Dounreay staff concerns 'being acted on,' management insists
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Dounreay management has sought to assure unions and workers that concerns they have about health and safety are not being swept under the carpet.
Managing director Mark Rouse said it has proven processes in place to investigate any issues raised.
His assurance at Wednesday evening's meeting of Dounreay Stakeholder Group (DSG) came in the wake of representations made by union and safety reps at the site.
They have outlined their lack of confidence in the current management and cited a range of concerns about health, safety and well-being of staff.
The John O'Groat Journal has also been told a number of workers are signed off with work-related stress – some as a result of alleged bullying and harassment.
One worker said: "Concerns have been raised but do not appear to be addressed."
The unresolved concerns, it was claimed, are contributing to low morale on the site.
During his report on site operations at the DSG meet, Mr Rouse said he was keen to respond to the claims made in the Groat.
He said: "We encourage staff to raise issues that are of concern to them, whether they involve safety, potential bullying or anything else.
"We make sure we act on those and we deal with them in a systematic, rigorous way.
"We want to make sure that we really run them to ground."
Mr Rouse stressed that it seeks to establish the facts and cannot act on rumour or hearsay. It can draw on a range of "independent views" in progressing its investigations.
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While he said Dounreay is not perfect, he said it seeks to promote an "open and connected" culture where staff feel confident they can raise concerns and know they will be followed through.
Mr Rouse said the site remains a safe and secure workplace.
Deputy managing director Mac MacGill said it is keen to develop open channels of communication with union representatives and staff.
This has recently been developed with the introduction of monthly staff briefings on the progress Magnox Ltd is making in developing the site's new lifetime plan.
He said it also takes note of the feedback from staff surveys.
"We have a listening ear," he insisted.
DSG chairman Struan Mackie believed the uncertainty around the change to Dounreay becoming part of Magnox Ltd and the impending new plan can hit morale.
"Change can be very stressful," he said. "It can add to what feels like an awful lot coming down from above."
Mr MacGill recognised that there is a lot of uncertainty on the site at present.
But he said that as the new plan emerges and the site is focused on delivering it, staff morale will rise.
