Skip to content

Improvement Notices served on DRDL (Devonport)

ONR has served two Improvement Notices on Devonport Royal Dockyard Limited at the nuclear-licensed site in Plymouth, Devon, requiring improvements to management of lifting operations and crane maintenance on the 9 Dock facility.

The improvement notices come after an ongoing investigation into several crane-related events between May and July 2017. While ONR recognises that the licensee has voluntarily stopped crane operations at 9 Dock in response to the events, ONR considers that the arrangements for lifting operations and crane maintenance at the site fall short of the standards required.

Devonport Royal Dockyard Limited has until 1 December 2017 to comply with the requirements of the Improvement Notices. ONR is continuing its investigation into these events to determine the root causes, the need for any further action to prevent any recurrence and ensure sustained compliance.

ONR is satisfied that this issue does not impact nuclear safety, but has issued the notices as it is responsible for the regulation of "conventional" health and safety on nuclear licences sites.