Workplace deaths in Italy are a
national tragedy, Justice Minister Marta Cartabia said Wednesday
amid a months-long spate of fatal accidents at the workplace
across the country.
She said the government had intervened by increasing the number
of inspectors and checks, but a new law on administrative
responsibility would be even more useful in stopping the rash of
fatalities.
Premier Mario Draghi said Friday that workplace safety norms
recently approved by the government sent
the "unequivocal signal that you cannot save (money) at the
expense of workers' lives" after the shocking spate of workplace
accident deaths continued with more more fatalities, one near
Milan in Lombardy, one near Modena in Emilia-Romagna, one at
Sassari in Sardinia and one at Barletta in Puglia.
" I wish to express the government's, and my, satisfaction over
the workplace safety norms," said the premier.
"Over the past months we have witnessed an unacceptable number
of deaths.
"As the government, we committed ourselves to doing everything
possible to prevent these episodes happening again."
Draghi said "the norms are the realisation of this promise. We
are increasing the numbers of workplace inspectors, we are
stiffening sanctions, we are boosting computerization to improve
checks."
taly's three big trade-union confederations, CGIL, CISL and UIL,
will hold a major demonstration on Rome on November 13 to demand
action on health and safety to stem the tide of deaths.
Some 667 people lost their lives in workplace accidents in the
first seven months of the year, sources said last month.
The issue has been top of public debate in Italy since the death
of the 22-year-old mother of a five-year-old boy, Luana
D'Orazio, in a textile mill accident near Prato on May 3.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
