Destia faces scrutiny after safety incidents at Laakso hospital construction site in Helsinki

Excavation work at the Laakso hospital construction site in Helsinki has involved not only Destia’s own personnel but also various subcontractors. However, according to Destia’s CEO Tero Kiviniemi, potential issues do not change the company’s accountability in problem situations. “We are responsible for the entire work performance, whether it involves our own staff or subcontractors,” Kiviniemi stated.

Several safety incidents related to blasting work had occurred on-site prior to last Friday’s accident, which resulted in two injuries. In earlier operations, rocks managed to escape beyond the protective mats used during blasting. Kiviniemi noted that personnel changes had been necessary throughout the construction phase due to safety issues associated with blasting operations.

Saku Sipola, CEO of the main contractor SRV, revealed that the project management team at Destia was replaced last December following a safety incident. In response to the recent explosion, SRV made its assessment regarding work quality on Monday and implemented a purchasing ban, halting further contracts for surface excavation work in populated areas with Destia. “Currently, this only concerns the Laakso hospital project,” Kiviniemi confirmed, adding that there are no other collaborative projects at the moment.

Following the accident, Kiviniemi declined to speculate on how this ban might impact work completion at the hospital site. He emphasized the need to investigate the causes of the accident fully before determining future steps.

The Southern Finland Regional State Administrative Agency has appointed an investigator to look into the blast incident, examining the sequence of events and conditions that led to the workplace accident. A report is expected within approximately two weeks.