A consortium has become the first to reach one million hours of safe working on a nuclear programme.

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Cumbria Nuclear Solutions Ltd – a partnership of six of the most respected organisations in the UK’s North-West supply chain – achieved the momentous milestone at Sellafield this week.

 

A total of 450 staff have worked together in a complex nuclear environment to record an impressive one million hours without a lost-time accident.

 

The businesses that worked collaboratively as partners in CNSL are James Fisher Nuclear Ltd, REACT Engineering Ltd, Shepley Engineers Ltd, Jacobs Field Services Ltd, Westinghouse Electric Company and WYG Engineering Ltd.

 

CNSL is the first of the six Lot Delivery Partners (LDP) to reach the milestone, after more than three years working on the 10-year Decommissioning Delivery Partnership (DDP) framework at Sellafield.

 

Jack Tomlinson, Safety Hub Lead for CNSL, said: “The work we (CNSL) have been doing on the DDP is extremely broad. It includes mechanical and electrical installation, demolition, decommissioning, installation and commissioning in remote handling.

 

Overcoming challenges and restrictions

 

“It’s all been achieved while overcoming all the challenges that come with working within a nuclear environment and working within those restrictions,” he reported.

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“We make sure that everyone realises that each one of those statistics is about friends and family and colleagues. They are not just numbers, they are about making sure that everyone is safe, and we are collectively trying to work in the right way. 

 

“A good safety record does not happen by accident,” he continued. “It’s about teams collaborating and staying motivated around health and safety. What makes the difference between a good team and a great team can be an excellent safety record.

 

“The effort the individuals put in to ensure we go home safely is often tireless. It’s a massive achievement for the operatives, supervisors and all support teams across the board.”

 

CNSL is particularly proud of the work completed on the Calder River Fence Project, which at one stage involved completing 30,000 hours a month, with 150 people working on river banks, close to the water, to ensure the perimeter fence was built.

 

The DDP, which is a ten-year framework, started in March 2016 – and having reached October 2019 without a lost-time accident, CNSL said it is “determined to carry on the good work”.