Five workers died, and one was seriously injured after inhaling toxic gas at a sewage treatment plant near Palermo, Sicily, Italy on Monday, May 6, 2024. The accident occurred at the Casteldaccia plant, roughly 12 miles southeast of Palermo.
Authorities reported that the workers at the plant, subcontracted by Azienda Municipalizzata Acquedotto Palermo (Municipal Water Company of Palermo or AMAP), were performing maintenance inside the facility in an underground tank entered from a hatch at street level. Four of the five deceased were subcontractors, while one was an AMAP employee.
The workers were exposed to high levels of hydrogen sulfide gas often present in waste treatment plants. At the time of the incident, gas concentrations were ten times higher than the acceptable limit. The workers were discovered unconscious and without protective masks, sparking concerns about safety protocols at the facility. Seven workers were at the plant when firefighters arrived on the scene. They recovered the bodies of five workers and rescued another who was in serious condition. A seventh worker was unharmed.
Giovanni D’Aleo, the unscathed survivor, told the Italian media, “I heard them screaming but couldn’t do anything to save them. I’m alive by some miracle.”
The incident has renewed concerns about Italy’s workplace safety standards. According to Eurostat data, Italy ranks eighth among European nations in fatal workplace accidents, with an incidence rate of 2.66 deaths per 100,000 employed, higher than the European Union average of 1.76.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called for a thorough investigation, emphasizing, “Complete clarity must be brought to this tragedy.” While on an official visit to the U.S., Italian President Sergio Mattarella said, “This intolerable workplace disaster must strongly emphasize the need for a unified commitment from all social forces, entrepreneurs, and institutions.”
Union leaders and politicians echoed their outrage, criticizing the understaffing of safety offices responsible for enforcing safety protocols. In a joint statement, Sicilian trade unions condemned the tragedy of Casteldaccia as a reflection of systemic issues in workplace safety. They demanded a full investigation into the companies’ responsibilities and stricter safety protocol enforcement.
Just a few weeks earlier, an explosion at a hydroelectric power plant near Bologna claimed the lives of seven workers. In 2024 alone, Italy recorded 191 work-related deaths in the first quarter, according to the National Institute for Insurance Against Accidents at Work.
AMAP has not released an official statement regarding the Casteldaccia incident. The investigation aims to determine whether safety measures were adequately followed and to what extent the companies involved were liable.
As the grieving families await answers, questions remain about whether Italy’s regulatory bodies have sufficient resources to prevent such tragedies. A comprehensive approach involving government, entrepreneurs, unions, and regulatory agencies may be the only solution to ending Italy’s alarming pattern of workplace deaths.