Safety Case

The numerous desk studies, characterisation efforts and risk assessment work undertaken to understand and quantify the subsurface inventory at Sellafield indicate the need to protect the workforce from both recorded and unrecorded subsurface contamination, especially in Separation Area.

It is the NII’s view that unless it is an authorised disposal, radioactively contaminated land represents an accumulation of radioactive matter and at Sellafield it is treated as a nuclear “plant”, with its own Safety Case.  The Safety Case provides methods by which the identified risks associated with the contaminated land inventory at Sellafield are managed, understood and kept as low as reasonably practicable.  It is also intended that the Safety Case is used as an aid to the management of contaminated land through the better understanding of the nature and extent of contamination, the potential pathways for migration and the receptors that might be affected by contamination. 

The introduction of the Contaminated Land Safety Case in 2005 resulted in a series of actions which have now been completed.  Sitting under these actions were additional less significant recommendations which resulted from an ALARP (As Low As Reasonably Practicable) walkover of the relevant areas on site. Most recommendations, such as concrete capping areas around buildings with significant source terms, have also been closed out and remaining works such as drainage surveys are currently being addressed.

The Short Term Periodic Review of the Contaminated Land safety case is currently underway to ensure that the document remains up to date and effective.