Workplace deaths continue to rise in Italy as a 60-year-old fell to his death in Naples. Premier Mario Draghi says more must be done on workplace safety.
Yet another tragic workplace death in Italy. Yesterday (20th July), a 60-year-old worker fell to his death from the fifth-floor flat he was restructuring in Naples.
The man lost his balance and slipped to his death in the condominium courtyard.
Trade unions call for action
Trade unions said more needs to be done after the “umpteenth tragedy”. They are requesting a panel be set up.
There has been a spate of workplace accident deaths this year in Italy. It has resulted in calls for improvements in workplace safety.
At the beginning of May, the death of the 22-year-old mother of a five-year-old boy, Luana D’Orazio, in a textile mill accident near Prato brought the issue very much to the fore.
Following Ms D’Orazio’s death, the Prato branches of the CGIL, CISL and UIL trade unions issued a statement. “People are still dying for the same reasons and in the same way as 50 years ago. Nothing seems to have changed, despite the technological development of machinery and safety systems,” adding that “Too often, safety continues to be considered only as a cost.”
Another five people died at work in the first week of May, in accidents. Six more people died in work-related accidents in June.
Draghi says more must be done
A report by accident insurance agency INAIL on Monday said workplace accidents were down but deaths on the job up in 2020.
The agency said, accidents were down 11.4% on 2019 to 571,000 but deaths were up 27.6% to 1,538. INAIL said over a third of the deaths were due to COVID-19.
Premier Mario Draghi said more must be done on workplace safety. He said, over 2,000 additional workplace safety inspectors will be hired. They will be in addition to the 4,500 now on duty, Ansa reports.
