From site to spotlight: How Amentum’s SGF Project turned safety excellence into award-winning recognition

In one of the UK’s most complex and safety-critical environments, Amentum Enterprise Asset Solutions has achieved a standout milestone. Their Steam Generation Facility (SGF) project has been recognised with the prestigious RoSPA Best New Entry Award 2025 - an accolade that not only celebrates safety excellence but also sets a benchmark for the wider industry.

Company: Amentum Enterprise Asset Solutions - Steam Generation Facility Project

Achievement: Best New Entry (UK) at the RoSPA Health and Safety Awards 2025

Amentum Enterprise Asset Solutions is the principal contractor under the Construction, Design and Management Regulations 2015 on the Steam Generation Facility (SGF) project at BAE Systems in Barrow-In-Furness.

The SGF project involves the construction of a boiler and steam generation facility to support submarine fabrication and commissioning at the Barrow-In-Furness shipyard.

We talked to Nicky Cook, the Senior Environmental Health and Safety Advisor on the project, about the health and safety challenges he faces and the impact winning an award has had.

Nicky, please can you tell us more about the project and Amentum’s involvement?

“BAE Systems is the client on the SGF Project and Amentum EAS (previously Jacobs Field Solutions until a merger in October 2024) is the principal contractor, with numerous sub-contractors working on the project to ensure the safe delivery of key areas.

“There are around 150 employees currently working on the project, from management, design, commercial, construction, supervision and craft personnel. It involves the design, installation, commissioning and handover of a boiler in a purpose-built facility, plus over 1,500m of steam pipework, including the installation of two new pipe bridges between the SGF and the Devonshire Dock Hall.

“The project commenced construction in October 2022 and is scheduled for commissioning and handover in December 2026. My role is to ensure the business and project meet regulatory compliance. One of my key tasks is to build and maintain relationships between the client, management team, craft workforce and sub-contractors, ensuring a positive health and safety culture is adopted, maintained and driven.

“In addition, I have a wide range of day-to-day EHS duties, such as risk management, incident investigation, communication and consultation, training and on-boarding."

What are the main health and safety challenges of the project?

“One of the biggest challenges is the restricted space on site. The project is a busy construction site, with numerous contractors and trades all working across multiple workfaces, while plant and machinery are in operation. Personnel safety is well controlled by the segregation of workfaces, coordination meetings to ensure contractors aren’t working in proximity of each other and people-plant interface control measures, keeping people out of the vicinity of moving plant and machinery. We aren't perfect and we have dealt with minor incidents, which we have learnt from and implemented further controls such as swing gates and physical barriers.

“Another major challenge is the location of the project, as it is situated on the BAE Systems site boundary within a residential populated area in Barrow-In-Furness. This means that the control of noise and vibration has to go beyond the workplace to ensure that people in the surrounding environment are not exposed to health risks.

“Nuclear safety is also a challenge, for example, when a boat is filled with fuel, certain tasks cannot commence due to the nuclear safety implications.”

Why did you decide to enter the RoSPA Awards?

“The Steam Generation Facility Project, like most major construction projects within the nuclear sector, has seen its fair share of highs and lows since the start of the construction phase. One thing that has always remained a ‘shining light’ on the project has been the health, safety and environmental standards, and the positive safety culture which has been embedded since day one.

“Even with the usual construction project difficulties such as time constraints, hitting deadlines, achieving milestones and even on some occasions the turn-over of staff personnel, the EHS function has continued to drive the health and safety initiatives on site, promoting the positives and learning from past experiences.

“The RoSPA Awards are regarded as the industry’s leading and most recognised award scheme, which is ultimately why we decided to enter. It has shown not only our client and senior management teams, but also the ‘boots on the ground’ team, that safety is always our number one priority.

“Of course, being able to take off the PPE and swap into a dinner suit to celebrate our success with RoSPA was an added bonus!”

Can you share some key strategies or practices that contributed to your success at the RoSPA Awards?

“An open and honest approach was the key strategy throughout the RoSPA application process. The EHS function and I prepared, facilitated and delivered numerous initiatives throughout 2024 on the project, so to sit back and reflect on all the positives throughout the year enabled the process to flow smoothly, given the specific questions asked and evidence required.”

How did it feel to win?

“Finding out that we had won the Best New Entry Award for the Steam Generation Facility Project was fantastic and quite overwhelming. Never did I imagine upon the first RoSPA application, and amongst other very strong applicants, that it would be identified and chosen as a ‘stand out’.

“On the evening of the awards, I was excited to hear the project’s name be called. Once it was, I invited the project director and project manager on stage with me in acceptance of the award, where it really hit home. Looking out at the crowd, into the hundreds if not thousands of people at their tables, clapping and cheering in recognition of the award, made me feel that this was my highest personal achievement career milestone to date, and certainly the best achievement for the Steam Generation Facility Project.”

Did you enjoy the Awards ceremony?

“I attended the ceremony in London with other Amentum colleagues who had also applied and achieved RoSPA Gold Awards for their respective projects/divisions, but being the only applicant to win the Best New Entry Award made it extra special for me and the Steam Generation Facility Project. It was my very first time at a RoSPA event. The afternoon ceremony was very well organised, ran smoothly with the number of applicants and award winners, and was a great first experience with RoSPA.

“The evening ceremony was the closest thing to the Oscars I could have imagined! Everyone smartly dressed, live band playing in the background, networking with people from different organisations and industries, with everyone enjoying the atmosphere and the event. The evening was quite overwhelming, but I soon settled to celebrate with my dancing shoes on to the live band.”

What impact do you think winning the Award will have on the organisation going forward?

“Winning this award not only puts Amentum as an organisation in the record books, but specifically the Steam Generation Facility Project. We have now set a platform where we can achieve the highest health and safety standards, and my job is to maintain those standards while striving for continuous improvements on the project. I think it’s important to not rest on our laurels and to move with the times, evolve by searching new and improved methods of working using our past experiences and the innovation available to us.

“This award will certainly stand Amentum in good stead for future works demonstrating our commitment to health and safety, and I am proud to say I played a part in that. We’ve set the bar now, in 2025 the Best New Entry may not be available, but we are coming for the other best in class categories!”

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Top 3 takeaways for RoSPA Award entrants:

• Embed safety culture early: Amentum’s success stemmed from a proactive, embedded safety culture from day one.
• Be honest and reflective: Their open and transparent approach to the application process helped showcase genuine progress.
• Celebrate the team: Recognition boosts morale across all levels - from senior management to site operatives.

Find out more at: www.rospa.com/awards