Management of safety

Management of safety depends on a proper ''safety culture''. There is a discussion of the principles of risk assessment in general with reference to fault identification and their frequency and consequences. With specific application to the fuel cycle criticality control is a major concern. As an example the THORP reprocessing plant at BNFL, Sellafield is considered with reference to design safety principles, regulations and environmental aspects. The incremental risks due to operating THORP are said to be slight compared with other risks accepted on the basis of comparative doses of radiation. (UK)