EMERGENCY PLANNING

DML berths, docks and refits/refuels nuclear powered submarines at Devonport Royal Dockyard. By adherence to strict safety routines the possibility of an accident that could affect the workforce or members of the public is reduced to extremely low probabilities. Despite these very low probabilities, DML has legal, moral and commercial reasons to ensure that adequate emergency arrangements are always in place to deal with such an accident.

DML and the Ministry of Defence have a joint response plan to respond to an accident resulting from the nuclear or radiological operations within the Devonport site. These arrangements deal primarily with the workforce, since Devonport Site Accidents have very little potential to affect members of the public.

DML and the Ministry of Defence also have a joint plan to respond in the unlikely event of a reactor accident onboard a nuclear powered submarine, Devonport Nuclear Safety Orders (DEVNUSAFE), which covers the on-site arrangements for dealing with this type of accident.

On-site emergency response personnel and emergency services personnel are trained in both of these plans and rehearse them in training exercises. The arrangements to both plans are demonstrated annually to the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII) and the Naval Nuclear Regulatory Panel (NNRP). During 2005 DML demonstrated the adequacy of its emergency arrangements, by exercise, to both the NII and NNRP. This exercise scenario involved a simulated accident during the movement of nuclear fuel occurring on the DML Licensed Site.

Although very unlikely, assessment has shown that a radiological hazard from a reactor onboard a nuclear powered submarine could extend beyond the Devonport Site. Plymouth City Council produces and tests the off-site emergency arrangements in response to a radiological hazard extending beyond the Devonport site. This plan, DEVPUBSAFE, the Devonport Public Safety Scheme, details the contingency plans for a number of organisations including DML, Ministry of Defence (MoD), local authorities and the emergency services for the protection of the public. This plan was tested in November 2004.

The DML Report of Assessment, as required by the Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations [REPPIR], supplied by the operator and verified to be accurate by the Health and Safety Executive provides the Local Authority such information as is necessary to produce an off-site plan. This Report of Assessment was reviewed and re-issued by DML in February 2005.

DEVPUBSAFE is publicly available and is held in the reference section of local public libraries. In compliance with REPPIR public information regarding potential accidents is produced and issued within the DML Report of Assessment which is also available in local libraries. In July 2005, MoD and DML distributed REPPIR leaflets, containing advice on radiological risks and what to do in the event of an emergency, to all households within a 2km radius (the Detailed Emergency Planning Zone around the Devonport site).