Executive summary
Date(s) of inspection:
May 2026
Aim of inspection
The aim of this inspection is to inspect The Courier Company Ltd's application for consent for the practice of transport of High Activity Sealed Sources (HASS) to support the provision of ONR’s advice to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for the issue of consent under the Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017 (IRR17) Regulation 7.
Subject(s) of inspection
- IRR17 - Rating: GREEN
- Transport - Emergency/Contingency Planning and Testing - Rating: GREEN
- Transport - Radiation Protection Advisor - Rating: GREEN
- Transport - Radiation Protection Programme - Rating: GREEN
- Transport - Radiation Risk Assessment - Rating: GREEN
- Transport - Security - Rating: GREEN
- Transport - Training and Competence - Rating: GREEN
- Transport - Vehicle equipment and Placarding/Markings - Rating: GREEN
Key findings, inspector's opinions and reasons for judgement made
This inspection was carried out to support the provision of advice to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for the issue of a consent to The Courier Company Ltd (the dutyholder) under The Ionising Radiation Regulations (IRR 17) Regulation 7 for the transport of High Activity Sealed Sources (HASS).
The dutyholder's Safety Assessment submitted for the transport of HASS, along with the associated Local Rules and contingency plans, were reviewed to ensure that claims made within these documents were both legally compliant and implemented in practice. Areas of the Safety Assessment and supporting documentation which required additional information or clarification, prior to ONR advising HSE to issue consent, were identified and discussed with the dutyholder.
In addition to inspecting aspects relevant to the consent, other provisions of IRR17 and The Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations 2009 (CDG) were also inspected. Areas of good practice as well as areas of non-compliance were identified during the inspection which were discussed with the dutyholder.
Conclusion
The inspection findings were presented to The Courier Company Ltd at the close of the inspection. I judged an overall inspection rating of “Green - No formal action” to be appropriate for this inspection as there were relatively minor deficiencies in compliance arrangements.
Prior to ONR's provision of advice to HSE for the issue of a consent under IRR17 Regulation 7 for the transport of HASS, The Courier Company Ltd is required to upload its updated Safety Assessment, Local Rules and Contingency Plan via HSE's RADAN system for further ONR review. The Courier Company Ltd is required to upload these documents to RADAN by 12 August 2026. This will be tracked via a level 4 regulatory issue.
For the other non-compliances identified, the dutyholder is required to provide ONR either with evidence that the non-compliances have been resolved, or an appropriate resolution plan with timescales for completion. The non-compliances with be tracked to completion via another level 4 regulatory issue.