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| Rolls-Royce fined after workers exposed to radiation | Rolls-Royce fined after workers exposed to radiation |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A subsidiary of Rolls-Royce in Derby has been fined £200,000 for exposing workers to a radioactive material that was misplaced for five hours. | A subsidiary of Rolls-Royce in Derby has been fined £200,000 for exposing workers to a radioactive material that was misplaced for five hours. |
| Marine Power Operations admitted the 2011 breach when a piece of radioactive equipment broke while parts for nuclear submarines were being tested in Sinfin. | Marine Power Operations admitted the 2011 breach when a piece of radioactive equipment broke while parts for nuclear submarines were being tested in Sinfin. |
| The firm pleaded guilty to seven charges, brought by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Environment Agency, at a hearing in July. | The firm pleaded guilty to seven charges, brought by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Environment Agency, at a hearing in July. |
| It must also pay £176,500 in costs. | It must also pay £176,500 in costs. |
| The company uses radioactive sources (containing ytterbium -169) in its industrial radiography work to test welds are perfect. | The company uses radioactive sources (containing ytterbium -169) in its industrial radiography work to test welds are perfect. |
| Leicester Crown Court heard significant failings led to a radioactive source (a capsule the size of a small screw) being lost for about five hours at the Sinfin Lane site on 3 March 2011. | Leicester Crown Court heard significant failings led to a radioactive source (a capsule the size of a small screw) being lost for about five hours at the Sinfin Lane site on 3 March 2011. |
| It resulted in a number of workers at the site being exposed to high levels of gamma radiation, in some cases many times the legal dose limits. | It resulted in a number of workers at the site being exposed to high levels of gamma radiation, in some cases many times the legal dose limits. |
| The offences included failing to ensure the health, safety and welfare of its staff in respect of exposure to ionising radiation from radioactive sources and failing to make a suitable risk assessment. | The offences included failing to ensure the health, safety and welfare of its staff in respect of exposure to ionising radiation from radioactive sources and failing to make a suitable risk assessment. |
| There was also a charge relating to failing to provide employees with sufficient training. | There was also a charge relating to failing to provide employees with sufficient training. |
| Speaking after the hearing, David Orr, HSE's specialist inspector of radiation, said: "The biggest doses were to the workers' hands and they suffered no immediate effects. | |
| "The whole body dose was low and they have a very, very small, increased risk of developing cancer. | |
| "Rolls Royce is fully aware of the danger it [radiation] poses and has a clear duty to protect staff from harm. However the company failed its duty of care on this occasion, losing control of the source without realising it." | |
| Andy Gordon, nuclear safety director at Rolls-Royce, said: "We very much regret this event which took place in 2011, especially for the impact it had on the individuals involved. | |
| "We have thoroughly investigated the event and put in place a number of changes to our practices and procedures to ensure that this cannot happen again." |