- Site: Sellafield
- IR number: 21-161
- Date: February 2022
- LC numbers: 11
Executive summary
Purpose of Intervention
The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) regulates Sellafield site in accordance with the Sellafield Strategy. For objective two of the strategy ONR undertakes interventions to ensure delivery of activities and key enablers to accelerate the risk and hazard reduction in the Sellafield legacy ponds and silos.
To achieve risk and hazard reduction on site, ONR permissions certain nuclear safety and security activities. The Magnox Swarf Storage Silo (MSSS) is one of the highest hazard nuclear facilities in the United Kingdom. Sellafield Ltd. has an extensive programme of work to remove the hazard by retrieving the radioactive waste inventory into waste packages and transporting it for safe storage elsewhere on site pending the decision on final disposal.
This record describes the outcome from the planned intervention undertaken to determine if has adequately implemented Sellafield Ltd.’s arrangements for compliance with Licence Condition (LC) 11 (emergency arrangements). The inspection findings will inform ONR’s decision on permissioning the start of MSSS waste retrievals.
Interventions Carried Out by ONR
LC 11 requires the licensee to make and implement adequate arrangements for dealing with any accident or emergency arising on the site and their effects.
The inspection comprised discussions with Sellafield Ltd. staff, sampling emergency-exercise-related documentation and observing a demonstration exercise of the emergency arrangements on MSSS. I was accompanied by the ONR retrievals nominated site inspector and supported by a Sellafield Ltd. radiological protection specialist.
Explanation of Judgement if Safety System Not Judged to be Adequate
This was not a system-based inspection, and therefore no judgement has been made of the adequacy of implementation of any part of the safety case
Key Findings, Inspector's Opinions and Reasons for Judgements Made
From the evidence sampled and the observation of the exercise I identified no shortfalls requiring regulatory attention. I consider that Sellafield Ltd. had developed and executed an emergency incident scenario to enable the company and separately ONR to form a judgement on compliance with the requirements of LC11.
We identified a number of areas of good practice and some minor observations on areas for improvement. We provided non-formal regulatory advice. I consider that minor observations did not warrant raising a regulatory issue.
Conclusion of Intervention
I consider that the exercise demonstrated Sellafield Ltd. effectively implemented its arrangements for compliance with LC 11.
There were a number of areas where Sellafield Ltd. demonstrated good practice; at the same time ONR provided some observations regarding some areas for minor improvement. I consider, noting the ONR guidance on inspection ratings, that the exercise merited the inspection rating of Green (no formal action).