Thanks a million - consortium teams praised for being first to reach major milestone

A CONSORTIUM is the first to reach one million hours of safe working on a nuclear programme.

Cumbria Nuclear Solutions Ltd, which is a partnership of six of the most respected organisations in the 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 which have worked collaboratively together 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 ten-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.

“It’s all been achieved while overcoming all the challenges which come with working within a nuclear environment and working within those restrictions.

“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 said.

“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.”

Mr Tomlinson is particularly proud that CNSL are the first LDP to reach the million-hour safety milestone, given there are six partners involved.

“Each partner brings their own expertise and excellence to the project, from those bringing the professional services and those working out the methods of how we will all work, to the CNSL intrusive contractors,” he said. 

CNSL are 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.

Chris Thompson, a Health & Safety Manager for CNSL at Sellafield, said: “As CNSL lead on the River Calder project we have witnessed strong collaborative working between all the CNSL partners.  

“We have provided nuclear, construction, engineering and professional services expertise to the client via the CNSL resource pool, enabling us to be one of the leading organisations and deliverer of choice within the nuclear industry. 

“By achieving one million hours without a lost-time accident provides Sellafield with the confidence that CNSL delivers safely, sending a clear message that safety is, and will remain, our number one priority. 

“All partners have embraced the safety ethos and by achieving such a significant milestone of zero LTAs will only make us stronger as a group, driving to achieve even more as we continue to deliver highly complex and challenging projects at Sellafield.”

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

Phil Redfern, CNSL Director said: “It’s testament to the collaboration between the six partners that CNSL is the first to reach this milestone on the DDP at Sellafield. 

“All six partners have a really good health and safety culture. It’s a core part of all our values and our ethos.

“We are really proud to have reached this milestone together and to have collaborated with each other to find innovative solutions to the broad range of challenges we have faced. 

“A special congratulations to Shepley and Jacobs our construction and engineering colleagues who have been the partners with the most people on the ground and have led the majority of the site works.”

This press release is issued by 32West on behalf of CNSL. For further information contact Jonathan Lee 07444-022038 or email jonathan@32west.co.uk