LLW Repository Limited, Drigg - Q4 LLC report for 1 October to 31 December 2010

West Cumbria sites stakeholder group

Inspections
Routine matters
Non routine matters
Regulatory activity

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 West Cumbria Sites Stakeholder Group (WCSSG) and covers activities associated with the regulation of safety at the LLW Repository nuclear licensed site. These reports are distributed quarterly and are available on the HSE’s web site located at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/nuclear/llc/index.htm. Site Inspectors of HM Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII) normally attend WCSSG meetings and will be happy to respond to questions raised there or subsequently by members of the WCSSG.

Inspections

The Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII) Site Inspector visited the LLW Repository site with colleagues on the following dates during the quarter:

15 – 16 November 2010

Routine matters

Inspections at site

Inspections are undertaken at site as part of the process for monitoring compliance with:

The conditions attached by HSE/NII to the nuclear site licence;
The Health and Safety at Work etc Act (HSWA) 1974; and
Regulations made under the HSWA, for example, the Ionising Radiations Regulations 1999 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.

This entails monitoring licensees’ actions on the site in relation to incidents, operations, maintenance, projects, modifications, safety case changes, and any other matters that may affect safety. The licensees/operators are required to make and implement adequate arrangements under the conditions attached to the licence to ensure legal compliance. Inspectors judge both the adequacy of such arrangements and their implementation. In this period routine inspections of the Low Level Waste Repository covered:

Decommissioning
Conventional Safety
Radiological protection

In general the arrangements made and implemented by the Low Level Waste Repository in response to safety requirements were deemed to be adequate in the areas inspected. However, where improvements were considered necessary, satisfactory commitments to address the issues were made by or are being sought from the licensee and the site inspector will monitor progress during future visits. Where necessary, formal regulatory enforcement action will be taken to ensure that appropriate remedial measures are implemented to reasonably practicable timescales.
In addition to the routine inspections undertaken this quarter, the annual review of safety meeting was attended and reflected the continued attention to safety on the site.

Non-routine matters

Licensees are required to have arrangements to respond to non-routine matters and events. NII inspectors judge the adequacy of the licensee’s response, including actions taken to implement any necessary improvements.
In accordance with agreed arrangements, LLW Repository notified HSE’s Nuclear Directorate of some events that had occurred on the site, which were followed up with site staff and found to be of low significance. These included;

Anomalies with the suspension of Plant Maintenance Schedule items.
Loss of control of isolations for plant shutdown work.
Calibration of Electronic Personal Dosimeters

Transforming HSE Nuclear Directorate

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
Site stakeholder group and local liaison committee reports;
ND's newly re-launched website

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

Regulatory activity

Under health and safety legislation NII Site Inspectors, and other HSE Inspectors, may issue formal documents to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements. Under nuclear site licence conditions HSE/NII issues regulatory documents, which either permission an activity or requires some form of action to be taken; these are collectively termed Licence Instruments. In addition, inspectors may issue enforcement notices to secure improvements to safety.

No Licence Instruments were issued in the period.