Since 1986, Enresa has used a quality management system based on standard UNE 73401: Quality Assurance in Nuclear Facilities. We also comply with various other nuclear regulations regarding quality.
In the early 1990s, the system was adapted to include the quality requirements corresponding to international standard UNE-EN ISO 9001. AENOR issued the corresponding certificate and annex of compliance with this standard in 1992, which has been renewed to date, including the latest adaptation to the 2015 version.
In recent years, Enresa has adapted its quality management system to comply with the requirements introduced by the Nuclear Safety Council (CSN) in Safety Instruction IS-19, published in the Official State Gazette in November 2008. This integrated nuclear safety and radiological protection, occupational risk prevention, environmental and physical protection, quality and financial matters into one management system. The underlying purpose of this was to improve safety culture through planning, supervision and monitoring.
Quality Management System
The most important record with the guidelines and main objetives to be met by the Quality Management System, is the Quality Policy of the organization.
Enresa’s quality management system aims to guarantee the level of quality required in the performance of each of its activities, and consequently, to provide an efficient and safe service for society. This system, applied in all Enresa's facilities, is implemented through the various quality assurance programmes.
As it is established in nuclear regulations, the level of quality requirements for each element, structure, component or activity may vary according to their relevance to nuclear safety and radiological protection. Enresa has accordingly allotted its system three levels of quality:
Level I
Structures, systems, components and activities related to nuclear safety.
Must comply with standard UNE 73401, CSN guidelines and its benchmarks, and the remaining standards in the series UNE 73400, as well as foreign regulations where applicable (10 CFR 50 Appendix B, NQA-1, etc.)
Level II
Structures, systems, components and activities whose failure can lead to a contamination or radiation risk.
Must meet at least the requirements of standard UNE 73401.
Level III
Structures, systems, components and activities that pose no radiation or contamination risk, but which are necessary to ensure quality in the management of the project or activity.
Must comply with the requirements of standard UNE-EN ISO 9001 (an international standard used extensively in various sectors and not specific to the nuclear industry).
One of the fundamental aspects of the quality management system is the verification of compliance with regulatory requirements during the performance of the activities of Enresa. In this regard, audits and inspections are employed as the fundamental mechanisms to guarantee compliance with current regulatory requirements during the performance of activities, both by Enresa’s various organisational units and Enresa’s suppliers.
- Regarding audits, each year are planned and carried out over 25 internal audits to different projects and activities, and over 20 external audits to suppliers. About this external audits, Enresa, aware of the critical importance of ensuring reputable suppliers, has been part of the Supplier Assessment Group (GES) for Spanish nuclear power plants since January 2011. Being a full member of the GES guarantees access to a pool of approximately 205 industry-specific suppliers who have a proven record of maintaining high levels of quality.
- Regarding to the inspection activities, Enresa has implemented inspection programmes, which involve the performance of over 2,500 annual inspections and cover the range of activities carried out by Enresa.
Integrated Management System (SIM)
Since the end of April 2010, Enresa has been equipped with a fundamental tool for improving the Integrated Management System, based on the participation of all its personnel. This tool is called the Integral Improvement System, and it encompasses all actions aimed at improving functions relating to quality, environment, occupational risk prevention, physical safety and radiological protection, all from the point of view of improving safety. This application manages about 300 annual incidents, since non-conformities that are generated during the operation and maintenance of the facilities that Enresa owns, to their corresponding corrective actions or improvement actions proposed by personnel at all levels. The commitments adopted as a consequence of interaction with the regulatory body are also reflected in this database.