The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) has served two improvement notices on Sellafield Limited due to breaches of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002.
The enforcement action was taken after Sellafield Limited failed to manage the risks of working with nickel nitrate and to prevent or adequately control exposure of workers to this hazardous substance in one of its effluent facilities.
These shortfalls did not compromise either nuclear or radiological safety, the ONR stressed. Used in the treatment of effluent, nickel nitrate is not radioactive, but is a hazardous substance and could cause harm to the health of any worker exposed to it. To mitigate these risks, operations involving the chemical should be conducted in a glovebox to protect workers from any harmful health effects.
In one facility on the Sellafield site, contamination was found outside the glovebox area, which resulted in workers potentially being exposed to the chemical. A poorly designed and maintained glovebox appeared to have contributed to the contamination.
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ONR superintending inspector Ian Bramwell said: “We will closely monitor Sellafield Limited to ensure the identified shortfalls are addressed and will not hesitate to take further action to bring about improvements if we need to do so.”
The first notice, served under Regulation 6 of COSHH, requires Sellafield to complete a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks associated with the use of nickel nitrate by the end of October 2024.
The second notice, served under Regulation 7, requires Sellafield to either prevent or, where this is not reasonably practicable, adequately control exposure of workers to nickel nitrate. Sellafield is required to do this by the end of March 2025.
Strict occupational hygiene controls will remain in place in the facility, monitored by an occupational hygienist, until compliance with both improvement notices is achieved.
