Nuclear submarines are built in the BAE Systems Marine yard in Barrow, UK. The company has a Nuclear Site Licence, issued by the UK government Health and Safety Executive and regulated by the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate.
The Licence imposes stringent requirements on:
- The management and control of all nuclear related site operations
- The provision of suitably qualified and experienced staff
- The capability and structural integrity of all the facilities and supporting systems
- Emergency planning.
Compliance with the Licence is confirmed through regular internal and external audits.
It is vital to protect people from exposure to radiation. Radiation doses received by employees or contractors on site are carefully monitored and reported annually. Very little radioactive waste is generated at the site. Discharges to the environment are within stringent limits set by the Environment Agency.
We recognise community concerns about the potential impact of our nuclear work. We maintain close links with local authorities and communicate regularly about issues such as emergency planning and the future submarine programme. Local meetings are held, attended by councillors and the public.
