Executive summary
Date(s) of inspection: October 2024
Aim of inspection
All Licensees have a duty to comply with the Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017 (IRR17). The purpose of this inspection is to gain assurance that the arrangements within Springfields Fuels Limited are compliant with the Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017 (IRR17).
Regulation 12(3) introduces a new duty on employers to estimate doses to members of the public, in addition to the duty to restrict exposures under Regulation 9.
Subject(s) of inspection
- IRR17 - Rating: Green
Key findings, inspector's opinions and reasons for judgement made
ONR undertook this inspection to examine Springfields Fuels Limited physical arrangements for controlling exposure to ionising radiations from the Springfields Fuels Limited Licensed site to members of the public.
This was one of two planned direct shine and other pathways inspections during 2024-25 in support of the Office for Nuclear Regulation Technical (Decommissioning Fuel and Waste) sub-division strategy.
The inspection was conducted via discussions with key licensee personnel, the sampling of licensee documentation and a site perimeter fence walk-down.
The site has a number of linear earthworks which provides an adequate as low as reasonably practicable measure to reduce off-site doses. The exposures do not exceed the Basic Safety Limit annual dose to members of the public of 0.3 mSv/y.
The conclusion of the inspection was that I was content that Springfields Fuels Limited had taken adequate steps to reduce doses to the public from the site operations in the areas inspected.
Conclusion
In my opinion SFL should carry out an assessment to confirm and refine the current arrangements for placing TLDs to measure the sites background radiation for the SFL annual direct shine and other pathways return.
To obtain a more comprehensive perimeter dose rate assessment, SFL to place neutron dosimeters at appropriate perimeter fence locations to determine the combined gamma/neutron dose rate.
SFL to explore ALARP options for the building 674 ‘ore store’ to reduce off-site public exposure.
In my opinion the sampled linear earthworks provide an adequate ALARP measure for reducing direct radiation exposures off-site.
I was content with the locations selected on the perimeter fence to assess the perimeter dose rate.
Overall I am satisfied that public exposure due to direct radiation exposure from the site is ALARP.
I judged SFL implementation of IRR17 regulation 12 (3) arrangements to be adequate to reduce doses to the public from the site operations in the areas inspected and I assign a rating of GREEN.