From March 3rd to March 5th 2024 at the Grand Hotel of Rimini was held the annual edition of the HSE FORUM WINTER. The goal of the panel was to create a specific focus on a very topical issue such as employee safety. The forum is a meeting place and an opportunity for growth and training in an ever-changing discipline.

It was an opportunity to discuss Health and Safety at work, areas in which Vector is very attentive and eager to make progress. 

In 2023 there were 1485 deaths at work: these types of deaths are often due to moments of fatigue, as well as the failure to observe some basic safety standards. Tiredness can be both physical and mental and these data is also affected by the poor state of health of our planet due to the climate crisis that it is facing.

According to data provided by the Cub Study Centre, the sectors with the highest risk remain those of agriculture, transport and construction: there are 162 workers injured by tractors, 117 deaths among hauliers, as many among motorists and passengers (not included among the dead at work). In the first month of 2024 there were already 45 victims in Italy.

According to professional associations, slips, trips and falls account for 34.7%, the first cause of occupational accidents. It is estimated that about 90% of accidents at work are caused by human error and that most, 80%, are mainly due to two factors: lack of awareness and poor organisation.

The first cause of death at work is road accidents, whether during work itself or during journeys from home to work and vice versa.

Workmen are the category of workers most exposed to the risk of accidents. They are in fact about half of the injured (for a total of 164.000 workers) and have the highest rate (2.0%).

The activities with the highest number of accidents and fatalities are the manufacture of metal products (22% of complaints and 23% of deaths in the whole manufacturing sector) and the manufacture of machinery (13% for both).

In terms of deaths at work, the highest number is still found in transport and storage (61), followed by construction (58), manufacturing (51) and trade (32).

Below is the ranking of the regions with the highest number of deaths at work:

• Lombardy (185 dead)
• Veneto Region (142)
• Campania (123)
• Emilia-Romagna (112)
• Sicily (109)
• Piedmont (101)
• Lazio (97)
• Puglia (95)
• Tuscany (87)
• Calabria (86)
• Marche (48)
• Abruzzo (48)
• Sardinia (42)
• Friuli Venezia Giulia (39)
• Trentino-Alto Adige (33)
• Liguria (32)
• Umbria (27)
• Basilicata (14)
• Molise (10)
• Valle d'Aosta (5)

"Health and safety at work are fundamental pillars to ensure a safe and productive working environment. However, the simple implementation of standard protocols is not enough. It is essential to develop strategic training plans and to evaluate their effects effectively in order to promote a long-term security culture. This project aims to explore the methodologies for the development of an effective training plan, interactive, engaging and targeted to the specific needs and risks of the workplace. Innovative approaches to content creation will be discussed, including case studies, practical simulations and interactive digital tools. In addition, the importance of constant training and active employee involvement in the safety improvement process will be analysed." said Daniele Marmigi, Technical Director of Istituto Informa.

Giada Anania, QHSE IMS Manager, went to the Emilian capital on behalf of our company.

Following the meeting she stated:

"This event is an opportunity for growth, learning and networking. Two inspiring days, stimulating conversations and opportunities for personal and professional development. It is important to talk about health and safety at work: apparently it seems "old matter", in reality statistical data show that with accurate protection of the workplace you reduce the risks of accidents, you improve working atmosphere, the well-being of those who are part of the team is increased, as well as motivation, sense of belonging, efficiency and productivity. The visibility of what we do becomes a business card for stakeholders and positively contaminates the environment around us. Finally, it reduces the company’s penalties for events adverse to health and safety."