Italy sees rise in workplace injuries despite safety inspections

In the Lazio region, the number of work‑related injury claims filed with INAIL rose by 8.8% in the first five months of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025, reaching 19,507 cases – well above the national average increase of 5.5%. The surge affected all worker groups, with the sharpest rises among women (11.5%), seniors aged 65‑69 (17.3%) and sectors such as mineral extraction (+87.5%), arts and entertainment (+43.1%) and agriculture (+33.3%). Despite recent government measures—new regulations, stricter inspections and a national safety strategy—the death toll remained at 29, most of them in Rome and its province.

Meanwhile, Carabinieri units in the province of Messina, Sicily, continued a campaign of surprise inspections targeting accommodation facilities and community centres. Inspectors found safety breaches, illegal overcrowding and the presence of spoiled food, and referred the owners to the judiciary. The establishments were fined more than €96,000 for violations related to workplace health and safety and illegal employment. The operation is part of an ongoing effort by the provincial police and the local Labor Inspection Unit to curb “black‑labour” practices and improve worker protections across the region.