Good Practice Guidance for Site Characterisation

2. Good Practice Guidance for Site Characterisation Philippa Towler

3. Need for revision • First SAFEGROUNDS guidance 2000 • Most popular download • Recast as largely technical supporting document to LMGv2 • Omit information in other SAFEGROUNDS documents • Update legislation, regulation and non-SAFEGROUNDS guidance • Signpost and reference – e.g. stakeholder involvement & record keeping • Move case studies to web site

4. SAFEGROUNDS Documents Land Management Guidance v2 detail in • Site Characterisation Guidance -2000(8) • Options Comparison Guide -2007(8) • Health & Environmental Risks -2005 • Record Keeping - 2007 • Regulatory Framework - 2007 • Citizen’s Guide - 2007(8)

5. Key Principles • Protection of People and the Environment • Stakeholder Involvement • Identifying the Preferred Land Management Option • Immediate Action • Record-Keeping Site Characterisation interrelates to ALL KPs

7. First Consultation • Web consultation – 11 questions August 2007 • Meeting of PSG sub-group 13 September 2007

8. Function • To provide technical guidance to an informed audience on site characterisation on SAFEGROUNDS sites • More practical than v1 – 7 years more experience • How much prescription is appropriate in site characterisation guidance i.e. how far should guidance provide a step-by-step approach? • v1 used as training material - v2 for professional development

9. Form • Chapter 1- Introduction • Chapter 2- Radioactivity in the environment • Chapter 3 – Health, safety & environmental protection • Chapter 4 - Objectives of site characterisation • Chapter 5 – Planning the site investigation • Chapter 6 – Characterisation methods • Chapter 7 – Waste management and transport of radioactive materials • Chapter 8 – Data management • Current 9 – Current capabilities and lessons for practice ‘One-stop’ Manual – Signposting & Referencing – Flow Diagrams

10. First Consultation Feedback • Update Regulatory information in Chapter 1, but make concise • Chapter 2 on radioactivity in the environment will remain, but fundamental knowledge assumed, with tightening and updating. Background measurements important. • Other chapters to have appropriate specific legislation section specific to compliance issues in site characterisation work. • Chapter 3 on SHE to remain, but focus on what is needed in practice. • Updates on practices and techniques, impact of policies and regulation, uncertainty, SI generated wastes – Your chance in breakout sessions

11. Some other feedback • Give guidance beyond BS10175 for radioactive contaminants, highlight any shortcomings of the BS • Improve guidance on risk assessment phase – more specific on requirements for preliminary qualitative risk assessment • More in line with CLR11 • Consider getting as much information from one investigation – e.g. geotechnical data – store cored material • Trends towards real-time data collection analysis and interpretation • Stronger emphasis on quality management • Case studies to reflect as many themes as possible

12. We Need Your Views Stakeholder consultation on revision via website http://www.safegrounds.com/ – technical specialists are encouraged to respond

13. Issues to consider: • How much prescription is appropriate in site characterisation guidance i.e. how far should guidance provide a step-by-step approach? • Do you think it would be useful for the guidance to include flow diagrams for the design and implementation of site characterisation, in-line with a step-by-step approach?” • Would it be useful to highlight at the beginning of each chapter key regulatory compliance information? • Has any legislation related to the implementation of site characterisation works caused issues or problems?