Poles reported hazards on Melkøya. Bellona reports Equinor to the police

Bellona and a group of workers filed a report on 14 September concerning possible serious violations of working-condition regulations at the Hammerfest LNG gas liquefaction plant on the island of Melkøya. The case includes, among other things, exposure to chemicals, working at height, and possible retaliation against people reporting hazards. Equinor responds that it investigated the incidents identified and implemented corrective measures. The case primarily concerns the years 2023–2026 and work on the Snøhvit Future expansion project. Bellona says it analysed around 200 documents and spoke with dozens of workers. The report is based, among other things, on reports from the workforce, records of dangerous incidents, and correspondence with authorities.

According to Bellona, many of the workers concerned are Poles employed through staffing agencies or subcontractors. The organisation points out that language barriers and dependence on further assignments may have made it harder for them to report irregularities. The report describes a collective complaint from October 2024, signed by 116 workers. It listed 70 problems, including insufficient training and a lack of proper equipment for working at height. Bellona claims that many signatories later lost their jobs despite demand for workers. It wants the police to investigate whether this was retaliation for reporting hazards.

Workers reported nausea, dizziness and headaches, vomiting, breathing difficulties, and a metallic taste in their mouths. Bellona links these reports to possible exposure to benzene, volatile organic compounds, or other chemicals. It also alleges shortcomings in testing, sampling, and documenting incidents. The report also includes an incident on 16 June 2026, during which 7 people were allegedly exposed to chemicals. According to the organisation, one worker's medical records noted exposure to benzene.

A separate issue is an accident on 24 April 2025. A worker hired to work for Consto Anlegg Nord fell from scaffolding from a height of 4.4 metres onto a concrete floor and sustained serious injuries. Norway's offshore and petroleum industry regulator, Havindustritilsynet (Havtil), assessed that under slightly different circumstances he could have died. The findings of the investigation into this accident were published on 12 March 2026. Havtil identified a total of 11 regulatory violations at three companies: Equinor, Aibel, and Consto. They concerned, among other things, risk assessment, training, work organisation, and supervision of contractors. Equinor was ordered to introduce procedures ensuring that contractors know and comply with its safety requirements.

In a response provided to the NTB news agency, Equinor spokeswoman Ellen Maria Skjelsbæk said that the company had conducted its own investigations, published reports, and on that basis implemented measures to improve safety and working conditions. In the results of an internal investigation into gas exposure, published in November 2025, the company stated that following four incidents between the summer of 2024 and the summer of 2025, 37 people sought medical assistance, and 9 were absent from work. Gases vented from MEG tanks, meaning monoethylene glycol tanks, were identified as the main source of exposure. The company acknowledged that the initial risk assessment and response to the first incidents were insufficient. Among the changes introduced, it listed filters, better gas monitoring, new procedures, and the opening of a medical station on Melkøya. At the same time, Equinor assessed that it was unlikely that the exposure described would cause long-term health problems. This assessment concerned incidents from 2024–2025, not the later incident in June 2026.

The organisation is demanding that work be suspended until it is documented that it can be carried out safely. It asked the police in the Finnmark district to assess the grounds for criminal liability of both the company and the individuals responsible for preventing hazards. It also requested consideration of referring the case to the Økokrim unit. Filing a report does not mean that criminal charges have been brought. Bellona and the workers are requesting the launch of an investigation to determine whether, and who, should bear such liability.