NUCLEAR PLANT FINED AFTER WORKER’S SCAFFOLD LADDER FALL

SELLAFIELD LTD has been fined £400,000 after admitting a health and safety breach that resulted in a worker sustaining serious back injuries when he fell from a scaffolding ladder at the nuclear site. The company attended Carlisle Magistrates Court on 6 March following a prosecution prepared by the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR).

An employee of Sellafield Ltd was carrying out repair work in a low active cell, or chamber, at the Magnox Reprocessing Facility at the site in Cumbria when the accident happened. The maintenance fitter had been tasked with fixing a leaking pipeline within the former reprocessing facility, which used to receive and process thousands of tonnes of spent or used nuclear fuel from power stations in the UK and abroad.

On 12 October 2021 the fitter and a colleague entered the chamber, which was slippery due to the leaking acid, to carry out repair work. The workers had to climb through pipework and up a scaffolding ladder to reach the leaking pipe, while carrying heavy equipment in challenging working conditions. While attempting to leave the cell and climb down the scaffolding ladder, one of the workers suffered a fall of approximately 10ft, which left him badly injured and he was taken to hospital. He sustained fractures to his vertebrae, with injuries that have been described as lifechanging with his mobility still significantly affected and him not yet having returned to work.

Sellafield Ltd pleaded guilty to an offence under Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 for failing to ensure the health and safety of its employees, in relation to the risks arising while undertaking maintenance and repair work.

District Judge John Temperley ruled they must pay a fine of £400,000 and pay prosecution costs of £29,210.64.

After the court hearing ONR’s director of regulation Paul Dicks said: “A thorough investigation by the Office for Nuclear Regulation identified multiple and significant failings by Sellafield Ltd during a prolonged period. There was a failure to adequately plan, organise and deliver this task to repair a leaking pipe. The risks were not adequately controlled and there were failures in the risk assessment. We concluded that there were several missed opportunities that could have prevented this accident occurring.

“Sellafield Ltd co-operated fully with the Office for Nuclear Regulation during this investigation and we welcome their prompt guilty plea.” q