Investigation Reveals Asbestos Protection Failures at Torness Nuclear Power Station
Two companies have been found by a government watchdog to have failed in protecting workers from asbestos exposure at the Torness nuclear power station in East Lothian.
The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) initiated an investigation after the site operator, EDF, reported an incident in March where workers might have been exposed to asbestos within a valve in the steam system.
The ONR discovered that asbestos material had been removed from a similar valve in 2024, but this removal was not recorded. Consequently, workers performing recent maintenance were unaware of the asbestos risk.
Following the findings, the ONR has mandated both EDF and contractor Trillium Flow Services UK to implement improvements by the end of June.
EDF has stated it does not believe any actual exposure occurred but is revising its processes accordingly.
Understanding Asbestos and Its Risks
Asbestos refers to several naturally occurring fibrous minerals that crystallize into fibers. These fibers are strong, do not dissolve in water or evaporate, and resist degradation from chemicals, heat, and fire. Historically, asbestos was considered an ideal insulation material for buildings, boilers, and pipes.
However, due to health risks associated with inhaling asbestos fibers, the UK banned the importation of blue and brown asbestos in 1985, extending the ban to white asbestos in 1999.
Details of the Incident and Investigation
The March incident occurred during overhaul activities on a valve within the steam system. The ONR concluded there was no risk to nuclear safety, the public, or the environment at that time. However, the investigation raised broader concerns about the reliability of the site's asbestos register.
Inspectors found that during similar maintenance on a comparable valve in 2024, asbestos material had been identified and removed but this was not documented in the asbestos register. This register serves as the central record tracking asbestos locations and conditions across the site.
Due to the lack of recording, workers undertook activities without being informed of potential asbestos presence and without appropriate controls to manage exposure or prevent asbestos spread.
Staff at Torness reported that the asbestos register did not consistently record asbestos on plant equipment and was not regularly consulted during maintenance planning.
No workers required medical treatment following the incident, and all will receive ongoing monitoring as part of routine occupational health surveillance.
Enforcement Actions and Notices Issued
Following the investigation, EDF received two notices: one for failing to maintain a written plan identifying asbestos locations on site, and another for failing to prevent or adequately reduce employee asbestos exposure during valve overhaul activities.
EDF has voluntarily suspended all asbestos removal work by its maintenance team pending compliance with these notices.
Trillium Flow Services UK was also served two notices. The first addressed their failure to monitor the close-out of work logs to ensure accurate asbestos information. The second concerned their failure to assess asbestos presence before undertaking valve maintenance.
Both EDF and Trillium Flow Services UK are required to comply with the improvement notices by 30 June.
Statements from ONR and EDF
"This incident highlights the importance of accurate record-keeping and ensuring workers have the information they need before beginning any maintenance activity," said Gary Cook, ONR's joint head of safety regulation. "We will engage with both companies during the period of the improvement notices to ensure positive progress is made to address these shortfalls."
An EDF spokeswoman stated the company is committed to maintaining safety at Torness power station.
"We proactively reported this to the ONR and have voluntarily suspended all EDF asbestos removal work. This will not restart until we have complied with the improvement notices. We do not believe there was any actual exposure but are actively working to introduce changes to our processes and will work with the ONR to ensure it is content that the improvements required have been fully implemented."
