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Sellafield Limited - IRR17 Inspection of Magnox Reprocessing Plant

  • Site: Sellafield
  • IR number: 19-095
  • Date: September 2019
  • LC numbers: N/A

Executive summary

Purpose of Intervention

This report presents the findings of a planned intervention that was undertaken at the Sellafield nuclear licensed site in order to assess Sellafield Limited’s (SL) compliance with the Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017 (IRR17) within the Magnox Reprocessing Plant (MRP).

Interventions Carried Out by ONR

The intervention consisted of an inspection in relation to the implementation of arrangements to secure compliance with the requirements of IRR17 through discussion with key facility personnel as well as inspection of plant.  The key requirements examined were those relating to:

  • Regulation 8 (Radiation risk assessments)
  • Regulation 14 (Radiation protection adviser);
  • Regulation 15 (Information, instruction and training);
  • Regulation 17 (Designation of controlled or supervised areas); and
  • Regulation 18 (Local rules and radiation protection supervisors)

Explanation of Judgement if Safety System Not Judged to be Adequate

Not applicable, this was not a System Based Inspection.

Key Findings, Inspector's Opinions and Reasons for Judgements Made

Based on the work areas and work activities examined, I found that arrangements for the control of work with ionising radiations within MRP were adequate.  In particular:

  • the arrangements for the production and review of radiation risk assessments were judged adequate;
  • the arrangements in place for the regular (monthly and annual reviews) of worker doses were judged to be adequate and proportionate to the external doses received by workers within the facility;
  • I considered that Sellafield’s arrangements for compliance with IRR regulation 14(2) were adequate;
  • adequate arrangements for consultation with a suitable RPA were in place
  • the designation of areas and content of local rules were judged adequate.

However, I found that Sellafield’s arrangements permit entry into controlled areas designated as C3 (due to the levels of contamination that may be present on surfaces) without the requirement to wear respiratory protective equipment, provided that the airborne contamination levels to not exceed a set limit.  I shall pursue this matter with the site’s central Radiation Protection function in order to determine whether further regulatory attention is required. 

Conclusion of the Intervention

I judge that the arrangements for the control of work with ionising radiations and their associated implementation are adequate and no significant shortfalls relating to compliance with the Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017 (IRR17) were identified within MRP.  I rated the intervention as Green (No Formal Action).  No matters that required a regulatory issue to be raised were identified during the intervention.