The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) has served a prohibition notice on Sondex Wireline Ltd that prevents it from transporting radioactive materials until it complies fully with regulations.
ONR issued the prohibition notice following a routine transport compliance inspection in April 2023 at the company’s Farnborough site in Hampshire.
Sondex Wireline Ltd supplies equipment for use in the monitoring and inspection of oil and gas wells. This involves transporting calibration devices containing radioactive isotopes and tools containing radioactive sources.
Companies that transport radioactive material must have procedures in place to assess the risks for transporting radioactive material and then implement procedures to ensure it is handled appropriately and in accordance with regulations.
ONR’s inspection highlighted that the company had not carried out a suitable and sufficient radiation risk assessment and so had not managed the risks appropriately to ensure the safe transport of radioactive material.
There was no harm to employees, the public or the environment as a result of the identified shortfalls.
ONR will engage regularly with the company to monitor its progress.
Geoff Frackelton, ONR Principal Inspector, said: “Our inspection identified that there were unmanaged risks if Sondex Wireline Ltd continued to transport radioactive material.
“We have issued the prohibition notice to the company which requires it to cease the transportation of radioactive material until we are satisfied that these shortfalls have been resolved.”
The prohibition notice has been issued under Regulation 8 of the Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017 and Sections 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc..