The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) has served an improvement notice on AWE Plc following an incident at its Aldermaston site in West Berkshire.
ONR issued the notice after an explosive component was unintentionally damaged by workers assembling a unit for testing purposes in August, this year.
The damage was caused when workers failed to follow appropriate procedures when manually handling the component.
The type of activities being undertaken in the Explosive Technology Centre, where the incident occurred, could not result in any radiological risk. There was no risk to the public or the environment from this incident.
Experiments and tests are routinely undertaken at the site to provide confidence in the safety and performance of components.
ONR’s investigation, which was supported by the Health and Safety Executive, found that AWE had failed to effectively plan, organise and control the procedure, which resulted in employees being subjected to additional health and safety risks.
Tim Allmark, ONR’s Head of Regulation for Weapons Sub-Directorate, said: “The notice requires AWE to ensure that arrangements for explosive safety are appropriate to the activities being undertaken.
“AWE took appropriate and timely action in response to the incident, and we will continue to engage with them during the period of the improvement notice to ensure positive progress is made to address this shortfall.”
ONR issued the improvement notice under the Health & Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, Sections 2(1) and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, Regulation 5(1).
AWE Plc has until the 20 August 2025 to comply with the notice.