The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) has served a Prohibition Notice on the University of Manchester which requires it to cease the transport of all radioactive material pending administrative improvements.
ONR issued the Prohibition Notice following a routine transport compliance inspection of the university’s Oxford Road premises on 6 April 2022.
The University of Manchester infrequently transports very small quantities of radioactive materials to approved partner institutions for academic research and analysis.
All radioactive material must be handled appropriately so important radiation risk assessments and other procedures must be adhered to by facilities that transport these materials.
ONR’s inspection highlighted administrative shortfalls which resulted in the serving of the Prohibition Notice.
There was no harm to students, staff, the public or the environment as a result of the shortfalls identified.
Inspectors found that the university’s transport radiation risk assessment did not fully meet ONR’s recently revised (February 2022) transport radiation risk assessment guidance and concluded its processes for responding to an accident involving the transport of radioactive material were incomplete.
The notice requires the university to demonstrate to ONR that appropriate action has been taken to address these issues.
ONR will engage with the university to make sure that adequate progress is made to achieve compliance with the notice.
A spokesperson for ONR said: "Our inspection found there were potential risks involving radioactive material consigned by the university, and consequently we have issued the Prohibition Notice to cease transport of radioactive material until such time as these contraventions are remedied.”
The Prohibition Notice has been issued under The Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017 (IRR17) Regulation 8 ‘Radiation Risk Assessments’ and Regulation 13 ‘Contingency Plans’ and the Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations 2009 (As Amended) (CDG09) Regulation 2 ‘Evaluation and risk assessment’ and Regulation 3 ‘Emergency Plans’.