In Alicante, the rate of workplace accidents continues to rise, leaving heartbreak in its wake as lives are lost. The year closed with at least 35 fatal crashes, six of which occurred during commutes. This figure is almost three times higher than the previous year and marks the highest toll since 2008. The steady recovery in business activity after the pandemic is shadowed by this alarming record, a situation that employers and unions agree must be addressed with a comprehensive plan that blends socioeconomic measures with administrative action.
The latest figures from the Valencian Institute for Occupational Health and Safety show that last year Alicante recorded 18,690 occupational accidents. Of these, 16,028 happened on working days and 2,662 occurred while traveling to or from work. This represents a 5.5 percent global increase compared with 2021, when there were 15,019 daily accidents and 2,266 on the road. The most troubling trend remains the fatal accidents, which tripled from the previous year with six reported in commuting, and one of these occurred during travel.
From the information gathered, of the 29 deaths at work, 14 occurred in the service sector, eight in construction, four in industry, and three in agriculture. Regarding the six commuting deaths, five came from the services sector and one from construction.
The sharp rise implies a return to the figures seen in 2008, at the start of the Great Recession when 37 fatal accidents were recorded. Of the 27 workday deaths then, 14 were linked to services, 10 to construction, and three to industry. In the commuting category, there were five deaths in services, four in industry, and one in construction.
The increase in the Valencian Community as a whole has not been as steep, yet the last year still showed a 34 percent rise in deaths, rising from 70 to 94 in total.
These escalations have triggered alarms across the region. Both unions and employers insist that urgent action is needed. The Occupational Health Secretary of CC OO-PV, Jaume Mayor, notes that the rising trend in accident rates is alarming. The data is devastating and calls for corrective measures. The view is clear: continuous improvement must be a priority in preventing both accidents and occupational diseases, with preventive actions tailored to the realities of different companies and their workers.
CEV commits to a regional plan to reduce occupational accidents
Yaissel Sánchez, the UGT secretary for the l’Alacantí-Les Marines area, has consistently called for full compliance with occupational risk prevention plans in companies and supports the creation of a mobile prevention delegate role for smaller firms.
Salvador Navarro, president of the Valencian Community Business Confederation, is preparing a regional shock plan that equips resources and outlines concrete measures to reduce the accident rate.
Governance is launching an occupational health and safety strategy
The Generalitat, working with unions and employers, is crafting a Valencia strategy for occupational safety, health, and well-being. The plan aims to implement measures between this year and 2028 with people at the center of every action to improve working conditions across the Valencian Community. The document follows the recent approval of the European strategy and the preparation of the current national strategy, with Valencia adapting to the unique characteristics of its regional labor market.