A shortage of nuclear-skilled personnel and the rapid pace of organisational change within the Ministry of Defence pose the greatest challenges to the safety of the UK's nuclear weapons and nuclear powered submarine programmes, according to the latest annual report of the Defence Nuclear Safety Regulator.
Safety latest news
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Communicating during a crisis
How would the authorities communicate with the public during an emergency involving a nuclear weapon?
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Scottish submarine berths suspended following ‘inadequate’ emergency exercises
Three recent exercises to test nuclear emergency planning arrangements in the event of an accident on board one of the Royal Navy's nuclear powered submarines have failed to meet standards set by Government safety regulators.
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Scotland left to fend for itself during nuclear weapons accident exercise
Video clip showing mock news footage of the 'Exercise Senator 2011' exercise scenario. Credit: Ministry of Defence. Delays and mistakes made during a major accident exercise involving a nuclear weapon would have resulted in Scotland being left to fend for itself by Whitehall government departments during a critical period in the handling of […]
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Construction work begins on new submarine reactor core facilities at Rolls-Royce in Derby
The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) has given permission for Rolls-Royce Marine Power Operations Ltd to commence the first phase of construction for a major rebuilding programme for the company's Nuclear Fuel Production Plant at Raynesway in Derby.
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Nuclear weapons factory operators fined £200,000 for safety breaches
The company which operates the factories where the UK's nuclear weapons are manufactured has been fined £200,000 for breaches of safety laws following a fire in which a member of staff was injured. AWE plc, which operates the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE), pleaded guilty at Reading Crown Court to failing to ensure the health, safety […]
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Nuclear weapons factory operators plead guilty to breaking safety law following fire
The company which operates the factories where the UK's nuclear weapons are manufactured has pleaded guilty to breaking safety law following a fire in which a member of staff was injured.
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Fire on nuclear submarine HMS Torbay in Devonport Dockyard
A fire has broken out on the hull of the nuclear powered submarine HMS Torbay during maintenance work at Devonport Naval Dockyard.
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A45 corrosion of ‘major’ significance, reveal FOI papers
Documents released under the Freedom of Information Act reveal that the closure last autumn of the A45 uranium components facility at the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) Aldermaston was rated as an incident of “major” significance by company staff.
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Privatised nuclear warhead store escapes civil nuclear safety regime
Government safety watchdogs have decided that regulation of Scotland's nuclear bomb store is to remain outside the civil nuclear safety regime, even though operation of the site has been handed over from the Ministry of Defence to a consortium of private companies.
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AWE Aldermaston emergency planning zone to remain unchanged
Council emergency planners have decided to retain the current 3 kilometre emergency planning zone surrounding the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) Aldermaston – despite a review by AWE which concluded that the radius of the zone could be reduced slightly.
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Regulator approves Devonport Dockyard safety review – with reservations
Despite reservations about unresolved safety issues, the Office for Nuclear Regulation has agreed to accept a safety assessment undertaken by Devonport Royal Dockyard Ltd for the nuclear submarine refuelling facility at HM Naval Base Devonport.