Worker Sacked for Nuclear Plant ‘Nap’
A nuclear plant worker has been sacked after he was alleged to have fallen asleep when supposed to be carrying out essential maintenance.
Electrician Craig Parker denies he took “40 winks” on the floor of the nuclear fuel-handling plant at the Sellafield site in Cumbria.
Last night he spoke of his battle to get his job back as he awaits the outcome of an appeal.
He said: “I wasn’t asleep on the job. It’s just not true.
“There was some sort of investigation or inspection going on and someone said he had caught me sleeping.
“I was gob-smacked ( it was coming up to grub time and there was no reason why I should have been sleeping.”
Last night, a BNFL spokesman said that because of employee confidentiality it could not comment on the case. It confirmed that an appeal was pending.
Mr Parker had been working for seven weeks on a crane refurbishment which would take 14 weeks.
He said: “I am dumbfounded by it all. I thought it was just a laugh and a joke at first. Then I thought: this could be serious. It was, and I got sacked.”
Until his dismissal in mid-June, Mr Parker, 25, had worked at Sellafield for nearly nine years.
His task at the time was to refurbish a crane in a section of the nuclear plant where radioactive fuel is stored under water before being treated for reprocessing. An instrument electrical mechanic, Mr Parker went to BNFL as a 17-year-old apprentice.
He said: “I have always given it my best shot at Sellafield and I have a clean record. I am just waiting on the outcome of the appeal to see whether I will get my job back.
“I have taken a bit of ribbing from people but it’s mostly good- humoured and I can take it.”
Non-essential workers at Sellafield were told to stay at home yesterday in light of the London bombings.
The decision to increase the level of alert at all nuclear sites across the UK was made by the Government’s Office of Civil Nuclear Safety.
Sellafield bosses have acted to restrict access and limit the number of personnel and vehicles on the site.
Spokesman Pete Lutwitch said the move was a precautionary measure. He said: “Our prime responsibility that everyone stays safe is right at the top of our agenda.”