NDSL was awarded a Framework in June 2007 for the provision of a team of suitably qualified and experienced personnel to assist DSRL in the decommissioning of various facilities throughout the Fuel Cycle Area (FCA) at Dounreay. Successful re-award of the contract in 2010 has seen our team of Operatives double in size. In addition to providing the operatives to carry out the hands on decommissioning NDSL provide a number of Engineers under framework agreements who carry out the upfront engineering tasks. Tasks undertaken as part of the decommissioning operations contract include involvement of our operatives in teams undertaking the complete decommissioning of a wide range of facilities including; Fuel fabrication plant Plutonium criticality research facility HEU waste store Analytical laboratories and cells Active workshops Inactive laundry Sodium experimental facility Solid ILW Storage Silo cover building

Decommissioning of the redundant materials test reactor fuel element fabrication facility.

Previous processes involved the manufacture of fuel elements from solid uranium and aluminium. The single storey building was made up of forty separate rooms on a concrete plinth housing a series of gloveboxes, fume cupboards, furnaces and degreasing baths. NDSL Operatives main duties involved the strip out of plant & equipment, the removal of the redundant ventilation system, low active drain pipework and the scabbling of large areas of walls and floor space. Work involved the use of Tyvek suits, respirators and airline suit operations.

Decommissioning of the plutonium criticality research facility.

This laboratory housed a heavily shielded criticality cell which was lined with steel. All auxiliary equipment was removed, size reduced and packaged as waste. The 13mm thick steel liner was cleaned up using a process called 'Sponge Blasting' which was taken from the Aviation Industry, the liner was then cut up using oxy-gas by operatives dressed in full airline suits with leather protective oversuits. The remainder of the facility was then decontaminated using scabbling techniques as well as the use of kango hammers in heavily contaminated areas.

Pulse column laboratory decommissioning.

This glovebox contained a four storey chemical plant with a series of vessels pipes and boxes made from steel and toughened glass. The solutions run through the plant left it stained with plutonium, creating a hazard for the Operatives, the acid residue presented further problems when trying to wipe surfaces clean. As much of the surfaces as possible were decontaminated prior to cutting up, this was done by using a successfully trailed household cleaning agent (an idea put forward by one of the operatives). All work was carried out using airline suit operations with specialist fall arrest equipment attached to each suit. Six glass columns and gloveboxes were decontaminated and transferred to a nearby decontamination unit where another team of mainly NDSL Operatives carried out final decontamination using another household cleaner to successfully clean all surfaces while dressed in full airline suits.