CONTRACTORS building the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station have been given more time to comply with a legal notice served after a worker was seriously injured by a formwork panel which fell about 95 feet on to him.

The incident happened in June and resulted in improvement notices being served by the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) on Bouygues Travaux Publics SAS and Laing O’Rourke Delivery Ltd.

The two firms have been operating as partners in a BYLOR joint venture constructing the power station.

They were required to meet the terms of the notices by now, but have been given a three months extension to September 14.

An ONR spokesperson said: “ONR recognises that progress toward meeting the requirements of the notices has been made.

“So, an extension has been granted to allow BYLOR JV more time to demonstrate full compliance.”

The spokesperson said there had not been any risk to nuclear safety, the public, or the environment as a result of the incident.

They said: “ONR inquiries established that BYLOR JV, in its role as contractor, failed to ensure that construction work was planned, managed, and monitored so that, so far as reasonably practicable, it was carried out without risks to health and safety.

“Both notices were issued under Regulation 15(2) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015.”

Bouygues Travaux and Laing O’Rourke are currently being prosecuted under health and safety legislation as a result of a worker being injured in a similar incident August, 2022, and have pleaded not guilty.

They are further being prosecuted along with NNB Generation Company (HPC) Ltd following the death of a worker a few months later in 2022, with all three entering not guilty pleas.

Hinkley site supervisor Jason Waring, aged 48, from Nottingham, died when he was crushed by moving machinery.