Bootle Event Leadership and Management Committment
NucSIG held its first event of 2011 as the guest of the Health and Safety Executive’s Nuclear Directorate (ND) at Bootle near Liverpool
This is the second NucSIG event held at Bootle and is indicative of the importance that the ND place on the work that quality professionals undertake in the industry. There was a healthy mix of quality professionals and their Directors from around the UK civil and defence nuclear industries.
Iain McNair from the steering group introduced the session by reference to GS-R-3, the management system standard for nuclear installations which requires nuclear industry leaders to be involved in five areas:
• Leadership and Organisational Aspects
• Peer Evaluation and Technical Review
• Continual Improvement
• Resources and Infrastructure
• Self-Assessment and Independent Assessment
Dr Mike Weightman (HM Chief Inspector of Nuclear Installations & Director of Nuclear Directorate) delivered the Key Note speech "Leadership and Organisational Aspects". Mike reminded us of the unique hazards that we are required to control and the need for excellence in design, supply, construction and operation. Such hazards need uniquely high standards (recognising the need for a graded application).
Mike set the global and European nuclear scene, touching on global warming and the political interest around the world in new nuclear power plant construction. He explained the plans for developing the NII into The Office for Nuclear Regulation with integrated regulation for nuclear safety, security and safeguards.
In tune with the theme of the event Mike went on to develop the argument for the importance of Leadership for Quality. Many major events are associated with leadership failures. Organisational vision, values and culture which is directly in the hands of Executives and Managers has orders of magnitude greater affect on potential quality outcomes than an individual quality failure.
Mike developed the theme by reference to the IAEA GS-R-3 standard and the ND’s Safety Assessment Principles MS 1,2,3 and 4 with the aim of a consistent outcome of “Quality right first time every time”
Mike took questions on the Generic Design Assessment programme for New Build, short lead-times for nuclear suppliers and several others.
Mark Dixon, Fleet Services Director for Babcock Marine, based at HMNB Clyde developed the challenges to leaders in the context of Resource and Infrastructure management based on the experience of supporting the UK’s nuclear submarine fleet.
Self –Assessment and Independent Assessment was the subject taken by Howard Cooper, Head of Quality for Sellafield Ltd and NucSIG SG member. He outined the Sellafield approaches in this area including more novel ones such as, Back to the floor days, MD office visits and Peer 2 Peer observations.
Keith Spooner the EHSSQ Director for Magnox Limited spoke on the topic of Peer Evaluation and Technical Review. Keith highlighted the difference between reactive approaches such as event reviews and pro-active auditing, benchmarking and possibly the most powerful Peer Reviews.
Ian Mitchell, Head of Quality and colleague Alan Knagg from BAE Systems, Submarine Solutions explained the company’s strategy towards Continual Improvement and a specific project to improve a problem with pipework clearances using an empowered multi-functional team.
Mike Underwood thanked Iain McNair for organising the event and noted that Iain was very shortly to retire from the Inspectorate. Mike acknowledged Iain's contribution to the UK Nuclear industry from construction project QA through to nuclear security regulation. Lucky for us though, Iain will be staying on the CQI NucSIG Steering Group to champion the Nuclear Quality Knowledge (NQK) project.
Presentations:
CQI NucSIG Introduction
Scene setting, Iain McNair
Leadership, Mike Weightman
Resource and Infrastructure Management, Mark Dixon
Assessment and Self Verification, Howard Cooper
Peer Review, Keith Spooner