Executive summary
Date(s) of inspection: May 2024
Aim of inspection
To demonstrate the adequacy of the May 2024 L1 rehearsal of emergency arrangements on the AWE Burghfield Site against the requirements of LC11 and the regulatory expectations provided within ONR’s guidance NS-INSP-GD-001.
Subject(s) of inspection
- LC11 - Emergency arrangements - Rating: Green
Key findings, inspector's opinions and reasons for judgement made
AWE Burghfield conducted its Level 1 Safety Demonstration Exercise on 14 May 2024. The purpose of this intervention was for ONR to assess the adequacy of this rehearsal demonstration against the relevant requirements of LC11 and the regulatory expectations provided within ONR’s guidance NS-INSP-GD-001.
This activity also forms part of delivering Key Regulatory Objective 5 of the ONR Weapons Sub-Division Strategy to "provide assurance to our stakeholders that hazardous activities on site are planned and conducted safely in accordance with the appropriate legislative requirements and that all risks have been reduced to as low as reasonably practicable".
ONR, DNSR and EA inspectors observed the annual Level 1 Site Safety Demonstration Exercise on the AWE Burghfield Site. This observation focused on command and control, casualty management and recovery, and other practical aspects of the incident response. ONR/DNSR and EA observers were located at the incident scene, the forward control centre, and within the emergency operations control centre.
Overall ONR considers that the areas observed provided adequate demonstration of AWE's emergency arrangements against the requirements of LC11 and the relevant good practice provided within ONR's guidance document NS-INSP-GD-011 on the Burghfield site.
Overall I consider that this exercise was an adequate demonstration of AWE's emergency arrangements against the requirements of LC11 and the relevant good practice provided within ONR's guidance document NS-INSP-GD-011 on the Burghfield site. On this basis in accordance with the inspection rating guidance in ONR Guide ONR-INSP-GD-064, I conclude that an inspection rating of green is appropriate.
Conclusion
Based on ONR, DNSR and EA observations at the locations attended, I consider that AWE did adequately demonstrate relevant arrangements across the areas sampled. i.e. the demonstration exercise provided evidence of adequate implementation of AWE's emergency arrangements at the Burghfield site, against the requirements of LC11 and the relevant good practice provided within ONR's guidance document NS-INSP-GD-011.
On this basis in accordance with the inspection rating guidance in ONR Guide ONR-INSP-GD-064, I consider that an inspection rating of green is appropriate.
On this basis in accordance with the inspection rating guidance in ONR Guide ONR-INSP-GD-064, I consider that an inspection rating of green is appropriate.