Executive summary
Date(s) of inspection:
- November 2023
This was an engineering themed inspection. It’s aim was to cover the LC 28 (Examination, Maintenance, inspection and Testing) arrangements relevant to engineering and system health at Heysham 2. The scope included a variety of topics aimed at ensuring that the management system (LC 17), governance, decision making, oversight and quality of the engineering arrangements and management system were adequate. This included elements of organisational capability, engineers training (LC 10), governance meetings, fleet engineering arrangements, company technical standards (CTSs) links to the safety case and maintenance schedule. We also looked at how conventional elements of safety related to engineering were managed, e.g. LOLER, PSSR and DSEAR.
Subject(s) of inspection
- LC10 – Training – Rating: Green
- LC17 – Management systems – Rating: Green
- LC28 – Examination, inspection, maintenance and testing – Rating: Green
Key findings, inspector’s opinions and reasons for judgement made
We held a series of discussions with station engineering personnel covering a variety of engineering topics. Prior to the inspection the station provided a comprehensive list of documentation requested and I reviewed this documentation prior to the inspection. From this review many of my comments were clarified during the course of the discussions and addition evidence was provided to provide additional confidence to the assertions. Topics inspected include:-
Training, also including Organisational Capability, system handover and accountability :- Due to age demographics the engineering experience levels have dropped but compensatory measures are being considered by station Engineering management. The training is considered to systematic and comprehensive although some advice has been offered in relation specific engineering roles
Management System:- A number of topics were covered under the management system related to engineering and maintenance including:-
- Governance and performance indicators
- System Health and system walkdowns
- Preventative Maintenance Delivery and Optimisation
- Equipment Reliability Reviews (ERRs) and Lifetime Asset Management Plans (LAMPS)
- Work Prioritisation
- 3rd Party Recommendations
- Safety Case, Safety Case Health Reviews & Maintenance Schedule
- Ageing & Obsolescence
- Technical Governance
- Corrosion
Based on my sample, the ERRs are mostly being delivered to schedule and 3rd party recommendations are dealt with adequately. The corrosion programme is being managed and the station has taken action to improve technical governance. The preventative maintenance programme is being managed effectively but sustained action is required to reduce backlogs. Advice was offered in a number of areas to help station make further improvements.
Conclusion
Overall there was evidence to suggest that engineering at Heysham 2 is now being effectively governed following a change back to the standard governance model at the beginning of 2023. The engineering function at Heysham 2 adequately fufills its function of trending and reviewing system health. I was reasonably confident that the Engineering lead team understood its role and responsibilities and has tools in helping them to discharge them. One minor regulatory issue has been raised in relation to the close out of recommendations from the safety case health review process and a number of observations and advice to station have been communicated which if acted upon strengthen engineering. As no significant issues were raised I have rated the intervention as green against LC28 (Maintenance, Examination, Inspection and Testing); LC10 (Training) and LC17 (Management System).