UK Atomic Energy Authority has responded to a highly critical report on the Dounreay site published by the Health and Safety Executive and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency in September. As part of a Dounreay Action Plan, UKAEA has accepted the need for a “culture change” with regard to safety and environmental issues, but emphasises that the report concluded that Dounreay was “under proper control under the nuclear licensing regime and presently safe”.
The HSE/SEPA report’s main conclusions were that organisational changes, which had seen an increase in contract staff on site, a loss of experienced workers and a blurring of health and safety responsibilities, had weakened the site.
