PPP Archives - Page 5 of 7

Knowingly Safe 24/7: Saved by carbon monoxide detector

Posted on March 11, 2025 by helent

Our journey to Knowingly Safe is crucial so that everyone is switched on to safety 24/7 at work and at home.

During a severe winter storm that caused a two day power outage, Ewan Kerr, technical manager at NG Bailey, and his wife, relied on their open fire for continuous heat.

In the early evening on the second day, their carbon monoxide alarm sounded, waking them on the couch from what Ewan described as ‘probably our last sleep’.

Both were disoriented, with headaches and dizziness, but the alarm’s piercing sound alerted them just in time.

Ewan said:

“Always position your carbon monoxide monitor close to the source of combustion. This ensures any build up is detected early.

“Each floor of a home should have a linked smoke detector, ideally placed near sleeping areas, so the alarm can be heard.

“Rooms with combustion sources must be well ventilated. We had recently sealed drafts in our cottage, which improved energy efficiency but unintentionally reduced ventilation and contributed to the dangerous build-up of carbon monoxide.”

Regulations require interlinked smoke and fire alarms in homes. These alarms are designed so that if one goes off, they all do, ensuring people hear the alarm wherever they are in the house. Ewan reflected on this, adding: “I wonder how many lives this has saved?”

His experience is a stark reminder of the unseen dangers that can arise when proper precautions are not in place.

He urges everyone to have the courage to care by installing carbon monoxide alarms, placing them correctly, and ensuring proper ventilation in areas with combustion sources.

Knowingly Safe Guidance

For guidance on carbon monoxide alarm placement and installation, Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Amendment) Regulations 2022: guidance for landlords and tenants – GOV.UK

By taking these simple but essential precautions, we can protect ourselves and those around us from the silent and deadly threat of carbon monoxide poisoning.

NG Bailey volunteers assist charity with storm damage

Posted on March 11, 2025 by helent

Volunteers from our key delivery partner NG Bailey have been busy helping a West Cumbrian charity recover from the storms that hit the region earlier this year.

Storms damaged one of the polytunnels at the Goodlives project, based at Westlakes Science Park. Goodlives is a growing project that aims to offer real life skills and employment skills through gardening and horticulture.

It creates a ‘work’ environment focused on food production whilst supporting people into employment, education and training opportunities together with delivering health and wellbeing benefits.

Volunteers from NG Bailey got stuck into the task at hand, to put a new skin on the polytunnel and helped with a bit of heavy lifting and maintenance too!

Vicki Fox, of NG Bailey, said:

“To see the project is absolutely amazing, they have a new container on site with two fully kitted out kitchens so they can offer cooking lessons and talk about and use fresh healthy produce grown on site.

“Darrel is an amazing handy man and has made a propagator that is fully insulated, and it is temperature and moisture controlled. This allows them to germinate up to 9,000 saplings ready to plant generating a really good harvest.”

Please see the latest volunteering opportunities available through Timebank using Together For Good.

New chapter for Balfour Beatty Kilpatrick on PPP

Posted on March 11, 2025 by helent

Balfour Beatty Kilpatrick (BBK) has officially opened a new office, at Westlakes Science and Technology Park, marking a significant milestone in its 47-year partnership with Sellafield and its role within PPP.

As a Key Delivery Partner (KDP) on PPP, this move reinforces BBK’s commitment to major projects, providing a modern space for teams to collaborate and continue delivering essential work in safety and infrastructure.

The new office, in Galemire Court, provides a dedicated hub for its Sellafield project teams.

This space will bring teams together to support key projects, including our Sellafield Product and Residue Store (SRP), SIXEP Continuity Plant (SCP), Box Encapsulation Plant Product Store 2 (BEPPS2), and the Box Encapsulation Plant (BEP), while ensuring capacity for future expansion.

For nearly five decades, BBK has played a role at Sellafield, contributing to projects such as THORP, SPRS, and Silos Maintenance.

Its position as a KDP on PPP has driven long-term investment in people, skills, and infrastructure, further strengthening its role in major projects.

Carl McNicholas, BBK programme director, said:

“This move underscores our determination to continue delivering exceptional value to our customers and ensuring that we remain at the forefront of delivering safe, and effective, solutions for the challenges of tomorrow.”

BBK recognised on SRP for Safety Energy efforts

Posted on March 11, 2025 by helent

(L-R) John Leslie, SRP Project Director, presenting Cameron Fletcher, BBK, with the Safety Energy Contractor of the Month award.

One of our Key Delivery Partners (KDPs), Balfour Beatty Kilpatrick (BBK), started the year off on a high note – being recognised with our Sellafield Product and Residue Store Retreatment Plant’s (SRP) Safety Energy Contractor of the Month award for January 2025.

