Nuclear workers at Sellafield will be restarting work with a phased approach.

Following publication of the more detailed Government guidance on a conditional recovery plan from the Covid-19 pandemic, Sellafield has set out its plans for a phased restart of operations at the site.

Mark Neate, executive director for environment, safety and security at Sellafield, said: “The recovery plan we have already put in place aligns with the Government’s intentions on restarting the economy safely.

“By cautiously reintroducing work once we are confident that it is safe to do so, we are playing our part in maximising the productivity of the business within the constraints of controlling the spread of the virus in workplaces.

“We are still minimising non-essential attendance at work.

“We are also keeping the site safe and secure both now and in the future by restarting more high hazard and risk reduction work now.

“The Government’s announcement gives a direction of travel for all employers and we will reintroduce more work streams as and when were are confident that it is safe to do so.”

The company said its executive agreed on a number of principles to help manage the restart of work.

These include that the maximum number of people working on site at any given time is about 3,500.

The maximum number of people working out of off-site facilities at any given time will be notionally 25 per cent of the normal building capacity for each facility.

And construction site working is only approved on the basis that workers do not interact with the rest of the site.

A company spokesman said: “The key points for those working for Sellafield Ltd are: if you can work from home, then continue to do so; all of the arrangements we have put in place to protect vulnerable people and allow for issues such as childcare arrangements remain the same; we are restarting work in a phased approach – we have already announced the work we are currently restarting and will confirm any new work streams in due course as and when they are agreed by the executive; anyone being asked to come back to work will be notified in advance.

“No one should return to work until it has been confirmed that they are required to do so.”