Stefano Tonin, 57, collapsed at a construction site in San Martino di Lupari on Wednesday afternoon. This despite a regional ordinance prohibiting outdoor work during the hottest part of the day. Padua prosecutors and workplace safety inspectors are now investigating.
A manslaughter investigation has been opened following the death of a 57-year-old construction worker who collapsed at a building site near Padua on Wednesday afternoon in apparent breach of a regional ban on outdoor working during peak heat hours.
The Padua prosecutor’s office has opened a file for manslaughter against unknown persons to shed light on the death of Stefano Tonin. He died on 24 June after falling ill at a construction site in San Martino di Lupari.
The investigation aims primarily to establish what role the extreme heat played in Tonin’s death. He had reportedly been working in full sun throughout the morning, with temperatures reaching 36 degrees Celsius. A second central question is why he was still on site during the hours prohibited by regional legislation.
According to initial findings, Tonin fell ill at around 14:30, shortly before he was due to finish his shift and return home to his family. The ordinance signed by Veneto regional president Alberto Stefani prohibits outdoor work from 12:30 to 16:00 on days when the Worklimate system indicates a high level of risk from sun exposure.
The Investigation
An autopsy, ordered by Padua magistrate Sergio Dini, will be crucial to determining the precise cause of death and the nature of the episode that struck Tonin at the end of his working day.
Workplace safety inspectorate Spisal is also investigating the case and will need to verify Tonin’s working hours, his duties, and the instructions the Castelfranco company had given him for the day. Investigators must establish in particular whether he was properly informed of his legally required break times.
Tonin’s death drew immediate condemnation from trade unions. UIL Veneto secretary general Roberto Toigo said the precise circumstances would need to be established by investigators, but stressed the absolute need to comply fully with measures in force when heat reaches extreme levels. He added, “You cannot and must not take risks for a rule not applied, out of recklessness, or because of a deadline to meet. A person’s life is worth more than all of this.”
