Construction work at Laakso Hospital site in Helsinki faces scrutiny after hazardous incidents

Construction work at the Laakso Hospital site in Helsinki has involved not only Destia’s own employees but also various subcontractors. However, according to Destia’s CEO, Tero Kiviniemi, the responsibility in any problematic situations remains unchanged. “We are certainly accountable for the entire work performance, whether it involves our staff or external personnel,” he stated.

The site has experienced several hazardous incidents related to blasting activities prior to last Friday’s accident, which injured two individuals. Previously, there were instances where rocks escaped from beneath protective mats used during the blasting process. Kiviniemi mentioned that staffing changes had to be made during the construction phase due to these hazardous situations.

Saku Sipola, CEO of the main contractor SRV, revealed that the project management changed responsible personnel from Destia last December following a serious incident related to the blasting operations. Due to the recent explosion incident, SRV has made its own conclusions regarding work quality and has announced a suspension of orders. SRV will no longer procure surface blasting work from Destia in residential areas, currently limited to the Laakso Hospital project.

Kiviniemi has stated that he currently cannot evaluate the impact of the procurement ban on completing the work at Laakso Hospital. The investigation into the cause of the accident is ongoing, led by Sirkka Niemi from the Southern Finland Regional State Administrative Agency. The examination includes assessing working conditions, interviewing involved parties, and collecting documentation related to the incident, with a report expected in about two weeks.