The development organisation at Oslo Airport, which is responsible for the major expansion project at the airport, has uncovered cases of adverse working conditions at a subcontractor.
Oslo Airport has carried out a working conditions-related audit of Naturstein Montering AS and its subcontractors. Infractions were uncovered at the subcontractor, Totalservice Zaks AS, that include financial irregularities and violations of the Working Environment Act.
Oslo Airport has submitted its report to the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority, Norwegian Tax Administration and the Police.
The discovery is the result of good internal controls and close monitoring of wages and working conditions in the project.
“Oslo Airport takes a very serious view of these violations, but we are pleased that our internal procedures work and can capture these types of offences,” says Nic. Nilsen, head of T2’s project board at Oslo Airport.
Oslo Airport continuously audits working conditions in development contracts. As part of Oslo Airport’s SHWE (safety, health, working environment) work, two coordinators from the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) have been engaged in the project in collaboration with the LO. The Airport also maintains continuous dialogue with the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority and with the contractors on wages and working conditions, both in terms of preventing and uncovering adverse working conditions.
“These measures provide us with good knowledge of prevailing working conditions, giving us an opportunity to uncover undesirable circumstances. In this case we have uncovered violations and brought them to the attention of the correct instances,” says Nilsen.
Oslo Airport has now asked Naturstein Montering AS to terminate its dealings with Totalservice Zaks AS.
“Oslo Airport immediately held a meeting with Naturstein Montering AS to clarify the situation and made it clear that they must stop working with Totalservice Zaks AS, which they now have done,” says Nilsen.
The expansion project at Oslo Airport currently has a Lost-Time Injury (LTI) rate of 3.2. By comparison, the national average in 2013 was 6.9.
“Oslo Airport’s highest priority is safety and well-regulated working conditions, which also extends to our expansion project, and we will continue to work diligently to ensure that working conditions at Oslo Airport comply with Norwegian law,” Nilsen concludes.