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Atomic Weapons Establishment Aldermaston - Inspection ID: 53452

Executive summary

Date(s) of inspection: July 2024

Aim of inspection

This intervention is to review and examine work activity related to work at height and lifting operations, this includes the planning and control of contractors; to provide regulatory confidence in the management of control measures and systems to aid in incident prevention by suitable planning, information provision and instruction.

This inspection will review:

  • Work at Height
  • Planning and supervision of work at height activities
  • Competence of staff carrying out the work
  • Suitability of equipment used for work at height
  • Lifting Operations
  • Planning and supervision of lifting operations
  • Thorough Examination of Lifting equipment and accessories
  • Examination reports and dealing with defects
  • Keeping of relevant information
  • Storage of lifting equipment and accessories

Subject(s) of inspection

  • Health & Safety at Work Act - Rating: Green

Key findings, inspector's opinions and reasons for judgement made

The ONR inspection team attended facility A2.1, which is located on the AWE Aldermaston nuclear licensed site on the 9th July 2024 to undertake this themed inspection on conventional health and safety. The inspection team comprised of nuclear site health and safety specialist inspector and the PTC site inspector.

A number of documents were reviewed at the time of the inspection and some additional documents were requested for follow up. The inspection followed a high-level scope that had been proposed by ONR and shared with A2.1 in advance of the inspection.

The inspection targeted aspects of conventional health and safety, including work at height and lifting, and sampled the adequacy of high-level and local arrangements and their implementation across various areas of the facility. A number of Observations were raised in relation to the following areas:

  • the storage and management of ladders throughout the facility, high number with some damaged or labelled “do not use”;
  • the storage and management of unused scaffolding, specifically the high numbers of wooden scaffold boards stored in plant areas;
  • the general housekeeping in plant areas, there was build up of waste material and old parts/machinery; and
  • it was observed that some electrical and lifting inspections were out of date, the relevant plant was immediately quarantined and inspections organised

Elements of good practice were identified as part of the inspection. For example, in regard to a sampled lifting plan, operatives knowledge of processes, management and control of maintenance issues and the immediate response to observations made. Good openness and behaviours were demonstrated throughout.

Based on the areas sampled, no shortfalls were identified during the inspection of significant concern. Therefore, I rate the inspection as adequate green (No formal action).

Conclusion

Overall, I am content the dutyholder demonstrated an adequate understanding of its duties as required by HSWA 1974, Work at Height Regulations 2005 and LOLER 1998 and that arrangements to ensure compliance were suitable and sufficient and being implemented effectively. Areas for improvement were identified and these were provided to the dutyholder as Observations. Based on the areas sampled, no shortfalls were identified during the inspection of significant concern. Therefore, I rate the inspection as adequate green (No formal action).

This rating is in line with the established ONR guidance as follows:

  • Relevant good practice generally met, or minor shortfalls identified, when compared with appropriate benchmarks.
  • No significant shortfalls identified in the delivery of safety, safeguards or security functions