Dounreay Safety Audit Report
Issued on 1 September 1998 - Ref 30/98
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) today published the report on the Safety Audit of Dounreay. The Report makes 143 recommendations for improvements at Dounreay to bring it up to the standards required to enable the site to be decommissioned and made safe.
The bulk of the recommendations relate to on-site health and safety issues, which mainly relate to the HSE's remit. However, a number involve SEPA's interests, including waste management and the minimisation of discharges to the environment. Key recommendations include:
- R79: UKAEA should either install a new incinerator for combustible low level waste or find alternative methods for disposal
- R80: UKAEA should review its capabilities and options for the storage and disposal of low level waste
- R121: UKAEA should review the arrangements for monitoring and reporting airborne discharges
- R122 UKAEA should improve its monitoring strategy for fragments of irradiated fuel in intertidal areas where there is public access
The Safety Audit was initiated on behalf of the HSE by the Chief Inspector of Nuclear Installations and followed an incident on 7 May this year which left the 'Fuel Cycle Area' on the site without its normal electricity supplies for 16 hours. The Chief Inspector assembled a multi disciplinary team to carry out a comprehensive review of health and safety. A SEPA Inspector joined the team.
Welcoming the publication of the report SEPA Chief Executive Alasdair Paton said:
"SEPA's priority is ensure that the site operators comply with environmental regulations and use best practicable means to ensure that discharges to the environment are minimised. We share the HSE's view that decommissioning of the site should be given priority so that the site can be made safe for future generations. The recommendations in this report set out a clear agenda for continuous improvement in the management of the site."
ENDS
Notes
SEPA's representative on the Safety Audit Team was Hugh Fearn, Dounreay site Inspector. Mr Fearn will be at the press conference in Thurso and will be available to answer questions relating to SEPA's interests.
SEPA Press Office contacts
Press Officer: Maggie Hamilton. Tel: 01786 457724 Mobile 0370 686073
Head of Public Affairs: Monica Straughan. Tel: 01786 457723 Mobile 0421 942498
SEPA Head Office, Erskine Court, The Castle Business Park, STIRLING FK9 4TR
Tel: 01786 457700 Fax: 01786 448040
Contact SEPA Public Affairs at publicrelations@sepa.org.uk
© SEPA 1998