BBK has maintained an excellent Safety Energy performance score on the project. This achievement is testament to the unwavering commitment of the entire team to create a safe and secure working environment, underpinned by a strong focus on people, culture and effective process.

The BBK team was also recognised for its collaborative efforts, working closely with the project team and NG Bailey, during an incident investigation to help provide valuable learning.

By building a culture of collaboration, the site has encouraged everyone to have a voice in safety matters, making suggestions, highlighting concerns and celebrating safety success.

Cameron Fletcher, BBK senior health, safety and wellbeing advisor, said:

“I am deeply proud of the project team for their commitment to health and safety. Their collaborative approach, working together to create a safe environment, ensures, not only the success of the project, but also the wellbeing of every individual involved. It’s a true testament to their professionalism on the journey to Knowingly Safe.”

Life Saving Principles in focus: Plant and Machinery

Posted on March 11, 2025 by helent

Working with plant and machinery can present various hazards and risks that can lead to serious injuries or fatalities if not managed properly.

This is why the Health, Safety and Wellbeing Hub has introduced the Plant & Machinery Life Saving Principles to keep everyone work Knowingly Safe.

We will be highlighting why it is so crucial to follow these non-negotiable principles to ensure we go home safely each night.

The complexity when working with Plant & Machinery requires that robust safety measures are in place, and that anyone operating the plant & machinery is competent and vigilant throughout the operation.

The principle, part of the 10 Life Saving Principles, launched by the Hub, to supplement our Golden Rules, highlights some of the key areas where we need to be vigilant.

Follow the rules

The rules state:

I will carry out a pre-start check before operating any plant or machinery.
I will confirm any proximity warning system are fully operational before work begins.
I must check that any dangerous moving parts are guarded and report any defects immediately.
I must confirm that all people and equipment are in a safe position before, during any movement of plant & machinery.
I must never bypass safety features and controls on plant or machinery.
Never remain on a vehicle, plant or machinery, when it is being loaded or unloaded unless control measures are in place.

Neil Walker, Health & Safety Advisor for PPP, said:

“The Life Saving Principles identify our high-risk activities, one of which is working with Plant & Machinery.

“We know across the construction industry, this is one of the areas where there can be major incidents or fatalities, so it’s critical to us that our Life Saving Principle introduces control measures to help in working safely when operating both plant and machinery.

“One of the non-negotiables is that plant and machinery must be fitted with a proximity and/or guarding safety devices to ensure the safety of our operators.”

Roof slab concrete pour gets underway

Posted on February 21, 2025 by helent

The first of seven concrete pours on the roof slab of SRP’s process building got underway last week as it progresses towards being fully weathertight, a project wide objective the team is expected to achieve in the coming months.

Around 350 cubic metres of concrete was poured at a rate of 35 cubic metres per hour, pumped up to a height of 30 metres after being delivered using five concrete wagons, in rotation, from our on-site batching plant.

The placing, compacting, and screeding of the concrete was led by a team of 11 people with support from engineers, marshalls and technicians.

Construction Manager Gerry Coan said: “The start of the roof slab concrete pour would not have been possible without the efforts of a whole team of people, which includes our steel-fixers, joiners, marshals, plant and crane operatives, and all the engineering, safety and quality support teams. Well done to all involved.

“If all goes to plan, and weather permitting, the final roof pour will happen at the end of April.”

Bulk excavation complete on project

Posted on February 13, 2025 by helent

Our Intermediate Level Waste – East Zone (ILW-EZ) project continues to make significant strides in safety, excavation, and surface preparation – with strong collaboration and innovative solutions leading the way.

A major milestone has been hit with the completion of bulk excavation work, with 130,000 cubic metres of material successfully removed, the equivalent to over 50 Olympic size swimming pools.

The D1 Phase 1 spoil repository has now been filled and is in the process of being closed down.

One of the biggest challenges during this phase was managing logistics, particularly the movement of materials. Coordination with local authorities and supply chain partners enabled the team to secure 169 truck movements per week, ensuring that the excavation work remained on schedule.

Safety Performance and System Enhancements

The project has recorded a 94 per cent safety energy score and achieved 200,000 hours without a Lost Time Accident.

A key contributor to this success is the introduction of the new Spillard People Plant Interface (PPI) system, designed to improve site safety by providing real time alerts to operators.

The system increases situational awareness and reduces the risk of vehicle and personnel interactions.

To support ongoing safety improvements, the project team has implemented structured training sessions, regular safety briefings and recognition initiatives that reinforce best practice across the site.

The Spillard People Plant Interface PPI system upgrade is scheduled to be rolled out across the site. This system standardisation aligns with broader PDD safety initiatives, providing a consistent and effective safety measure across multiple project sites.

