2025 closes with a toll that weighs heavily on the world of work: 1.093 total victims, three more than the previous year. Of these, 798 died while working and 295 while commuting. These numbers, despite being substantially stable compared to 2024, confirm a continuing and widespread tragedy, with sectors and regions remaining dramatically exposed.
The latest survey by the Vega Occupational Safety and Environment Observatory paints a clear picture. "2025 closes with numbers that remind us how crucial it is to maintain a high level of attention to workplace safety. The 1.093 total fatalities, 798 of which were at work, confirm that there are sectors, such as construction, manufacturing, and transportation and warehousing, where safety vulnerabilities remain evident. Although there has been an increase of three fatalities compared to 2024, this "stability" must not cause us to lower our guard: each number represents a life lost and underscores how crucial it is to continue investing in prevention and a culture of safety," comments engineer Mauro Rossato, president of the Observatory.
The risk map highlights critical issues, particularly in the South. Some regions have a workplace mortality rate well above the national average, indicating operational conditions and controls that require targeted interventions. In absolute terms, Lombardy leads the ranking for workplace fatalities, followed by Campania, Veneto, Emilia-Romagna, Piedmont, and Sicily, demonstrating how the phenomenon affects the entire country, including the most highly industrialized areas.
The construction sector remains the hardest hit, followed by manufacturing and the transportation and warehousing sectors. These are sectors where the risk remains structurally high and where training, prevention, and inspections remain crucial. Retail is also among the sectors with a significant number of deaths.
The analysis by age reveals a particularly alarming finding: the highest incidence is among workers over 65, followed by those aged 55 to 64. However, it is precisely the 55 to 64 age group that accounts for the highest absolute number of victims. These signs point to an aging workforce that often remains employed in high-risk jobs.
The trend for women is also worrying. In 2025, 98 female workers lost their lives, with an increase in fatalities in accidents occurring on the way to and from work. Commuting accidents continue to rise, drawing attention to the safety of work-related mobility.
The vulnerability of foreign workers is even more pronounced. One in four victims is non-Italian, and the risk of workplace death for this group is more than double that of their Italian colleagues. This gap highlights often more precarious employment conditions and greater exposure to dangerous tasks.
The weekly distribution of accidents also reveals something: Mondays and Fridays are the days with the highest number of fatal accidents, almost tragically marking the beginning and end of the work week. Meanwhile, overall accident reports are also increasing, a sign of a phenomenon that remains widespread and requires structural intervention.
Source EDITORIAL TEAM
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