Two companies involved in construction work at Hinkley Point C nuclear power station have now complied with enforcement notices served on them in January for breaches of fire safety legislation.
Hinkley Point C
NNB Generation Company and REEL UK were served the two notices by the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) after pre-planned inspections over three days found a lack of an adequate fire alarm system, emergency lighting and emergency signage.
The location was the construction site of the reactor building at Unit 1, where hot work was being undertaken. In the opinion of the inspectors, there was a need for better cooperation and coordination between the different dutyholders after inadequacies were identified with their fire safety arrangements.
This follows confirmation in April that contractors Bouygues Travaux Publics SAS and Laing O’Rourke Construction, who are the joint venture partners in BYLOR JV, complied with two similar enforcement notices served on them for fire safety shortfalls at the site.
The enforcement action relates to contraventions under of Article 22 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, which relates to the duties of two or more responsible persons of a premises to co-operate and to co-ordinate their fire safety obligations. All four enforcement notices required improvements to be made to address the shortfalls in compliance and prevent reoccurrence.
The ONR said there were no consequences to employees, the public or the environment as a result of the shortfalls, but there was the potential for harm and risk of serious injury, which required regulatory action.
A spokesperson for ONR said: “In the ensuing months since the notices were issued, we have monitored all four dutyholders’ progress, to ensure they further develop and embed improved fire safety arrangements and bolster their engagements while working together at Hinkley Point C.”
