A COMPANY providing the “main civil engineering works” at the Hinkley Point C construction site in Somerset has been served a fire enforcement notice after “significant fire shortfalls” were discovered.

The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) has served the notice on Bylor JV (Laing O’Rourke and Bouygues Travaux Publics) after intervening at the Somerset site, near Cannington.

“Following a focused fire safety intervention, ONR inspectors identified that Bylor had failed to implement appropriate arrangements for the effective planning, organisation, control, monitoring and review of preventive and protective measures,” the ONR said.

“Many of the Bylor buildings on the Somerset site are currently at an advanced stage of construction and these shortfalls resulted in inadequate general fire precautions, including a lack of an adequate emergency lighting system.”

Bylor is a joint venture of Bouygues Travaux Publics and Laing O’Rourke, delivering HPC’s main civil engineering works, the ONR added.

READ MORE: 24-hour chaplaincy boosted at Hinkley construction site
READ MORE: 3,000 new jobs coming to Hinkley in next 18 months
READ MORE: Plans submitted for Hinkley parking and temporary accommodation

Ray Cassar, the body’s fire safety inspector, said: “Fire safety is fundamental to protecting workers and the public at nuclear construction sites.

“Our inspectors found that fire safety arrangements at the Hinkley Point C site did not meet the standards we require, particularly given the scale and complexity of the ongoing construction work. We also took into account several similar findings from previous inspections.

“We will work with Bylor JV to ensure they put proper systems in place to manage fire risks effectively and prevent similar issues arising in future.”

The enforcement action has been served under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

The ONR said there were “no consequences to employees, the public or the environment as a result of the shortfalls”.

“However, ONR identified the potential for harm and risk of serious injury, which required regulatory action,” the office added.

Improvements must be completed by June 30, 2026, while in the meantime, Bylor JV is expected to manage the risk profile accordingly, the notice said.

Work is progressing at the enormous Hinkley Point C site, on the Somerset coast, building the new EDF nuclear power station.

READ MORE: Bridgwater news from your Somerset Leveller