A UNION has lodged an appeal in a bid to win back the job of a Sellafield contractor whose sacking sparked a walkout.

Dooson Babcock dismissed the employee for alleged unsafe working after disciplinary proceedings.

Forty workmates walked out in protest but have since returned to normal working pending the appeal.

Dooson Babcock claims the dismissed man, who lives in Whitehaven, was working at height without wearing a safety harness. But yesterday Unite union organiser John Fallows told The Whitehaven News: “It’s about a craftsman who stepped on a hand rail on a scaffold to gain a little bit more height so he could clean a pipe. He has been sacked for gross misconduct but this is the first time any allegation of a safety misdemeanour has ever been made against him.

“Dooson Babcock has used a big stick to smash an egg. I’ve put in an appeal and the rest of the workforce has returned to site pending the outcome.”

For the firm, spokeswoman Eva Bieda said: “For us this is a relatively clear case. You don’t work at heights without a safety harness.”

Disciplinary proceedings followed after the man was reported for working unsafely.

Sellafield Ltd said this was not connected with its peer-to-peer observation scheme under which workers can gain points and win prizes for reporting a practice which is believed to be unsafe.