Executive summary
Date(s) of inspection:
June 2023Aim of inspection
The aim of the inspection is to consider Dounreay’s site wide emergency arrangements and determine whether Dounreay has appropriate site arrangements in place, whether they have processes to ensure they have sufficient people to enact these arrangements and have suitable and sufficient equipment in place ready to support their arrangements.
Subject(s) of inspection
- LC 11 - Emergency arrangements - Rating: GREEN
- SyDP 10.1 – Counter Terrorism Measures, Emergency Preparedness and Response Planning - Rating: GREEN
Key findings, inspector's opinions and reasons for judgement made
This was a joint ONR safety and security inspection of Dounreay’s site emergency arrangements. The inspection focused on Dounreay’s arrangements to ensure that:
- Dounreay have appropriate emergency arrangements and supporting documentation / processes / management arrangements;
- Dounreay have identified and have maintained appropriate equipment to support their emergency plans; and
- Dounreay have identified sufficient personnel to support these arrangements and these individuals have received appropriate training and guidance.
These arrangements were compared against the expectations associated with ONR’s security principle (SyDP) 10.1 (Emergency Arrangements) and nuclear site licence condition (LC) 11 (Emergency arrangements).
The Dounreay emergency arrangements team were able to supply key emergency arrangement’s documentation and their supporting implementing processes. The Dounreay team were able to provide confidence that these arrangements are understood and routinely used on site.
Dounreay’s emergency arrangements team were able to provide a list of equipment that is claimed for use in response to potential events at site, although not explicitly owned by the emergency response team. A sample of equipment was selected for detail consideration. I viewed the maintenance records and then inspected the equipment on various locations on plant. The inspection showed the sampled equipment was stored appropriately and maintained in line with Dounreay’s arrangements. I noted that Dounreay’s emergency arrangements team had access to Dounreay’s “Mainsaver” maintenance software and were able to use this to demonstrate the maintenance status of the equipment to support an emergency response. I viewed the team being able to access the information directly as an area of good practice.
I also sampled the training records for a variety of roles on the emergency rota. I found that each role had specific requirements and the team could provide evidence that the identified individuals had been signed off to conduct their role.
Dounreay also conducted an annual security demonstration exercise for ONR in May 2023 and will perform a safety demonstration exercise in September 2023. These demonstration exercises and the evidence gather during this inspection provide confidence that the arrangements and equipment continue to be proven to be effective.
Conclusion
Overall, I judge that Dounreay’s emergency response arrangements have appropriate processes in place and that there is evidence that supporting equipment and personnel are maintained / trained to an appropriate standard. I informed the Security and Resilience Director that the intervention rating was GREEN with no regulatory issues raised.