Romanian worker suffers severe injury on Storstrøm Bridge construction site in Denmark

In 2022, Romanian worker Ionut Hriscu suffered a serious fall from a height of five meters while working on the construction of the Storstrøm Bridge. After landing on an asphalt surface without any protective gear, he was transported to a local hospital. Initially, Hriscu believed he may not survive the incident, stating he felt as though he would never stand again. Communication barriers arose as he does not speak Danish or English; however, a supervisor from his subcontracting company PK&ECD accompanied him. Alarmingly, Hriscu was instructed to downplay his fall, telling authorities he had merely stumbled over a curb and had only fallen 15 centimeters.

This incident is part of a broader issue concerning the treatment of migrant workers on public construction sites in Denmark. A recent documentary highlighted ongoing unsafe working conditions, specifically under the Italian construction firm Itinera, which is responsible for the Storstrøm Bridge project. The bridge, projected to cost five billion kroner and connect Zealand and Falster, has encountered significant delays.

Concerns regarding the reporting of workplace accidents among migrant workers have been raised, with experts estimating that as few as 20% of such incidents are officially reported. Without proper documentation, workers often face retaliation from employers, leading to an environment where safety violations are hidden, as evidenced by Hriscu’s experience, where he was sent back to Romania without follow-up care after his injury.

The Danish Minister for Employment condemned these practices, calling for stricter regulations to ensure worker safety. Upcoming legislative measures aim to hold companies accountable for not reporting accidents and to increase penalties for violations, reflecting broader frustrations over the exploitation of migrant labor in construction.