Sellafield prosecuted over high voltage injury

Nuclear site Sellafield is being prosecuted after an employee was hurt while working on high voltage electrical equipment.

The worker was injured at the site near Seascale on 24 April.

The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) said Sellafield Ltd will be prosecuted for "allegedly flouting" the Health and Safety at Work Act.

According to Sellafield's own incident log, the worker suffered burns to their upper body from an arc flash.

An ONR spokesman said: "The incident was a conventional health and safety matter and there was no radiological risk to workers or the public."

The first hearing is due to take place at North and West Cumbria Magistrates' Court in Carlisle on 18 December.

"For legal reasons we are unable to comment further on the details of this case which is now the subject of live court proceedings," added the ONR spokesman.

Sellafield Ltd, which is responsible for the safe and secure clean-up of the nuclear site, confirmed it had been notified of the prosecution but was "unable to comment further as it the matter is now the subject of active court proceedings".

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