Safety Concessions at Clyde Submarine Base

Safety Concessions at Clyde Submarine Base

In response to an FOI asking for information about the number of concessions granted against nuclear safety regulations by year since 2000 at the Clyde Submarine Base. Safety concessions are situations where there is relaxation of a safety standard which agreed between the operator and the regulator. eg time allowed to reach a particular standard and mitigating measures taken to reduce hazard and/or risk.

MOD have provided the following information

“It may be helpful for me to explain that occasionally, for operational reasons, there may be a requirement to temporarily append a safety case and provide temporary suspension of associated conditions and limits of safe operations, or the authorised scope of operations at Her Majesty’s Naval Base (HMNB) Clyde. Prior to this decision the impact of such an amendment is carefully considered to ensure that any safety risk is both tolerable and as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP). On each occasion, when such an amendment is needed, HMNB Clyde will approach the Defence Nuclear Safety Regulator to consider and formally agree the amendment. Please find below a table which gives the number of amendments as agreed with the Regulator since 2000:

Year Number of amendments

2000 2

2001 0

2002 2

2003 1

2004 3

2005 2

2006 0

2007 0

2008 1

2009 3
2010 4

"

The relaxation of a safety standard which is agreed between the operator and the regulator providing the temporary suspension of associated conditions and limits of safe operations. This implies that workers/ the public and the environment are at greater risk.

Correspondence

http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/safety_concessions_clyde_submari#incoming-142601