenges over the previous year is carried out with a look forwards to how progress is built on moving into the next year. The site had carried out a review of nuclear safety-significant topics, including organisational change, nuclear safety event reports and Operational Experience Feedback, safety cases, emergency arrangements, radiation protection, safety culture, conventional health and safety, maintenance, weapons safety, safety performance indicators and the Assurance Department Intervention Strategy. Progress and challenges in each of these areas was discussed. Captain Base Safety reported that the process of carrying out the review had been valuable and the regulators considered that the outcomes were balanced and properly representative of the site’s safety performance. The review will assist both the site and the regulators in developing their intervention strategies for next year.

Non-routine matters

Operators are required to have arrangements to respond to non-routine matters and events. NII Inspectors judge the adequacy of the operator’s response including actions taken to implement any necessary improvements.

There were no items of particular note during the current reporting period.

Regulatory activity

Under Health and Safety legislation NII Site Inspectors, and other HSE Inspectors, may issue enforcement (Crown) notices to secure improvements to safety.

No enforcement (Crown) notices were issued during the quarter.

Transforming our business

HSE’s Nuclear Directorate (ND) continues work on a programme of change entitled 'Transformation' which is intended to help ND realise its aims to become recognised as a world-class regulator. Over the coming months, ND’s focus will include improving the way it engages with all of its stakeholders, including communities around nuclear licensed sites, to explain the work that it does and the regulatory decisions it makes.

ND will keep stakeholders fully informed of changes and any decisions that are made through channels including:

The HSE Nuclear eBulletin (visit www.hse.gov.uk/nuclear/ebulletin to subscribe);
Site stakeholder group and local liaison committee reports;
ND's newly re-launched website (www.hse.gov.uk/nuclear).

If you have any comments, questions or suggestions regarding ND’s Transformation programme, please get in touch by emailing ONRenquiries@hse.gsi.gov.uk.