The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) said it has notified Kaefer Limited it will be prosecuted under the Health and Safety at Work Act.
The charge relates to an incident which occurred on the Devonport dockyard site in Plymouth onboard HMS Bulwark, where a scaffolder employed by Kaefer fell and sustained serious injuries during maintenance work on the ship.
Devonport Royal Dockyard Limited (DRDL) will also be prosecuted.
The incident, on 11 April 2023, was a “conventional health and safety matter” and there was no radiological risk to the public, said the ONR.
HMS Bulwark is a surface ship, with no nuclear components, but the incident occurred within the boundary of the nuclear licensed site and was therefore investigated by the ONR, the UK’s independent nuclear regulator.
In November last year, Babcock International Group signed a £750 million contract to deliver a major upgrade of the dockyard site with the MoD.
Supporting Babcock on 10 Dock were delivery partners Costain and Mott Macdonald, and main works contractor Kier BAM.
The first hearing is scheduled to take place at Plymouth Magistrates’ Court on 27 March, at 2pm.
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