Port companies are charged with fatalities on ships

The harbor worker, who was an hourly employee, died after he fainted in an oxygen-deprived space aboard a coal ship in the harbor of Oxelösund. Another person lost consciousness and two more people, according to the prosecutor, were put at risk of life in connection with the incident

- I consider the crimes intentional to another's death and bodily harm as serious because the responsible managers have taken a conscious, serious risk, says prosecutor Jan-Olov Andersson.

According to the prosecutor, there have been several significant shortcomings in the work environment.

- The deceased port worker was not properly trained and, like many others in the staff, lacked safety training regarding the risks that existed in the work environment. In addition, there were no warning signs and written instructions in the areas that posed a safety risk. The employees on board lacked personal gas alarms.

Following the fatal accident at Oxelösund harbor, the port company has tightened its security routines following criticism from the Swedish Work Environment Authority.

The inspection carried out by the Swedish Work Environment Authority after the incident resulted in the port company being criticized on a number of points. Among other things, there were no written procedures for how the company should ensure that the rules that exist are in practice, for example with regard to introductory training.

The Port Company's new CEO Douglas Heilborn has previously told SVT that the company has tightened the routines and now always checks that the person who is going to be working on a ship has the right skills and that the employees always now wear personal gas alarms when working aboard.

According to the prosecutor, the prosecutors in the Port of Oxelösund deny the crime.