Updates on the situation at the new steel plant construction site in Luleå

What has happened?

• Since November 2025, SSAB has been carrying out site preparation work through contractors for the new steel mill that will produce fossil-free steel and is planned to be completed in 2029. The work is being conducted on a former industrial site.
• On 19 February, SSAB was informed by a contractor of an initial case of illness, prompting the work to be paused and relocated to another area. SSAB then initiated additional air and soil measurements, which showed no exceedances of applicable limit values.
• On 23 March, SSAB received further reports of illness symptoms from contractors, leading to the suspension of all work in the affected area.
• Additional contractor employees reported symptoms after working in a different location and performing different tasks. As a result, on 3 April SSAB decided to pause all work across the entire construction site.
• The site was reopened gradually starting on 27 May. On 29 June, SSAB announced that portable gas detectors had recorded low levels of hydrogen cyanide, and ongoing work was paused once again.

• Since the site preparation work began, SSAB has carried out a large number of air and soil tests. The area where the new steel mill is being built has a long industrial history.
• Since the environmental permit application was submitted in 2023 and up to the present day, more than 1,700 soil samples from the construction site have been analysed.
• Following reports of symptoms, extensive measurement programmes were implemented and progressively expanded, including soil sampling, soil gas sampling and gas monitoring. No measured gases could be linked to the reported symptoms.
• The root cause analysis presented on 26 May concluded that the symptoms were caused by dust in combination with respiratory viruses and weather conditions. Measurements and analyses were conducted with the assistance of experts in the relevant fields as well as medical specialists. The analysis covered a total of 34 reported incidents.

• The health and safety of employees and contractors is SSAB’s highest priority.
• Following the safety-related pauses, work has resumed and is progressing.
• SSAB is responsible for coordinating activities at the construction site. Each contractor is responsible for the work environment within its own operations, including ensuring that its personnel have the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Systems and procedures are in place to rapidly identify and address deviations, including alarm functions and established dialogue with contractors.
• The fixed monitoring program at the construction site has been continuously expanded.
• The pauses are not considered to have any material impact on the overall project schedule or budget.