Devonport Royal Dockyard Limited (DRDL) has complied with an Improvement Notice issued by ONR in December 2014 following an investigation into an incident in which an individual received a very small internal dose of radiation.
The investigation identified shortfalls in DRDL’s health and safety arrangements for work with ionising radiations. Although the consequences of the dose received were negligible, DRDL has a responsibility to make and implement arrangements to keep doses as low as reasonably practicable, and DRDL committed to resolving the shortfalls and implemented an extensive improvement programme.
ONR inspectors monitored the delivery of the programme throughout 2015 and confirmed during an inspection that the identified contraventions have been satisfactorily addressed, with the following improvements to the arrangements now implemented:
• Improved health and safety arrangements for work with ionising radiations have been issued, briefed and implemented;
• Forward planning of work with ionising radiations has been substantially improved and provides additional time for personnel to carry out risk assessment and other safety functions;
• Additional resources have been allocated to the planning and risk assessment processes;
• Relevant health and safety information is provided to personnel and is reinforced by pre-work briefs; and
• Responsibility for the supervision and monitoring has been clearly defined.
More detail and ONR's reports on Devonport nuclear-licensed site.