Naples – There are no colored lights or traditional garlands on the tree that stands tall this year at the Fillea CGIL headquarters on Via Toledo. Instead, there are the names of 87 people who left home for work in 2025 and never returned. It's the "Tree of Fallen Lives," the symbolic installation inaugurated today by the construction workers' union to commemorate the victims of accidental deaths in Campania in the year now coming to an end.
The work is a faithful miniature reproduction of a construction site: the structure is composed of scaffolding, cranes, and excavators, while among the branches are safety helmets and signs about safety regulations. Each Christmas bauble serves as a silent reminder, bearing the name of a worker who died on site.
The results of a tragic year: "With this initiative, we want to reaffirm our daily commitment to spreading a culture of safety," said Vincenzo Maio, Secretary General of Fillea Campania, during the lighting ceremony. The numbers paint a grim picture: in 2025, construction, along with agriculture and logistics, will remain the highest-risk sector.
The massacre of "falls from heights" The choice to use scaffolding as the tree's supporting structure is no coincidence. According to union data, falls from heights remain the leading cause of death on construction sites. "We chose scaffolding because it represents the most common accident in accident statistics," Maio explained, also highlighting the communication efforts made throughout the year, such as the production of educational cartoons to educate workers about the risks of electrocution and asphyxiation.
The installation on Via Toledo will remain on display throughout the holiday season, transforming a symbol of joy into a memorial and a symbol of the fight for the right to life in the workplace.
Source EDITORIAL TEAM
Choose the social channel you want to subscribe to