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<p>The investigation conducted by the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) into the
operability and availability of fire detection systems at the Atomic Weapons Establishment
(AWE) was completed in August 2014.</p><br /><p>The investigation was instigated after
AWE reported two events to ONR during February 2014 related to fire alarm and detection
system failures, one concerning a facility at the Aldermaston site and the other a
facility at the Burghfield site. Investigations of these events by AWE uncovered a
configuration issue with a system in a third facility.</p><br /><p>ONR’s investigation
identified concerns regarding the competency of the maintainers, the delivery and
recording of the maintenance and the configuration of the fire alarm and detection
systems with regard to their required safety function.</p><br /><p>ONR subsequently
wrote to AWE requesting an improvement programme to address these matters, and has
since been monitoring AWE’s progress against a comprehensive improvement programme
agreed between ONR and AWE. AWE advised ONR in October 2015 that the improvement programme
had been completed. This was confirmed by ONR following an intervention in December
2015.</p>
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