The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) has served an improvement notice on Sellafield Ltd following an incident at the Cumbria site.
In April, an unintentional release of lead oxide was detected at the First Generation Magnox Storage Pond (FGMSP) facility when workers noticed the degraded condition of some flexible lead shielding.
Lead shielding sheets are used across the site to protect workers from potential exposure to radiation.
The coating on the sheets used on the FGMSP skip handling machine had degraded over time, resulting in lead oxide being released which posed a potential risk to workers.
Further enquiries have identified a number of other locations across the Sellafield site where degraded flexible lead shielding sheets caused a risk of lead exposure.
Lead oxide is not a radioactive substance, but can be harmful if ingested, inhaled or absorbed.
There is no evidence that any workers at Sellafield have been harmed as a result of these shortfalls.
This enforcement notice requires Sellafield Ltd to put in place measures to ensure the lead shielding sheets used in the FGMSP facility are maintained and in working order.
Sellafield Ltd should also establish procedures for conducting routine visual inspections of these sheets and ensure timely repairs to maintain operational standards.
This notice applies specifically to the FGMSP facility, however ONR expects Sellafield Ltd to review its arrangements across the whole site.
The company will be required to comply with this improvement notice by 12 December 2025.
This notice has been served under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, Sections 2 & 3 and the Control of Lead at Work Regulation 2002, Regulation 8(1)(a).