A fire at Britain’s flagship nuclear submarine yard has triggered a formal safety warning after investigators found workers entered the danger zone before the blaze was out.
The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) has slapped BAE Systems Marine Ltd with an enforcement notice over the incident at its Barrow-in-Furness site on 30 October 2024.
Five workers entered a high-risk area inside the Devonshire Dock Hall while the fire was still active, in breach of emergency protocols.
Two were hospitalised – and while both were discharged the same day, ONR says the company failed to protect its workforce.
Its investigation found gaping holes in BAE’s fire response procedures, including a lack of clear guidance for workers during emergencies and inadequate systems to prevent unauthorised access to hazardous areas mid-incident.
The watchdog’s ruling lands under the Fire Safety Order 2005 – citing breaches of Articles 8 and 15, which require employers to provide proper emergency planning and safe systems of work.
ONR’s Head of Propulsion Sites Regulation, Bruce Archer, said: “We will continue to engage with BAE Systems Marine Ltd during the period of the enforcement notice to ensure positive progress is made to address this shortfall.”
The site, which designs and builds nuclear-powered submarines for the Royal Navy, is one of the most sensitive defence facilities in the country. The Devonshire Dock Hall – where the fire occurred – is a key part of the construction process and operates under strict nuclear site licensing rules.
BAE Systems Marine must now overhaul its emergency arrangements and prove to regulators that it can keep workers safe if a fire breaks out again. It has until 12 September 2025 to fully comply.
While the company has not been fined, the enforcement notice sends a strong signal that failings on fire safety – particularly in nuclear defence – won’t be brushed aside.
This is not the first time the Barrow site has come under scrutiny. But it is a rare public intervention by the ONR, which only issues enforcement notices where it sees serious or systemic issues that require urgent correction.
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