5.1.1 Responsibility for safety

The prime responsibility for safety in nuclear power plants must rest with the person or organisation responsible for the facilities and activities that give rise to risks.

Principle 1 of the IAEA Fundamental Safety Principles (IAEA, 2006a, page 6) states: ‘The responsibilities are defined in a license, granted to the licensee by the state regulators.’ In summary, the licensee is responsible for ensuring that the workforce, the general public and the environment are protected from risks and hazards that might arise from the operation of nuclear facilities. The licence describes those measures that must be taken by the licensee to safeguard against those risks.

Those responsibilities cannot be delegated but work associated with the enactment of those responsibilities can be delegated or outsourced. In such circumstances the licensee must be able to demonstrate effective control over the specification, procurement and enactment of such work.

The management of risks involves maintenance of organisational effec­tiveness and design integrity, and compliance with operating rules and procedures.