The Office for Nuclear Regulation has served an enforcement notice on BAE Systems following a fire at the Barrow shipyard in October.
ONR’s enquiries found that five employees entered an area in the Devonshire Dock Hall facility when the fire was still in progress on October 30 last year, resulting in two employees taken to hospital for treatment.
Both employees were later discharged and returned to work on the same day.
Enquiries concluded that the licensee’s arrangements for ensuring workers did not enter places of danger without the appropriate safety instructions were inadequate.
There was also a lack of guidance to inform staff of their required actions in the event of a fire.
The ONR served the enforcement notice under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, specifically Article 15(1)(c) and Article 8(1)(a) as part of its role to ‘protect society by securing safe nuclear operations.’
To comply with the notice, BAE must demonstrate it has suitable emergency arrangements in place to ensure the protection of workers in the event of a fire and has until September 12 to comply with the notice.
Enforcement can range from advice by inspectors to warnings, letters, improvement or prohibition notices, use of powers under the licence conditions and other nuclear safety, security and safeguards legislation, or prosecutions and instigating court proceedings.
“We will continue to engage with BAE Systems Marine Ltd during the period of the enforcement notice to ensure positive progress is made to address this shortfall,” Bruce Archer, ONR’s head of propulsion sites regulation, Operating Facilities Directorate, said.
BAE Systems provides and operates facilities to design, manufacture, construct, test, and commission nuclear-powered submarines for the Royal Navy.
A separate investigation into the cause of the fire led by Cumbria police is continuing.
A BAE Systems spokesman said: “We are aware of the findings of the recent Office for Nuclear Regulation enquiry relating to the Devonshire Dock Hall incident of October 30.
“The health and safety of our employees is our business’ top priority and we, of course, treat these findings and consequent corrective actions set out by the regulator with utmost seriousness.
“We are now working to demonstrate our undertaking of the proposed remedial actions.”
