Since the beginning of the year, at least three workers have died inexplicably at Northvolt’s battery factory in northern Sweden. The police have started an investigation.
In northern Sweden, three people have already died inexplicably at the end of their work shift at the electric car battery manufacturer Northvolt’s factory, according to the Swedish media.
Two unexplained deaths occurred in January and February in Skellefteå. The latest death was reported on Wednesday.
Swedish media Aftonbladet and the local newspaper Norwegian reported that a man who worked at the Northvolt factory was found dead the day after his shift. The man died at the beginning of June.
Police have launched an investigation into the deaths. The environmental crime investigation unit is involved in the investigation.
Two of the dead worked on the Northvolt production line. The third person who died was a cleaner at the real estate service company Sodexo’s factory.
The police suspect that the persons were exposed to a harmful substance at the Northvolt factory.
Dangerous chemicals are used in the manufacture of batteries, the handling of which requires protective equipment and a respirator.
Norran has previously reported on eye problems at the Northvolt factory and cleaners who work without adequate training in areas where dangerous chemicals are handled.
Recruit people from Finland as well
More than 1,500 employees work at the battery factory in Skellefteå.
Last year Northvolt also recruited employees from Oulu, Kokkola, Vaasa, Pori and Turku.
Northvolt employees told the Swedish trade unions’ member magazine this week Dagens Arbettethat the workers at the battery factory are worried about dying.
– Some don’t dare to go to work, the factory’s chief occupational health and safety representative Mikael Stenmark told the newspaper.
of SVT interviewed by the work environment commissioner Per-Olof Timan said that there have already been communication difficulties at the Northvolt factory, as some of the personnel do not speak Swedish.
According to Stenmark, Northvolt’s employees have hoped to suspend work at the factory during the investigation, but according to the company, there are no grounds for this.
Northvolt’s subcontractor Toyota Material Handling decided to suspend work at the Skellefteån factory pending a police investigation, Dagens Arbete reported on Wednesday.
The company does service and maintenance work at the Northvolt factory.