Coronavirus update from Hinkley Point C - 23 July

I want to give you a further update about Coronavirus and the approach we are taking at Hinkley Point C. Even though restrictions are easing across the country, I’d like to reassure you that the safety of the community and workforce remains our first priority. Steps we have taken to keep the site safe are staying in place. We remain vigilant and we will be ready to adapt our approach if the pandemic situation changes.
 
That means that social distancing, the use of protective screens and extra cleaning continue on the site and in our canteens and buses. Workers will continue to have their temperature taken before entering the site. Face masks are mandatory on our external busses, as they are on public transport in the rest of the country. Bus services for workers are focused on our park and ride sites and we are no longer picking up workers in the community. We are looking to expand our testing capacity and aim to be able to test new starters for Coronavirus. We are not planning for a full return to offices for those that have been successfully working from home. This will help us maintain social distancing. 
 
At the beginning of the pandemic we moved quickly to reduce the numbers on site to enable safe working. We have been able to slowly increase numbers in the last few months as we have gained experience with new ways of working. This includes staggering shifts to avoid congestion and creating separated teams to avoid the risk of infection. We now have around 4,500 people on site in a 24 hour period – which is still below our pre-pandemic levels. We follow guidance on safe working from industry bodies and the Government and our performance is regulated by internal safety inspection and an independent regulator.
 
While safety always comes first, we are aware that getting back to work has many benefits for our suppliers and the jobs they support here in Somerset and beyond. I know life is still far from normal and the pandemic is not over. We will continue to listen to the community and make improvements wherever we can. I wish you all well and hope that you and your families stay safe. Please do contact me or my team if you have any concerns,

Nigel Cann
Construction Delivery Director, Hinkley Point C