- Site: Sellafield
- IR number: 19-031
- Date: May 2019
- LC numbers: N/A
Executive summary
I inspected Sellafield Ltd (SL) management arrangements at Sellafield Site in relation to the onsite transport logistics and emergency arrangements for the transport of Silo Export Packages (SEP). These packages are to be used to transport waste retrieved from the Magnox Swarf Storage Silo (MSSS) for long term storage at other facilities on Sellafield Site.
This intervention is one of a series of interventions planned as part of the ‘SDFW (Sellafield) Intervention Strategy covering onsite transport operations of radioactive material supporting hazard and risk reduction on Sellafield Site’.
Purpose of Intervention
The intervention took place at Sellafield. The purpose of this planned inspection was to:
- Sample the adequacy of SL management arrangements in relation to on site logistics to transport the SEP Packages across the site.
- Review onsite emergency arrangements and response in case of an onsite transport incident involvement the SEP package.
- Gain confidence in SL’s oversight management arrangements.
Interventions Carried Out by ONR
On 15-16 May 2019, I carried out a compliance inspection to review SL transport logistics and emergency arrangements. This included both visits to the Transport Logistics department and MSSS project building, and the reviewed of various procedures, quality plans and other documentation.
The intervention focused on the following transport thematic areas:-
- Management Arrangements.
- Safe Carriage of Packages.
- Management and Control of Transport Interfaces.
- Training.
- Emergency Planning and Testing.
Though this was an ‘onsite’ only intervention, I used ONR guidance ‘Compliance Inspection of Transport Arrangements in the Nuclear Sector NS-INSP-GD-069’ as the bases for the inspection.
Explanation of Judgement if Safety System Not Judged to be Adequate
N/A – not a System/Structure Based Inspection.
Key Findings, Inspector's Opinions and Reasons for Judgements Made
I examined SL management arrangements for the transport of the SEP package onsite using the Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations 2009 as the baseline. I consider on the basis of my sample, that SL is compliant. l observed a number of good practices in relation to application of National Standards and Freight Association Codes of Practice as benchmarks for onsite transport operations. Also, I noted that SL staff were aware of their roles to support the SL hazard and risk reduction programme.
Conclusion of Intervention
Based upon the evidence sampled during the inspection, I judged that an inspection rating of Green (No formal action) is appropriate for compliance against the above listed transport thematic areas.