The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) has launched its new Chief Nuclear Inspector's (CNI) themed inspection which will focus on construction nuclear site health and safety.
An engagement day for industry stakeholders was hosted by Mike Finnerty, ONR’s Chief Executive and Chief Nuclear Inspector, and his regulatory team who outlined their expectations for the themed inspection while inviting feedback and questions from dutyholders.
The themed inspection runs throughout 2026 and into 2027, and ONR will soon ask site operators to complete a self-assessment questionnaire on their health and safety procedures and arrangements.
Targeted and proportionate site-based inspections will take place, covering a range of construction projects across the nuclear fleet. The scope of each inspection will be shaped by responses to the initial questionnaires.
Once the site-based inspections are complete, the inspection summary report will be published, detailing the conclusions and findings.
The hybrid event, held at ONR's Merseyside headquarters, was also used to introduce the regulator’s new Construction Workstream.
Once the themed inspection finishes, the workstream will maintain its focus on the industry’s construction activities, forming an ongoing and integral part of ONR's nuclear site health and safety work.
This will be achieved through agile regulatory practices and risk-informed, intelligence-led interventions and engagements.
Gavin Pugh, ONR’s Head of Construction and lead for the themed inspection, said: “Construction nuclear site health and safety is a vital area of focus for us as regulators and for the industry.
“We’re looking for consistent evidence that the industry understands the importance of site health and safety and that they can demonstrate this.
“These engagement days show that our stakeholders equally recognise the importance of construction health and safety, with a clear willingness to learn and improve."
Construction nuclear site health and safety was selected as this year’s focus due to the significant amount of ongoing or planned construction across the sector and the heightened health and safety risks this can bring.
The themed inspection will consider how appropriate and effective site licensees’ construction health and safety arrangements are, and determine whether additional measures are needed to protect workers.
CNI themed inspections were introduced in 2017 and are designed to examine regulatory matters that are strategic or broader in nature than ONR’s more routine regulatory inspection activities.
They also raise awareness of important issues and highlight ONR’s regulatory activities and expectations to a wider audience, in addition to the nuclear industry.