A senior IT employee on the Sellafield nuclear web site was sacked for a safety breach when ‘categorised’ data on USB sticks fell out of her bag within the automotive park.
An employment tribunal heard Miss L Telford was invited to a gathering with managers in April 2018 relating to ‘a safety matter’.
She was informed her black mesh bag had been discovered within the automotive park and in it had been USB sticks which included knowledge regarding the Thorp Main Area Controller (PDC).
Dismissing the unfair dismissal case, the panel stated: ‘One doesn’t must be an fanatic of the historical past of espionage to concentrate on how the smallest of knowledge breaches can kind a part of a a lot wider programme or technique by a 3rd celebration physique to undermine delicate industries akin to Sellafield.’
Miss L Telford labored at Sellafield nuclear web site when she was dismissed for a safety breach for dropping USB sticks with unencrypted categorised data
Miss Telford informed the Manchester listening to that she parked in a disabled bay just a few weeks earlier when numerous gadgets spilled from her bag – and he or she didn’t choose up some gadgets, together with the USB sticks.
The tribunal heard that the Sellafield PDC was an working system which had been downloaded onto her private USB in an unencrypted format.
This was used on her laptop at dwelling and at work.
The tribunal panel stated: ‘This created a hazard by way of corruption of the Sellafield IT programs with the potential introduction of ‘Malware’ viruses and different damaging third celebration software program.
‘It’s not hyperbole or hubris for an employer coping with these environments to deal with any knowledge breach as doubtlessly forming a part of a a lot larger hazard to the enterprise, the native surroundings or certainly the nation as a complete.
‘It’s unlucky Miss Telford didn’t recognise the actual risks and considerations which arose from the way in which during which she managed the PDC knowledge.
‘This was a case which concerned an employer who operated in a area the place nationwide safety and security was of paramount significance and it was important that knowledge safety was taken extraordinarily significantly.’
The panel stated: ‘One doesn’t must be an fanatic of the historical past of espionage’ to concentrate on the menace posed by data breaches
The panel stated ‘there was the added dimension of information being delicate by way of its potential impression on nuclear security, the specter of terrorism and total nationwide safety’ with Sellafield.
They stated she was handled pretty and dismissal was ‘not a stunning end result given what had occurred’.
The panel stated it was ‘an unlucky case’ for a girl who clearly loved her job and suffered quite a few well being points however stated Sellafield tried to help her.
She stated her incapacity meant she would normally be the one individual left working in her workplace after 4:30pm and claimed she couldn’t entry encrypted USB drives as a result of they’d have been locked away for safety causes.
The tribunal stated it was clear she didn’t acknowledge any consciousness of the dangers on her half involving knowledge safety.
The USB contained her private pictures and work regarding a weekend job with the pc sport retailer Recreation.
She was suspended whereas an investigation referred to as Operation Alduin was held and reported the subsequent month.
It stated Sellafield IT engineers and safety specialists spent 261 hours trying into the incident.
In July 2022, following quite a few disciplinary hearings and appeals, she was dismissed.
She claimed unfair dismissal and incapacity discrimination and these had been dismissed by the tribunal panel.
She was employed as a Senior Management Techniques Engineer, an IT primarily based function, and had labored for Sellafield Ltd for greater than 20 years.
Sellafield employs a lot of individuals on websites throughout the UK, primarily in West Cumbria, and by the character of its work is closely regulated in each well being and security but additionally nationwide safety.
