The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) can confirm that Devonport Royal Dockyard Ltd has now complied with an improvement notice served on them for shortfalls in their working at height arrangements.
The notice was served in July 2021 after the company failed to demonstrate consistent and effective arrangements to control and monitor the risks associated with working at height at the Devonport nuclear licensed site in Plymouth.
Since the ONR notice was issued, Devonport Royal Dockyard Ltd has established a safe system of work for managing the risks associated with working from height.
‘Work at height’ is a term used in health and safety legislation for activities including work on ladders, scaffold, ropes and mobile platforms where, if precautions are not taken, a person could fall and sustain injuries.
Under The Work at Height Regulations 2005, dutyholders are required to ensure that work at height is properly planned, appropriately supervised and carried out in a safe manner.
ONR extended the original compliance date for the improvement notice from March to September due to disruption in the site's training programme caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Devonport Royal Dockyard Ltd complied with the notice in September.
Bruce Archer, Head of the ONR’s Propulsion Sub-Division, said: “Since we served the improvement notice we have undertaken several targeted inspections at the site.
“We are now satisfied that Devonport Royal Dockyard Ltd has established a safe system of work for the management of work at height risks at the site.”
The improvement notice was served under Work at Height Regulations 2005, Regulation 4(1), and Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, Regulation 5(1).