by Our News Desk

TRIDENT safety fears surfaced yesterday as previously confidential documents revealed that 20 workers were exposed to radiation at the Faslane nuclear base.

Safety was breached in August 2012 when workers repaired a leaking tank on a Trident nuclear weapons-bearing submarine at the same time that a nearby reactor was undergoing trials.

The incident only came to light when Office for Nuclear Regulation documents were obtained via a freedom of information request.

The regulator’s report identified “poor communication” and “a lack of understanding of the magnitude of the hazards present when operating a reactor” as contributing factors.

“There was a prolonged and repeated failure of the ship’s staff to understand and control the radiological hazard that they were creating,” it said.

It is just one of four potentially dangerous safety failings documented in the files.

In December 2013 a worker removing grilles from an external tank inadvertently exposed himself to a small dose of radiation when he stuck his head inside to take a look.

The Ministry of Defence said no-one was harmed in the incidents and insisted it has “measures put in place to prevent such incidents from occurring again.”

But SNP defence spokesman Brendan O’Hara said the repeated safety breaches were “alarming,” as the Tories attempt to renew the nuclear submarines.

“The MoD — once again — stands accused of a very poor approach to radiation safety at the Faslane base,” he said.

“When it comes to protecting our armed forces personnel, the contractors working at the base, as well as the wider community, nuclear safety must be paramount.”