Sellafield has recently acknowledged the critical role played by its project delivery professionals in upholding rigorous safety standards, through its annual Knowingly Safe 24/7 Awards. The ceremony celebrated individuals and teams from various companies working on the vast nuclear site, recognising their unwavering commitment to safety in an inherently complex and high-risk environment.
Among those honoured were Balfour Beatty Kilpatrick, which received the Supply Chain Knowingly Safe Award, and Altrad Babcock's Lee Rutherford, named Knowingly Safe Leader. Other recipients included Rosie Harrison from NG Bailey as Nuclear Safety Champion, and John Innes of March Engineering as Quality Champion. The awards also highlighted environmental efforts, with the Box Encapsulation Plant Product Store 2 Environmental & Water Management Team and Darren Miles from Balfour Beatty Kilpatrick recognised as Environmental Champions.
A particularly poignant moment of the awards ceremony was the posthumous recognition of Donna Hanley, a safety representative from Amentum. Celebrated for her exceptional contributions to safety on the Box Encapsulation Plant project and her advocacy for colleagues, the Safety Representative award will now be named in her honour. This tribute acknowledges her legacy and dedication to improving welfare, inclusion, and safety standards on site.
Andy Sharples, Sellafield Ltd projects director, emphasised that safety is fundamental to all operations, guiding decisions and actions daily. He highlighted the importance of acknowledging those who exemplify high standards, especially as Sellafield delivers an ambitious programme of major infrastructure projects. Steve Harnwell, Programme and Project Partners managing director, further commended the efforts of all nominees and winners, noting that celebrating these individuals strengthens the site's safety culture.
The awards underscore Sellafield's commitment to maintaining an industry-leading safety performance. This commitment is supported by initiatives such as the Health, Safety and Wellbeing Hub launched in 2022. The site has achieved the significant milestone of over 10 million hours worked without a reportable incident twice since 2019, a testament to the collective efforts of its workforce. As one of the UK's busiest construction hubs, the successful and safe delivery of projects at Sellafield is crucial for creating a clean, safe, and secure environment for future generations.