Power Industries Division
Ahead of her presentation from Dounreay Site Restoration Ltd, Senior Mechanical Engineer Jennifer Gilmour explains some of the challenges and key considerations that she and her peers are facing in this specialised engineering role.
Q: Could you briefly explain your current role and involvement in nuclear lifting?
Jennifer Gilmour (JG): I’m the Senior Mechanical Engineer within the Technical Governance Team and the Site Senior Advisor for Lifting and Pressure Systems. My role is to maintain the site mechanical processes and procedures, fulfil the Intelligent Customer role and support the various projects. I am required to advise on all areas from design of equipment and operation to maintenance and decommissioning with regards to mechanical engineering, lifting operations and pressure systems. As the Senior Advisor for Lifting, I am often asked to advise on lifting operations, crane maintenance and LOLER compliance. Whilst not directly involved in undertaking lifting operations I perform a support role, helping to ensure that our operations are safe, efficient and compliant.
Q: What is the number one challenge facing lifting engineers working in nuclear environments at the moment?
JG: While there are many challenges for lifting engineers within the nuclear environment, one of those I see most often is the lack of consistency on what classifies as a “nuclear lift” and the specific safeguards which should be in place. Lifting operations need to be carried out in a safe manner at all times, ensuring the safety of the personnel, public, load and equipment/plant is critical but this also needs to be balanced against progress and managed appropriately. With the lack of nuclear industry recognised standards many of us are reliant on using best practice from other industries and then putting our own local rules in place as well. Given we, as an industry, are all facing similar challenges, from aging assets to more radioactive loads, I believe the industry could benefit from producing common standards which would be the foundations of a truly integrated system.
We also require a complement of trained, competent individuals to support this type of operation and there is a general concern that there may be a knowledge and experience gap that we cannot plug simply by throwing numbers and money at the problem. Careful consideration and time needs to be given to allow this knowledge transfer to take place to ensure the safety of our lifting operations, now and in the future.
Q: Where do you see there being significant developments in lifting technologies over the next five years?
JG: I’m curious to see how all the advances in virtual technology shape design moving forward. Technology and smart instrumentation is allowing us to build up a bigger picture of our assets capabilities and understand where we need to prioritise our efforts. There have been significant improvements in terms of safety for both operators and others, which we can only hope will continue. We are able to lift larger, heavier and more complex loads than our predecessors could ever have dreamed possible. Camera technology combined with drones is opening new doors for maintenance and inspection. New materials are making their way from research labs into everyday life. Things that were once Science Fiction are now Science Fact – who knows what tomorrows engineers will come up with.
Q: What are you most looking forward to by attending and presenting at Nuclear Lifting 2018?
JG: It is my opinion that engineers never stop learning and as such I’m keen to hear the other presentations scheduled and to pass on some of the lessons to be learned from our experiences at Dounreay.
About Nuclear Lifting 2018
Taking place on 29 November 2018 in Manchester, join this seminar to explore long term strategies, unique safety cases and cost-effective design that meet regulated standards. Hear case study presentations to find out how best to conduct complex and high risk lifts on decommissioning, operational and new build nuclear sites.
For full details and registration, visit our Nuclear Lifting page.