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Rosyth Dockyard – Inspection ID: 52596

Executive summary

Date(s) of inspection

  • November 2023

Aim of inspection

The aim of this inspection is to gain regulatory confidence that RRDL has suitable arrangements for governance, internal challenge, decision making and the role of the internal assurance function such that it can adequately support the SDP Phase 2 project arrangements.

Subject(s) of inspection

  • LC13 – Nuclear safety committee – Rating: Amber
  • LC17 – Management systems – Rating: Amber
  • LC36 – Organisational capability – Rating: Amber

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

The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) undertakes all regulatory interventions with the Rosyth nuclear site licensee, RRDL against a strategy defined by the ONR Propulsion Sub-Division. In accordance with that strategy, a themed Decision Making inspection was undertaken at Rosyth, as planned, on 29 November.

Inspectors have assessed the arrangements and implementation related to:

  1. The RRDL nuclear safety governance.
  2. How RRDL design and manage their organisation to provide and promote effective nuclear safety advice and independent challenge.
    Organisational Capability to confirm that RRDL decisions related to changes to its organisational structure or resources which may affect safety are adequately controlled.
  3. RRDL employees should understand the need for a management system; their role and what is expected of them, what information they need to do their job safely and correctly, and how/where to get it.
  4. RRDL Safety Leadership

This intervention was carried out by sampling and examining the written arrangements that RRDL have in place in relation to decision making (for example LC 13 Nuclear Safety Committee and LC36 Organisational Capability in relation to managing change) and managing the site Business Management System (BMS) against relevant good practice and by sampling key roles identified in the  arrangements and confirming through discussion their understanding of the role responsibilities by those individuals.

This inspection found that RRDL had shortfalls related to their LC13, LC36 and LC17 arrangements and the implementation of the arrangements that need to be addressed to support consistent and recorded nuclear safety decision making by RRDL. RRDL have accepted this finding and committed to action to remedy the findings of this inspection.

Conclusion

RRDL have started to make improvements to their LC 17 – Management System arrangements, however more is required to address the shortfalls identified in this themed inspection. Similarly, shortfalls identified with the RRDL LC13 and LC36 arrangements and their implementation require addressing by RRDL to support effective nuclear safety decision making. On the basis of this inspection, an amber rating is therefore considered appropriate at this time, in accordance with ONR Guide ONR-INSP-GD-064. A regulatory issue will be put in place in relation to the actions RRDL need to achieve to address the shortfalls identified in this inspection.