In collaboration with the main contractor, TUNN3L, Metroselskabet has conducted a thorough investigation of the accident in order to identify both the direct and indirect causes of the accident and to identify possible preventive measures for future work on the company's construction projects.

Both employees from Metroselskabet and the main contractor, TUNN3L, as well as external specialists have contributed to the investigation. At the same time, technical investigations were carried out by the technological consultancy and service company FORCE Technology. In addition, an independent expert in crane lifting has reviewed relevant work procedures and processes for crane lifting on the metro project.

The investigation shows that the direct cause of the accident was that the load was not loaded correctly on the crane and that the employee was directly under the crane during the lift. The study also points to a number of indirect causes and framework conditions that can be improved in order to avoid a similar accident in the future. The indirect causes are related to organisational, technical and employee training issues.

‘Naturally, we are still deeply affected by the unfortunate incident on our project where an employee died. Since the accident, together with our main contractor, TUNN3L, we have initiated an in-depth and detailed investigation facilitated by external specialists. This work has now been completed, and based on the conclusions of the investigation, we have initiated a number of measures to strengthen safety at the construction sites and help prevent similar accidents from happening again,’ says Louise Høst, CEO of Metroselskabet.

Based on the results of the study, a number of new measures have been introduced to improve general safety at the sites and help prevent similar accidents from happening again. These include the following:

• Cameras will be installed on all tower cranes at construction sites to increase the safety level around crane lifting.
• The supervision of crane lifting is tightened and more employees are hired to assist with crane lifting.
• An updated crane lifting procedure has been developed and went live at the beginning of July 2021.
• All employees who attach or release loads from a crane hook (hookers) will be employed by the main contractor to ensure better overall coordination of crane activities.
• So-called lifting bars, which are steel stands that ensure more stable lifting of loose materials, are procured.
• Training and education of tugs on the project will be strengthened and expanded.

Metroselskabet continues to have a very clear objective that no one should be injured on the projects. The Company has therefore initiated a collaboration with the oil and gas industry, which through long-term efforts has created impressive results in the safety culture. Partly as a result of this collaboration, in 2017 Metroselskabet introduced a new and ambitious health and safety strategy with ongoing initiatives in close collaboration with contractors. The efforts have been highly prioritised, and in recent years, the accident rate has fallen significantly.

Up to and including July 2021, there have been 29 lost-time accidents (including the fatal accident) on the M4 Sydhavn construction project. This corresponds to an accumulated accident rate of 9.4. In comparison, the M3 line had an accident frequency rate of 24.4 the same number of months into the project. In 2019, the Danish construction industry had an accident rate of 29.0 for labourers and 23.5 for all employees. There has never before been a fatal accident on a metro construction project.