In August 2015 Madr Masr quoted an Egyptian health ministry official as saying that 10 workers had died on the construction phase for the new Suez Canal development (5 from natural causes such as pre-existing medical conditions and heart attacks, and 5 in industrial accidents).  Reportedly 145 others were were injured and required medical attention.

An Egyptian Streets article, drawing on the Madr Masr one, named the private contractors that had been involved in aspects of the project. Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited those companies to respond to the concerns regarding working conditions on the project. 

The consortium of DEME Group and Great Lakes Dredge and Dock responded, as did the Challenge Consortium on behalf of its member companies (National Marine Dredging Company, Boskalis, Van Oord and Jan de Nul).   The responses are available below.