SAFETY measures have improved since a crane load that could have caused 'serious injury' was dropped at Barrow's shipyard.

The watchdog for nuclear sites said a construction contractor had complied with a notice to improve after the incident last year.

The Office for Nuclear Regulation said a single crane rail load was dropped from a crane controlled by construction firm Morgan Sindall on August 21 last year.

The ONR said improvements had been made to health and safety arrangements. 

Richard Wilson, an ONR principal inspector, said: “Since serving the notice we have worked closely with Morgan Sindall Construction & Infrastructure Ltd and are now satisfied they have complied with the notice by strengthening their safe system of work arrangements for lifting operations.”

ONR issued the improvement notice under the Health and Safety at Work Act and The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations.

No workers were injured when the object fell.

But the regulator said action to improve the company's safety standards needed to be taken due to the risk of injury.

An ONR spokesman said at the time: "There was no harm to workers, the public or the environment due to the incident.

"However, ONR identified the potential for harm and risk of serious personal injury, which required regulatory action.

"ONR has issued an improvement notice to Morgan Sindall Construction & Infrastructure Ltd under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, Section 2(1) and 3(1), the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, Regulation 3(1) and the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998, Regulation 8(1)."

The construction firm is completing building work at BAE's shipyard, with the Devonshire Dock Complex undergoing expansion to deliver the next generations of nuclear submarines.

The construction contractor previously built the £100 million Central Yard Complex, used to fit out each section of new submarines before they are moved to another area of the site where the build process is completed.

BAE is working on the delivery of Astute and Dreadnought submarines to the Royal Navy, with further expansion of the site and its workforce being brought about the AUKUS defence agreement between the UK, USA and Australia.