UNCLASSIFIED

Inspection report

Licence Holder: Australian Nuclear Science and TechnologyOrganisation (ANSTO) / Licence Number:F0260
Location inspected: Waste Operations, Lucas Heights / Date of inspection: 30 – 31 May 2017
Report No:R17/06754
An inspection was conducted as part of ARPANSA’s baseline inspection program to assess compliance with the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Act 1998 (the Act), the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Regulations 1999 (the Regulations), and conditions of Facility Licence F0260.
The scope of the inspection included an assessment of the performance of ANSTOWaste Operations against the following Performance Objectives and Criteria: performance reporting, event protection, training and security under Licence F0260. Information about the Performance Objectives and Criteria can be found on the ARPANSA website at The inspection consisted of a review of records, interviews, and physical inspection of the facility.

Background

ANSTO is authorised under section 32 of the Act to operate facilities for the handling, processing and storage of low and intermediate level radioactive wastes. Activities include storage and treatment of low and intermediate level liquid radioactive wastes; storage of nuclear material; storage, inspection and handling of spent nuclear fuels, active components and radioactive sources; and cells for handling active components, radioactive sources and collection, packaging and encapsulation of intermediate solid radioactive wastes.

Observations

In general, the safety performance at the Waste Operations facilities was found to be satisfactory. In some cases, however, there appeared to be areas for improvement with respect to safety documentation for managing safety at the facilities.

Performance Reporting Verification

ANSTO’s quarterly reports have been submitted to ARPANSA in a timely manner, contained relevant information and details of compliance with the Act and Regulations.

Event Protection

ANSTO business resilience plans and arrangements cover scenarios including loss of power or critical systems.Evidence was provided that ANSTO Waste Operations has considered and implemented controls to ensure the effects of external events on its facilities do not result in unsafe nuclear or radiation conditions. Events considered include fire, flood, earthquake, lightning strike, severe weather events, loss of services and attack by rodents or other pests. Procedures and instructions are in place to reduce the vulnerability of the facility to external threats.
Systems such as standby and uninterruptable power supplies are in place to maintain safety functions in the event of failure of electrical and water services to the facilities. Services can be isolated when needed and production processes discontinued and made safe. Systems are designed to fail safe if services are lost.

Training

Inspectors noted that staff had a positive attitude towards safety at the Waste Operations facilities. Nuclear Services Team Behaviors promote the following values:
  • Be prepared to have the tough conversations;
  • Always keep ourselves and others accountable;
  • Make the effort to clarify the explanation;
  • Open honest and direct communication; and
  • Share all information for the benefit of the team.
Training requirements for ANSTO staff are defined in ANSTO Work Health and Safety Training Needs Analysis AG2364. The Learning Management System (LMS) has been rolled out in ANSTO Waste Operations. Inspectors were shown the LMS training arrangements available to Waste Operations staff which was focussed on information available to ANSTO staff. There has been little opportunity to embrace and define core curriculum in LMS specific to the learning needs of Waste Operations staff. The lack of established core curriculum for waste operations within the LMS is an area for improvement.
Inspectors were shown training records, staff competencies, skills and knowledge documentation that appear to achieve safety training and learning outcomes at the operational level. However there is a lack of a higher level training needs analysis, which forms the basis for the training that is being achieved at the operational level.The lack of atraining needs analysis is also an area for improvement.

Security

A representative from Waste Operations safety management with responsibility for security in Waste Operations attended the security discussions. Security representation from Agency Security (Acting ANSTO Security Advisor); personnel security, security systems (physical and electronic) maintenance; and security exercise planning were also present.
The current security plan for Waste Operations [G5416] consists of Nuclear Operations ‘Plans and Arrangements Part 5 Security Management in Waste Management Services Facilities’. G5416 Revision 4 is the current operative version of the security plan, effective from 22 April 2016. ANSTO is implementing a detailed security maintenance program incorporating annual testing, including annual access control testing and cleaning of cameras to ensure the effectiveness of Waste Operations’ protective security is sustained. Physical security arrangements including key and swipe access to buildings were confirmed during the inspection. Waste Operations’ staff are required to complete site-wide security exercises and annual security eLearning training modules.
Waste Operations infrastructure is in generally good order. Land management practices are implemented to reduce external safety hazards and security threats. Security systems are maintained and operational. A building management checklist is completed annually to provide verification of the state of the facilities and their surrounds.

Findings

The licence holder was found to be in compliance with the requirements of the Act, the Regulations, and licence conditions.
The inspection revealed the following area for improvement:
  1. A LMS core curriculumand a higher level training needs analysis specific to Waste Operations staff have not been comprehensively developed.
It is expected that improvement actions be taken in a timely manner.

1 of 3

UNCLASSIFIED