Ensuring compliance with radiography standards and regulations
When it comes to operating Non-Destructive Testing services on nuclear grade mechanical and piping components, safety and compliance are critical.
Operations Manager Rorie Henderson, who oversees NRL’s Radiography services from our Egremont office, knows only too well the importance of ensuring our operations remain compliant with industry standards and regulations. We asked him about his day-to-day responsibilities and why compliance is so important to NRL.
Delivering NDT for 40 years
Last year marked 40 years since we set-up our NDT operations, that’s four decades of delivering Radiography services to our clients.
It’s a testament to the commitment we make to safety and compliance because NDT is an industry where, without robust measures and structured processes, businesses will not be successful.
We’ve developed a strong reputation within the industry, thanks to our continued focus on compliance and as our business has grown, it’s always remained at the forefront.
Engaging with industry stakeholders
When it comes to staying up-to-date with legislation and industry standards, there any several governing bodies that we maintain regular communications with. The UKHSA RPA, UK Health Security Agency Radiation Protection Adviser Services, is the Government’s leading authority for radiography and public health. They undertake research that focuses on the risks of radiation exposure, to ensure our designated Radiation Protection Adviser can provide NRL with the latest guidance and advice to keep our people safe. Together with regular interaction with our appointed Dangerous Good Safety Adviser (DGSA), as our teams work in the vicinity of radioactive material.
Updating our documentation and contracting teams
To achieve compliance and maintain the safety of everyone supporting our NDT business, it’s essential that documentation is regularly reviewed and updated, and our contracting teams delivering the NDT services understand any changes to processes and increased safety measures. From updating our comprehensive document suite of NDT procedures, manuals and approved documents, to communicating every changing client compliance and procedure to our contracting teams. We regularly review our training matrix to ensure all staff are adequately trained and certified according to industry standards.
Auditing our operations
We conduct regular internal audits and inspections to assess our compliance with established standards and regulations. Identifying and addressing any deviations or non-conformities promptly, before effectively communicating any changes to our contracting teams.
We also participate in external audits conducted by the Environment Agency, our Counter Terrorism Security Advisor, and with site representatives where we deliver our NDT services, providing documentation and evidence of compliance throughout these audits.
Managing our Quality Management System
For any safety-led business, the Quality Management System (QMS) is an ever-evolving collection of documentation and procedures that direct and lead how businesses deliver their services. Our own QMS helps to ensure processes are controlled, documented, and continuously improved.
Another significant part of compliance is maintaining up-to-date personnel certifications and equipment calibration records, recognising the importance of proper record-keeping to ensure we meet up regulatory compliance and safety measures.
A constant focus on compliance
For Operations Manager Rorie, compliance is a regular focus area – understanding the need to consistently review and improve upon how we are delivering our Radiography services, how we are currently keeping our people safe and how we can continue to provide leading NDT operations to our clients and maintenance our outstanding safety record.