On 24 April 2025, a serious undesirable incident occurred when a person fell from scaffolding while working at Hammerfest LNG (HNLG).

The Norwegian Ocean Industry Authority (Havtil) has initiated an investigation into the incident, which is still ongoing.

Find out more here: Havtil investigates fall incident at Hammerfest LNG

Based on the causal factors that have been identified so far, Havtil considers it necessary to issue an order for the halting of Consto Anlegg Nord AS's activities linked to work at height at HNLG in order to protect the lives and health of the workers concerned.

Incident on 24 April 2025

While working on formwork scaffolding in area L202 at HLNG on 24 April 2025, a person fell from a height of 4.4 metres and suffered injuries. The person concerned was part of a team that had been hired to Consto Anlegg Nord AS (Consto) from Adecco AS.

During an initial meeting with Equinor held on 24 April 2025, we were presented with photographs showing the workplace concerned. These photographs showed that the work was being carried out without suitable protective equipment being made available to the personnel who were performing work at height. This was confirmed during a site inspection on 25 April 2025. The inspection and interviews further confirmed that, in connection with the work linked to the installation of DOKA formwork modules, Consto had also failed to:

  • conduct the necessary risk assessments prior to commencement of the work
  • establish the necessary collective security measures for the personnel concerned
  • provide appropriate and necessary personal fall protection equipment
  • carry out the necessary practical training of personnel

Order

On the basis of the above, we have issued Equinor with the following order:

Pursuant to the Working Environment Act, Section 18-8, second sentence, Havtil may, in the event of immediate danger, halt those activities that are associated with the dangerous situation. The incident that occurred, along with the causal factors that have so far been identified since the incident, shows that there is an immediate and real danger to life and health associated with work at height at HNLG.

Pursuant to the Working Environment Act, Section 18-8, second sentence (cf. the Working Environment Act, Section 18-6, and the Framework Regulations, Section 69 concerning administrative decisions), we hereby issue the following order:

Consto Anlegg Nord AS shall halt all work at height at HNLG until the following measures have been implemented:

  • A procedure for working at height, covering the assembly, dismantling and alteration of formwork scaffolding, has been formulated so that the specific risk factors associated with the activity are managed. The procedure must describe how the work is to be planned, organised and performed, the risk assessments that are to be carried out and by whom, and the safety measures that are to be implemented; cf. the Technical and Operational Regulations, Section 46, first paragraph on the organisation of work, and the Working Environment Act, Section 3-2, third paragraph.
  • All Consto employees and hired workers involved in the management and performance of work at height at HLNG have been made aware of accident and health hazards that may be associated with the work at height, and have received both theoretical and practical training in the use of necessary personal protective equipment, cf. first bullet point. Cf. the Working Environment Act, Section 3-2, first paragraph (a) and (b), and the Technical and Operational Regulations, Section 50 on competence

We are to be notified when the measures in points 1 and 2 have been implemented, and the procedure as referred in bullet point 1 must be submitted.