SSAB resumes construction of the plant in Luleå following a safety review

The Swedish steel company SSAB has announced that it will begin gradually resuming construction work on its new steel mill in Luleå starting May 27.

According to the company, an analysis of the causes of the symptoms experienced by subcontractors’ employees at the site has been completed. The overall conclusion is that they result from a combination of factors, the main one being exposure to fine dust particles from construction work, exacerbated by low humidity and seasonal respiratory viruses.

As noted, no individual measurement result exceeded the applicable limit values. The impact of gas and contaminated soil was also investigated. Furthermore, dust levels were generally within normal limits for a construction site of this type.

Work will resume according to the restart protocol, will be carried out in accordance with updated workplace plans, and will be based on completed risk assessments and impact analyses.

“It is believed that the suspension of work had no significant impact on the overall schedule or budget of the project,” the SSAB statement said.

As noted by Carl Orling, SSAB’s Technical Director and Head of Transformation, safety is always the company’s priority, so the reopening of the construction site will take place step by step in a controlled and safe manner.

As a reminder, in early April, SSAB announced a temporary suspension of construction work at the site in Luleå. This step was taken after several subcontractor employees reported symptoms similar to those of the disease.