The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) this week conducted a security briefing for senior managers from across the UK civil nuclear industry.
The biannual Senior Managers’ Nuclear Security Briefing provides ONR’s Civil Nuclear Security and Safeguards (CNSS) programme the opportunity to reinforce the importance of maintaining a robust security culture across the UK civil nuclear industry.
Delegates, comprising senior managers practitioners and associated specialists, were briefed on all aspects of civil nuclear industry security; presentations addressed physical security, cyber security and information assurance, personnel security, nuclear safeguards and transport security matters
The three days incorporated a series of lectures from experts from the industry with other talks from key partners that included the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure, the Civil Nuclear Constabulary, National Counter Terrorism Policing and British Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal.
Paul Fyfe, Director of ONR’s CNSS division (CNSS), said: “We are grateful for the high level of support we continue to receive for this event from across the civil nuclear industry. It is a valuable exchange with those responsible for delivering and maintaining the required security outcomes.”
“Security is everyone’s responsibility, and a sound security culture is best achieved when there is the right informed leadership at senior and executive levels.”
A senior Sellafield Ltd delegate, who attended the Shrigley Hall conference, said: "I thought the presentations were relevant and gave me a good grounding, not only in the topic detail, but the background legislation.
"All the topics on cyber security were excellent, the subject matter experts you brought in were extremely credible and could relate the topic to real world examples of how facilities and people could be exploited.
"In addition, the opportunity to meet with colleagues from around the industry was really useful as it helps contextualise and calibrate ourselves as an industry.
"Overall the event was highly useful and I believe ONR should be proud of the tangible and intangible benefits the session gives to the industry."
Through the CNSS division, ONR regulates the security of:
- nuclear and other radioactive materials on civil licensed nuclear sites
- nuclear materials off licensed sites
- domestic transport of nuclear materials by road, rail and sea; and
- international transport of nuclear and other radioactive materials by UK flagged vessels
- sensitive nuclear information wherever it is held
ONR’s safeguards function enables the UK to meet its international safeguards obligations and implements domestic legislation.