Executive summary
Date(s) of inspection: May 2024
Aim of inspection
In accordance with the Office for Nuclear Regulation’s (ONR’s) Sellafield Strategy, each year ONR performs a series of planned inspections to seek assurance of compliance against selected licence conditions, targeted at those facilities with significant importance to nuclear safety. One such inspection was undertaken at Special Nuclear Materials Value Stream (SNM) facilities at North and South within the Sellafield site in West Cumbria to sample evidence of implementation of Sellafield Limited's arrangements for compliance with Licence Condition (LC) 7 (incidents on site) in order to inform a regulatory judgement regarding the licensee’s compliance with its legal duties under the nuclear site licence.
Subject(s) of inspection
- LC7 - Incidents on the site - Rating: Green
Key findings, inspector's opinions and reasons for judgement made
The inspection was undertaken on 8 May 2024 by the Special Nuclear Materials (SNM) site inspector.
The inspection involved a planning phase and a site visit, which included discussions with relevant Sellafield Limited personnel, review of records, and sampling of information contained within electronic databases and other documentation.
I sampled several records including Condition Reports (CRs), investigation reports, corrective actions, governance records, trending and training records. In addition, I observed the local Plant Operations Control Centre (POCC) and CRs sentencing at SNM North.
From a mixture of sampling records, interviewing Sellafield Limited personnel and attending the local sentencing, I concluded the following:
No significant matters were identified that required immediate regulatory attention.
I saw evidence that SNM North and South have an adequate reporting culture for issues impacting nuclear safety. I found that CRs were appropriately sentenced, investigated, and appropriate corrective actions raised. I was satisfied that adequate governance and oversight of CRs is in place to provide challenge to sentencing decisions.
Whilst a number of investigations and several corrective actions are overdue, Sellafield Limited recognised this issue and provided me with confidence and assurance that a number of initiatives are currently underway to address the overdue investigations and complete the corrective actions within the agreed timescales. I provided regulatory advice to adhere to the completion timescales for all investigations and to complete all corrective actions in a timely manner to improve learning and avoid repetition of incidents.
Sellafield Limited also provided me with confidence that learning from trending and analysis is used to drive improvements and understanding. I provided regulatory advice to undertake Corrective Action Review Board (CARB) meetings in line with Sellafield Limited arrangements.
With the exception of one lead investigator, I was satisfied that the selected personnel sampled were suitably trained for the role of lead investigator and convening authority. Sellafield Limited provided me with assurance that the lead investigator whose training was not up to date, had previously completed some training, was supported by the investigation team leader and that the Management Investigation was endorsed by appropriate governance. I provided regulatory advice to ensure that all Management Investigations are being undertaken by lead investigators who have completed the requisite training.
Conclusion
On the basis of evidence sampled and the interactions that I held with Sellafield Limited staff, at the time of the inspection, I judge that Sellafield Limited has largely implemented its corporate arrangements for compliance with LC7 (incidents on site) at SNM North and South. Upon consideration of the ONR guidance on inspection ratings, I judge that a rating of green (no formal action) is appropriate.