IMPROVEMENT notices have been handed out to two Hinkley Point C contractors after a worker fell five metres off scaffolding while working on the nuclear power station site, it was revealed this week.

It was reported that the workman was not seriously injured in the incident, which took place on March 4 this year.

The Office for Nuclear Regulation has now served improvement notices on the two firms involved -Bouygues Travaux Publics SAS and Laine O’Rourke Construction Ltd - ordering them to take steps to ensure a similar accident doesn’t happen in the future. The companies are joint partners in BYLOR JV which is working on the site.

An ONR report claimed that there was a failure by BYLOR to ensure that the work was properly planned, supervised and carried out safely, contravening the World at Height regulations.

ONR inspector John McKenniff said: “Thankfully, on this occasion the worker did not sustain any serious injuries but it could have been much more serious. We have issued this improvement notices to ensure that both organisations take action to prevent similar occurrences in future.

He warned: “We will monitor the actions of BYLOR JV and will have no hesitation in taking action if further short-falls are identified.”