Sellafield Ltd has been served an improvement notice following a shunting accident on its rail system.
The enforcement action has been issued by the Office for Nuclear Regulation and was taken after a railway wagon that hadn’t been properly secured rolled about 60 metres along the track before colliding with a stationary wagon.
The incident happened during shunting activities when several other railway wagons were being moved on the same stretch of track.
The impact left both wagons with minor damage, but neither was derailed. Two nuclear waste containers on the wagons were unaffected due to their robust construction, and there was no radiation risk to workers or members of the public.
While no workers were harmed in the incident, which happened in November 2024, the ONR said it had the potential to have had serious consequences for those involved in the shunting operations.
Ian Bramwell, ONR’s head of regulation for Sellafield Operations, said: “This improvement notice will require Sellafield Ltd to put in place the appropriate health and safety arrangements to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
“This will include improving how Sellafield plan, organise, monitor and review the measures in place to protect personnel directly and indirectly involved in rail activities on the site.”
Sellafield Ltd has until June 13 2025 to comply with the notice. The Office for Nuclear Regulation will also conduct further inspections in March and April to review progress.
