Workplace accidents soared through July with 52 deaths, 44% more than last year.

BarcelonaWorkplace accidents have soared in the first seven months of the year, with 52 deaths in Catalonia, more than double the number in the same period a year ago, when there were 36. The number of minor and serious accidents is decreasing. It should be noted that these figures must be added to those from August, among which one stands out. Death due to work-related accident at the Ebro plant and one seasonal worker died of heat stroke in Alcarràs, among other victims.

In this regard, unions have long warned that the prevention system "is not resolving the most obvious safety risks" and are calling for regulatory changes. "The fatal accident rate is increasing, and that should worry us. We shouldn't die at work from things that can be prevented," said Mónica Pérez, head of occupational health at CCOO, in statements to ACN. The increase in accidents led the government to announce a shock plan to address it before the summer, negotiated with unions and employers. The plan's flagship measure was the creation of a body of occupational risk prevention delegates, which was supposed to come into effect this summer, but was rejected by the employers' association Foment del Treball, and negotiations stalled.

Reasons and sectors

Data from the Labor Observatory show that workplace deaths have increased, especially due to traumatic causes such as accidents, collisions, and falls from heights. "After thirty years of implementing the Occupational Risk Prevention Law, we still have a system that fails to adequately address safety risks that are both very obvious and very basic," said the head of occupational health at the CCOO (Workers' Commissions) in statements to the ACN.

In total, in the first half of the year, deaths during the workday due to traumatic causes rose to 19, 72.7% more than a year ago. In June alone, deaths from traumatic accidents increased by 500%. Looking at the aggregate between January and July, the latest data available to date, the number of people who died during the workday due to traumatic causes rose to 26, 136% more than in 2024. In July alone, seven were recorded, while there were none a year ago.

The service sector has recorded the most workplace accidents, with 35,739 minor to serious accidents and a total of 24 deaths so far this year, including five in July alone. Industry has recorded 12 deaths so far this year, totaling 12,295 accidents, while the construction sector has recorded 7,198 accidents but 14 deaths. Finally, there have been two workplace-related deaths in agriculture up to July.