Inail, the National Institute for Insurance against Accidents at Work, has recently published preliminary data on accidents at work and occupational diseases for the first five months of 2023. These data, available in the ‘Open Data’ area of the Inail website, provide an interesting picture of the current panorama of safety at work in Italy.
In the period from January to May 2023, 245,857 reports of accidents at work were registered, a decrease of 24.1% compared to May 2022. Of these, 358 were fatal, marking a decrease of 1.6%. These figures represent a positive trend, indicating that occupational safety continues to improve. However, it is important to note that the data are still provisional and may be subject to change as a result of the processing of the files.
On the other hand, reports of occupational diseases are increasing. In the first five months of 2023, 31,346 occupational diseases were reported, an increase of 22.5% compared to the same period in 2022. This increase could be attributed to increased awareness and recognition of these pathologies.
The distribution of data varies greatly according to the industrial sector, gender, age and nationality of workers, as well as between different Italian regions. In particular, the South recorded a more significant decrease in accident reports (-30.9%), followed by the Islands (-30.1%), the North-West (-27.2%), the Centre (-23.7%) and the North-East (-16.0%). These data highlight the different challenges and opportunities that arise in different parts of the country.
The most common occupational diseases are those of the osteo-muscular system, nervous system and ear. This is followed by tumors and pathologies of the respiratory system. This information underlines the importance of effective prevention and education to protect workers’ health.
In conclusion, the preliminary data of Inail provide a complex picture. While the decrease in reports of accidents at work is positive news, the increase in reports of occupational diseases indicates that there is still much work to be done to ensure the safety and well-being of Italian workers.
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