NIS Update: September - October 2014

Contents of this month's NIS Update newsletter from Nuclear Information Service:

• Rolls-Royce fined £200,000 after workers exposed to radiation.
• Ministry of Defence uses trucks which should have been scrapped five years ago to transport nuclear materials.
• Environment Agency raps Atomic Weapons Establishment over radioactive waste management staff shortages.
• 'Stop work' notice issued following safety concerns during refit work on nuclear powered submarine HMS Trenchant at Devonport dockyard.
• Navy staff shortages leave one in ten submarine crew posts unfilled.
• Consultation to commence on storage sites for submarine radioactive wastes.
• USA consolidates its influence over UK warhead programme with appointment of new AWE Director.
• Environment Agency probes AWE on future of the Pangbourne Pipeline.
• UK military expenditure set to fall below NATO target of two per cent.

 

Rolls-Royce fined £200,000 after workers exposed to radiation

The company that builds nuclear reactors which power the Royal Navy's fleet of submarines has been fined £200,000 for breaches of safety and environmental laws following an incident in which members of staff were exposed to radiation.  Read more.

 

Ministry of Defence uses trucks which should have been scrapped five years ago to transport nuclear materials

Cargoes of  highly radioactive military nuclear materials are being transported along British roads in ageing Ministry of Defence (MoD) trucks which are regularly experiencing breakdowns and safety shortfalls because of delays in arranging for new vehicles to take over their duties.  Read more.

 

Environment Agency raps Atomic Weapons Establishment over radioactive waste management staff shortages

The factory that manufactures the UK's nuclear weapons has been rapped by a government regulatory agency for the second time this year for failings in radioactive waste management arrangements.  Read more.

 

'Stop work' notice issued following safety concerns during refit work on nuclear powered submarine HMS Trenchant at Devonport dockyard

Concerns about emergency response arrangements resulted in a 'stop work' notice being issued for refit work on a nuclear powered submarine at Devonport naval dockyard earlier this year, according to a report published by the government's nuclear safety regulator.  Read more.

 

Navy staff shortages leave one in ten submarine crew posts unfilled

New figures released by the government reveal that more than one in ten posts are vacant across the Royal Navy's nuclear powered submarine fleet, raising concerns about risks to safety.  Read more.

 

Consultation to commence on storage sites for submarine radioactive wastes

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is set to begin public consultation this autumn to identify a location for the storage of radioactive waste from the Royal Navy's out-of-service nuclear submarines.  Read more.

 

USA consolidates its influence over UK warhead programme with appointment of new AWE Director

AWE plc, the company which runs the Atomic Weapons Establishment, has announced that its new Managing Director is to be Kevin Bilger – an American citizen from the USA's Lockheed Martin Corporation, one of the three parent companies which comprise the AWE consortium.  Read more.

 

Environment Agency probes AWE on future of the Pangbourne Pipeline

The Environment Agency has met with the Atomic Weapons Establishment to discuss decommissioning of the Pangbourne Pipeline, formerly used for the disposal of radioactive effluent from the AWE Aldermaston site.  Read more.

 

UK military expenditure set to fall below NATO target of two per cent

A new study by the Royal United Services Institute indicates that Britain's defence spending will for the first time fall below a NATO target of 2 per cent of GDP in 2015 – at the same time that the government is urging other European nations to meet the target.  Read more.

 

 

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US nuclear submarine in collision with cruiser

A United States Navy nuclear powered submarine collided with a cruiser during training exercises off the east coast of the USA on Saturday 13 October 2012.
The USS Montpelier, a Los Angeles-class attack submarine, collided with the Aegis guided missile cruiser USS San Jacinto whilst the submarine was at periscope depth.  The collision resulted in damage to the cruiser's sonar dome, located beneath the waterline on the bows of the ship.
The US navy said that no one was injured and that the submarine's nuclear propulsion plant was unaffected by the collision.  Both vessels were able to return to port under their own power, with the Montpelier arriving at the Kings Bay submarine base in Georgia the day after the collision.
An investigation will inquire into the cause of the collision and determine the responsibility for any fault, and a separate safety investigation board has been set up to identify hazards and the causal factors for the collision.

Royal Visit to Death Park!

War lords Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh will visit Rotherham's cutting edge DEATH PARK 'factory of the future' this week!

They will tour the Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre at Catcliffe on Thursday. This sick global research facility is the experiment centre of heavy construction, nuclear, aerospace and defense corporations. Boeing, Rolls Royce, BAE, and UK and US Military all have their talons in this centre supported by the Sheffield and Manchester Uni's. Casting Technology International. One of the businesses already operating at the park makes parts for 'drones' (unmanned aerial and ground vehicles) on site as well as other defence hardware for such instruments of death as the Taranis Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle, the Joint Strike Fighter, the M777 Lightweight Howitzer and the Future Naval Gun.

How lovely for the queen to be able to view first hand innovative and advanced technological solutions to the problem of how to profit from killing people.
14.11.10

The Advanced Manufacturing Park has already been operating for over a year and now her Majesty will be leading a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the start of construction for the Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (NAMRC) with Rolls Royce.
So if queeny and her band of murderous men want to celebrate nuclear and death for profit then we will celebrate peace, love and respect so make your way to Catcliffe, Rotherham this Thursday 18th Nov for a PARTY FOR PEACE! Loads of support is needed so dont go to work, turn off your tv's, bring out your banners and drums and any other musical instruments you have, show solidarity and a big not in our name! What kind of future do you want for the human race??

Radiation Free Lakeland back jailed activist

Radiation Free Lakeland have sent a message of support to peace activist
Dan Viesnik at Pentonville Prison.

Viesnik has been imprisoned for 14 days for not paying a £500 fine after a
sit-down protest outside Aldermaston nuclear weapons factory.

He took part in the Footprints for Peace vigil at Sellafield in 2007
alongside Radiation Free Lakeland campaigners.

Viesnik had also helped coordinate several anti-nuclear power protests
including those at the Energy Select Committee last Wednesday, Buckingham
Palace in April and Australia House in November.

In his letter to Highbury Corner Magistrates Viesnik said he has decided
to continue his protest against the grotesque distortions of justice
caused by the British Government's commitment to Weapons of Mass
Destruction.

He continued his argument in the statement that he read out to the court
which protested against the resources spent on nukes in a world where
chronic poverty continued.

He ended his statement with a quote from Thoreau affirming that an
individual acting according to his/her own conscience should be a better
guide to conduct than the letter of law.

More Info:
_www.stophinkley.org_ (http://www.stophinkley.org)

http://stopnuclearpower.blogspot.com/

http://www.getnoticedonline.co.uk/news/general-news/radiation-free-lakeland-back-jailed-activisit.html