The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) has served improvement notices to contractors Bouygues and Laing O’Rourke after a scaffold worker fell from height.
In the incident on 4 March 2022, at the new Hinkley Point C nuclear power station, the worker fell 5m, but avoided serious injury.
The two contractors are building the Somerset power station as part of the BYLOR joint venture.
Failure to plan properly
Enquiries established that BYLOR JV failed to ensure that the work was properly planned, appropriately supervised, and carried out in a manner which was safe, as far as reasonably practicable.
This contravened Regulation 4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005.
ONR inspector John McKenniff said: “Thankfully on this occasion the worker did not sustain any serious injuries, but it could have been much more serious.
“We have issued this improvement notice to ensure that both organisations take action to prevent any similar occurrences in the future.
“We will monitor the actions of BYLOR JV and will have no hesitation in taking action if further shortfalls are identified.”
Both organisations, through BYLOR JV, must comply with the requirements of the improvement notice by 27 May 2022.
