From Dangerous Working Conditions at Heights to Harmful Diesel Fumes in Enclosed Spaces
The Danish Working Environment Authority has demanded that the company immediately install railings or nets to prevent life-threatening falls when working near the edge.Foto: Arbejdstilsynet
Over the course of three weeks, the Danish Working Environment Authority has issued six immediate orders to Storstrøms Bridge Joint Venture I/S. The orders cover serious breaches of workplace safety regulations - from dangerous working conditions at height to harmful diesel fumes in enclosed spaces.
The most serious incident occurred on 19 February, when an employee fell from a lorry. According to the Danish Working Environment Authority, there were missing safety measures such as railings, nets, or screens that could prevent falls. The order requires immediate action to ensure that employees are not exposed to similar dangers.
The six immediate orders
27 January: Unsafe use of mobile scaffolding, lack of anti-tip protection and railings.
27 January: Dangerous lifting of pallet truck, heavy lifting without technical aids.
27 January: Diesel fumes in closed bridge deck, lack of extraction.
27 January: Lack of covering of holes in access routes.
6 February: Lack of fall protection at the edge of the bridge deck, risk of a 15-metre fall.
9 February: Work accident - an employee fell from a lorry, lack of fall protection.
Six days earlier, on 6 February, the focus was on work at the bridge deck. An employee was observed close to the edge without proper fall protection, posing a real risk of falling 15 metres into the sea. The Danish Working Environment Authority has demanded that the company immediately install railings or nets to prevent life-threatening fall accidents.
On 27 January, the Danish Working Environment Authority found four more serious workplace safety issues at the construction site. One of them concerned scaffolding. CUSTERS mobile scaffolds were not properly secured and lacked railings, making it risky for employees to work at height. Additionally, two employees were seen carrying a 70 kg pallet truck in an inappropriate working position, creating a risk of serious back injuries. The authority required that heavy lifting be done with technical aids.
Another issue was that a diesel-powered heat cannon emitted harmful exhaust gases in an enclosed bridge deck where employees were working. The inspection pointed out that exposure to diesel fumes can be carcinogenic and required the company to either use process extraction or electric heat sources.
Here you can see the loose planks covering a hole on the construction site.Foto: Arbejdstilsynet
At the same time, the Danish Working Environment Authority discovered a hole in a common access route that was only covered by loose planks. It posed a significant risk for employees who could fall through. The inspection required a more secure covering of the hole.
The main contractor, Storstrøms Bridge Joint Venture, states that safety is their top priority.
- We work diligently every day to ensure the safety of all our employees and subcontractors. We welcome the inspection authorities to our construction site and have a really good cooperation with the Danish Working Environment Authority, says Project Manager Barry Crouchman.
- At SBJV, we are proud to have an accident frequency, measured in 'LTI (Lost Time Incidents) per million working hours', which for three consecutive years is clearly below the national average, he says.
