Criticism of the developer: – This is what the workers’ toilets looked like

The Norwegian Labor Inspection Authority has for some time followed up the development of the Sotra Sambandet in Vestland, one of the country’s largest road projects.

Now the developer, Sotra Link Construction, has received several orders from the inspectorate, following an unannounced inspection of four construction sites in April. There, deficiencies were discovered on several barrack rigs:

Several of them lacked access to water, several toilets had clogged, and the reindeer husbandry is described as inadequate.

– The conditions that were uncovered were not justifiable and do not meet a welfare standard when workers do not have access to water, toilets are blocked and kitchens cannot be used, says section leader in the Norwegian Labor Inspectorate, Marita Scott, by e-mail to Dagbladet.

Bergens Tidende, which first covered the case, has previously published a devastating report on the same project. At the time, it was about, among other things, a lack of trust, a culture of fear and sexual harassment.

Must have complained repeatedly

The development of the Sotra association started in March last year. The project will cost more than NOK 23 billion, and result in a 9.4 kilometer motorway from Bergen to Øygarden, which is scheduled to open in 2027.

The work is led by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, with Sotra Link Construction as the main contractor. More than 80 companies and up to 1,000 employees from more than 40 countries are involved.

During the inspection in April, the main contractor and 14 subcontractors were checked. It then appeared to the Norwegian Labor Inspectorate that the controlled barrack rigs and toilet vans, for which Sotra Link Construction is responsible, were “of a significantly lower standard” than what the Norwegian contractors offer their workers.

– We have also been made aware that subcontractors have complained about the conditions repeatedly – without any improvements being made, says Scott.

She says that the Norwegian Labor Inspection Authority had received “a number of” reports of concern about the conditions before they came on an unannounced visit.

Bergens Tidende refers from the inspection report, in which the Norwegian Labor Inspectorate states that it has been informed that many of the Norwegian workers have used staff rooms in Sotra Link Construction’s main premises, because the reindeer husbandry should have been better there, and that foreign workers should not have had access to these.

– The Norwegian Labor Inspection Authority notes that the requirements for staff rooms apply to all employees, regardless of nationality, the Norwegian Labor Inspection Authority writes in the report.

The company: – Very serious

– We take the findings that were uncovered during the Norwegian Labor Inspection Authority’s inspection very seriously, says Oskar Leirgulen, deputy project manager at Sotra Link Construction, by e-mail to Dagbladet.

He states that he is responding on behalf of the company’s management, which states that they “were not aware of” the conditions that the Norwegian Labor Inspection Authority has criticised.

These conditions must now be rectified, and the company states that it has tightened its routines “to ensure that such conditions do not occur again”.

– The management has taken care to ensure that the reporting channels for this type of situation are easily accessible to all workers in the project, to ensure that such situations are reported and can be corrected on an ongoing basis, says Leirgulen.

– Is it correct that only Norwegian workers have access to the head office?

– No one is excluded from our head office. We are an international company with employees from more than 40 countries where equality, inclusion and respect in the workplace are absolutely essential for this project to work, replies Leirgulen.