Arbeidstilsynet threatens to close 23 Brun og Blid centers – E24

The Norwegian Labor Inspection Authority has discovered a number of violations of the Work Environment Act at FSI Solstudio AS. The company is owned by the founder of the solarium, Thorbjørn Frantzen, and owns 23 Brun og Blid solariums across the country.

Since last fall, the Authority has requested documentation of the company’s work against the spread of the coronavirus. They have not received it yet.

In December, the Norwegian Labor Inspection Authority wrote to FSI Solstudio that the director general had chosen to ignore the content of the inspection reports and the follow-up letters sent by them.

“The overall impression of the business appears to be significantly below the standard set by the regulations and may indicate that internal control is completely deficient in the business. This is further justified by the fact that the routines requested in the information requirements cannot be obtained either, ”the Authority writes in the letter.

Thorbjørn Frantzen, in a telephone conversation with the Authority, is also alleged to have said that he considers the risk of infection to employees to be minimal as a result of ultraviolet rays in solariums that kill bacteria and viruses.

Arbeidstilsynet points out that it is UVC radiation that has this effect, not the UVA and UVB radiation that a solarium emits.

Based on the deviations of the risk of infection, the Norwegian Labor Inspection Authority has decided to stop the business. If FSI Solstudio fails to comply with the decisions before the weekend, all 23 solariums in the country will be closed, confirms section leader Johs B. Lægland.

In an email sent to E24, Thorbjørn Frantzen writes that “there is no drama” in the supervisory case and that there will be no basis to stop it. He also believes that the statement on UV rays is not reproduced correctly in the audit.

Lack of documentation on infection control

Since October last year, Arbeidstilsynet has overseen two of Thorbjørn Frantzen’s companies, CEO of Brun and Blid: FSI Solsenter AS and Brun og Blid Solsenter AS. Both are subsidiaries of Brun and Blid Holding, which are wholly owned by Frantzen.

According to his own website, Brun og Blid has around 130 solariums across the country. Those that are not owned or operated by FSI Solsenter are operated by franchisees who pay a fee to Frantzen.

Brun og Blid Solsenter is not covered by the decision to suspend.

FSI Solsenter employees are janitors. Your exposure to the coronavirus is one of the considerations underlying the strong response from the Norwegian Labor Inspection Authority.

– The Norwegian Labor Inspection Authority has given the company the decision to stop all activity in the company, due to the lack of documentation of the measures the employer has taken to map exposure and infection control in the centers solar. The measures are intended to prevent infection and the spread of the virus among employees. The company must meet the conditions given in the orders before the weekend, otherwise the decision to stop will be implemented, section chief Johs B. Lægland informs E24.

Coercive fine of 50,000 crowns

The Norwegian Labor Inspection Authority has already approved a penalty for deviations totaling NOK 50,000.

For the 23 solar centers to avoid further closure, FSI Solar Center must document the mapping and assessment of risks related to coronavirus, where the minimum requirement is nine specified risk conditions.

The Brun and Blid founder should also send the audit an overview of the measures implemented related to the survey and a description of how employees have participated in this work.

In late January, he was informed that what they had presented then, an overview of routines, should not be seen as a concrete measure to reduce the risk of infection.

The Norwegian Labor Inspection Authority also noted that the employees had not been documented as being involved in the process.

“No drama”

In an email to E24, the founder of Brun and Blid writes that “everything is safe with us and we have good routines.”

It says that FSI Solstudio has prepared the formal plans that the Norwegian Labor Inspection Authority has requested and that will be submitted to the authority within the deadline.

– The Norwegian Labor Inspection Authority has pointed out that we have had old employment contracts and some incomplete routines. Of course, we correct this and answer all questions. We have hired a professional agency to help us put everything in its place. There is no drama in this.

Thorbjørn Frantzen believes that his claim to the Norwegian Labor Inspection Authority that UV rays from solariums kill viruses and bacteria has not been reproduced properly.

– UV rays kill bacteria, not all viruses. To kill the virus, you have to go down to a wavelength of 254 nanometers. We are not allowed to deliver less than 280 nanometers, therefore ALL viruses do not die, nor have we ever claimed, he writes.

– Have you done enough to prevent infection of employees?

– Yes, and we have no known infection in our centers.