Safety Problems Spur Brit Nuke Co. Changes

April 20, 2000
A state-run nuclear company in England replaced eight directors and hired a new safety chief following a critical government report and a series of problems at a reprocessing plant.

A state-run nuclear company in England on Tuesday replaced eight directors and hired a new safety chief following a critical government report and a series of problems at a reprocessing plant.

"This has been a wakeup call," said Norman Askew, the new chief executive of British Nuclear Fuels Ltd.

Askew was appointed in February after a report by the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate complained of a "lack of safety culture" at the Sellafield reprocessing plant.

Despite its renewed dedication to safety, uncertainty remains over whether the northwest England plant can regain the confidence of foreign customers and resolve a current dispute with Japan.

In February, the plant was shut down after news that workers falsified records about the quality of consignment of uranium and plutonium mixed oxide fuel delivered to Japan's Kansai Electric Power Co.

Switzerland and Germany have halted fuel shipments to Sellafield since the revelation about the falsified consignment.

Five employees were fired, and all staff are undergoing retraining.

In a report called "Going Forward Safely," British Nuclear Fuels announced the shake-up of managers and management style, and the appointment of 70 extra staff to improve safety.

The company said it expects it will take up to two years to implement all of the recommended changes.

About the Author

EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeekEHS Today, Material Handling & LogisticsLogistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor:  Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.

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