The Management of Plant People Interface standard, developed by the Health, Safety and Wellbeing Hub, has pioneered the improvements which will move us towards a position of Knowingly Safe.

The Spillard PPI system will help reduce plant-related risks by alerting both vehicle operators and personnel when they are in proximity to moving equipment. This proactive approach improves hazard awareness and contributes to a safer working environment.

Challenges

Andrew Haile, Senior Project Manager for the ILW project, said: “This project has faced its fair share of challenges but the progress we have made is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the entire team.

“From improving site safety with the Spillard PPI system, to overcoming complex logistical hurdles, we are delivering results that will have a lasting impact.

“It is a real team effort and I am proud of what we have achieved so far.”

SRP’s roof slab concrete pour gets underway

Posted on February 13, 2025 by helent

The placing, compacting, and screeding of the concrete was led by a team of 11 people with support from engineers, marshals and technicians.

“If all goes to plan, and weather permitting, the final roof pour will happen at the end of April.”

National Apprenticeship Week – meet our PPP apprentices

Posted on February 13, 2025 by helent

As we continue our celebration of National Apprenticeship Week, meet Grace and Iain.

Before beginning her apprenticeship journey at Sellafield, Grace started her career in a property development company. When she discovered Sellafield and the opportunity to earn while she could learn, she felt it was the perfect fit.

Now in her third year of a civil and structural design degree apprenticeship, Grace continues her love of the construction and design environment.

In the past 18 months, her work has ranged from research tasks to gaining competence in AutoCAD, Excel, Revit and Navisworks. She has also supported two work experience students, used our Building Information Modelling (BIM) technology, and contributed to civil, structural and architectural teams.

Her main advice for anyone considering a degree apprenticeship is: “A degree apprenticeship will not be easy.

“You have to manage your work, college and personal life, but being fully immersed in the workplace alongside your studies is one of the best ways to learn.”

Meet Iain

Iain, who has recently completed a data analytics apprenticeship, wanted to expand his skill set and learn something new to support his role on PPP.

Iain works in our Project Services team as a performance reporting lead. He tracks and keeps all stakeholders informed about milestone progress across many corners of PPP.

Over the 18-month apprenticeship, he gained valuable insights into software systems such as Power Apps and Power Automate. Discovering these new tools showed him how much more is possible with modern performance reporting technology.

One of Iain’s biggest challenges was balancing his learning with a busy home life, especially with young children. By keeping in close communication with his line manager, he managed his workload and completed the course, which was all delivered virtually via MS Teams.

Now that he has completed his apprenticeship, Iain’s applying his new knowledge to develop automated reporting solutions, helping to streamline the production of our project status review (PSR) reports.

Iain said: “Despite being well into my professional career, learning is never too late. There are always new opportunities to improve skills and expertise in areas you may not have considered.”

Ella’s determination shines through with apprenticeship success

Posted on February 13, 2025 by helent

Resilience and determination were key for one of our apprentices who has recently completed her Level 4 Quality Practitioner apprenticeship.

Ella Dixon achieved her apprenticeship with one of our Key Delivery Partners (KDPs) Balfour Beatty Kilpatrick (BBK), marking the end of a journey filled with learning, challenges, and resilience.

Her interest in the nuclear industry began while studying design, engineering and construction at the Energy Coast University Technical College (UTC), in Lillyhall.

A Dream Placement week with Balfour Beatty on the Box Encapsulation Plant (BEP) project introduced her to different roles, and quality stood out as the perfect fit.

Ella said: “I knew, from UTC, that I wanted to learn and develop into the nuclear industry as I always had an interest in this field.”

During her apprenticeship, Ella developed key skills in quality improvement, risk management and analysis techniques, helping her to identify potential issues and improve workplace efficiency.

However, the journey wasn’t without its difficulties. In August 2023, she was made redundant from James Fisher Nuclear and, just two months later, her boyfriend Lloyd sadly passed away.

Determination

Despite these setbacks, she showed incredible determination, resuming her apprenticeship with BBK in February 2024 and passing her End Point Assessment first time in December.

She credits her success to the unwavering support of her colleagues at James Fisher Nuclear, her manager Jane, and her team at BBK. She shared: “The time and effort my team put in to help me complete my apprenticeship was limitless.”

Outside of work, Ella finds peace in the mountains. Walking with her “Walk for Lloyd” family, she completed all 214 Wainwrights in tribute to her partner, raising £33,000 for the charity Meningitis Now. She continues to challenge herself, with the National Three Peaks next on her list.

Reflecting on her journey, her advice to future apprentices would be: “Never be afraid to ask questions, buddy up with a mentor, and always seek out different explanations until things make sense.”