A Chinese worker at UK nuclear new-build, Hinkley Point C, was confirmed as having contracted Covid-19 this week, although the risk to other employees on the project is "very low" according to client EDF.
The man, a Chinese national who was diagnosed after flying to Hong Kong, works at EDF at Bridgwater House in Finzels Reach, Bristol, reports Construction Manager.
The office has since been deep cleaned and four of his co-workers self-isolated but do not have coronavirus and have returned to work.
An EDF spokesperson said: "Public Health England (PHE) has advised that there is a very low risk to Hinkley Point C employees or their contacts from the colleague who developed coronavirus after returning to China.
"PHE is working with us to understand how the individual could have become infected and to trace people who may have been in contact with the person. The four workers who self-isolated at Hinkley Point C last week do not have coronavirus and have returned to work. The project continues to operate as usual.
"With more cases of coronavirus being reported across the UK, EDF is doing all that it can to prepare for the impacts that spread of the illness may have on the business.
"We have issued protective advice to staff advising them on the common-sense precautions we can all take to minimise our individual risks. We are challenging anyone visiting any of our sites to think about their own health and that of those around them and if they think there’s a risk, to postpone coming to our facilities. We also continue to assess all risks associated with staff travel and to monitor the situation as it develops."
Image: A render of the planned Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant (EDF)
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Has the British Construction Industry sunk so low from being a world leader in nuclear construction to having to have people from outside the UK to show us how to build every thing
Why do we put four thousand workers in the same place daily who then travel home to their family’s and back to work which potentially would put twenty thousand or more at risk
Many on site are coughing and are ill but won’t say anything as 90% of workforce are self employed so no work no pay they will work even when I’ll?? Really how long before EDF act?
EDF push the over budget Hinkley Point C site at any cost, to enable a 20 % reduction on their proposed Sizewell C/D by porting trades from Hinkley to Sizewell, with total lack of consideration to worker’s health currently remaining on campus. Covid 19 lockdown on UK sites which aren’t deemed essential has happened. Hinkley site however, has remained open albeit it is has already experienced positive cases of Covid 19. This dated and over budget site must be investigated as to why EDF push forward at any cost…