The numbers are tremendous. And they already tell everything by themselves. Here they are. There were 677 fatal accidents at work in Italy in the first 8 months of the year, with an average of almost three victims per day. Compared to the same period of 2021, when the victims were 772, there is a significant decrease of 12.3%. Inail data were released by Anmil, in Fiume Veneto (Pordenone), on the occasion of the National Day for the victims of accidents at work. In total, 484,561 injuries reported in the January-August period (i.e. 2,019 per day), with an increase of 38.7% compared to 349,449 in the first eight months of 2021. Occupational diseases were 39,367 (+ 7.9% ).
And the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, spoke about the deaths at work this morning. «The numbers of victims of accidents at work, despite the numerous regulatory measures with which we have tried, over time, to prevent them, are alarming and dramatic. They tell stories of broken lives, of broken families, of seriously injured people, of men and women calling for justice. People who appeal to institutions, to employers, to the conscience of anyone who is in a position to make workplaces safe places, in which the dignity of the person is respected ».
Thus the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, on the occasion of the National Day for the victims of accidents at work, in a message sent to the President of Anmil Onlus, Zoello Forni. Because the world of work has changed and continues to evolve and ensuring maximum safety is a top priority, underlines the Head of State. Which he adds: «The development of new technologies has radically changed the nature and the space-time dimension of the workplace. Unfortunately, this phase has not been accompanied by a proportionate growth of initiatives towards prevention. Working cannot mean putting your life at risk ».
Thus the National Day for the Victims of Accidents at Work becomes «a precious opportunity to draw attention to an unacceptable phenomenon in a modern country that has placed work at the foundation of democratic life. The affirmation of rights in the workplace, first of all to life, as well as being a thermometer of civil life, is a generator of value for society, for workers, for businesses. With these sentiments, I express my appreciation to Anmil for the commitment with which it assists and supports workers and their families, and I express my best wishes for the full success of the events scheduled throughout the country ”, concludes Mattarella.
The national president Anmil, Zoello Forni focuses on the issue of safety. “Safety in the workplace has not been a priority for the political forces that have applied to govern our country: references to safety in the workplace are scarce and not very concrete, except for some rare proclamations and no strategy to change this well-known drama. And this despite the timely appeal that we addressed to the main political leaders in the aftermath of the government crisis, with the aim of stimulating reflection and the assumption of a commitment for the future, also making ourselves available for discussion ». Then the appeal to the new government: “Today we want to address the Parliament that is about to take office and the government that is emerging: the safety of our workers must return to being a priority for our country, we must stop at all costs the massacre that it is consuming itself before our eyes. This new legislature gives us the opportunity to start a new chapter, perhaps when it is most needed, but we have a duty to act now ».