A great worker: almost everyone remembers him with these few words. Despite 68 years oldan age now approaching retirement, was still regarded as reliable and experienced and indeed the company «Biemme Construction» he had hired him in May 2020, after the lockdown, precisely for his preparation. Ivo Bellotto, haulier and specialized worker, regularly registered with the construction fund, lived with his wife a Lutrano di Fontanelle in via Roma. In the late morning of April 30th he was the victim of a fatal accident at work: the day before May Day Labor Day.
The workplace accident that killed Ivo Bellotto, 68 years old
Yet another white death has occurred this time in Fiume Veneto, in the province of Pordenone, in a construction site set up outside a farm for poultry. Ivo Bellotto, according to an initial feedback from the carabinieri and inspectors of the Spisal unit, he was hit on the head by the crane’s forks which he was working on to build some scaffolding, in anticipation of some construction works. The sixty-eight year old was hit while unloading the material from the crane hook which made him fall to the ground, there was nothing he could do. Some colleagues raised the alarm but when the doctor and nurses from Suem 118 arrived by helicopter, they could only confirm his death which would have occurred due to cardiac arrest. A heart attack, it is hypothesized, caused by the blow received.
He worked in a company in the province of Pordenone
About the tragedy the Pordenone Prosecutor’s Office has opened an investigation and in the next few days he could decide to have an autopsy carried out on the victim’s body. The area was cordoned off and posted under seizure, as well as the medium used. «The accident requires reflection on the topic of safety at work – said Jessica Canton, mayor of Fiume Veneto yesterday – our community rallies around the family in respectful silence”. The news it fell like a boulder on the community of Lutrano where Ivo Bellotto was well known: in addition to his wife leaves behind a daughter and a son. The mayor of Fontanelle, Maurina Sessolo, visited the victim’s family (who had gone to Fiume Veneto as soon as they were informed of the tragedy that had occurred).
The unions: «The streak of blood in factories and companies continues»
«He was a nice, cheerful person – said Sessolo – always courteous, always kind, we always willingly exchanged a chat. He loved his family, his children and was a great worker». «Today we will all be in Monfalcone to celebrate work, the workers’ day – he commented the general secretary of the Treviso CGIL Mauro Visentin – to demonstrate so that the institutions and the productive world open their eyes and see the blood that flows without stopping in our factories, in our agricultural fields, in our construction sites, where too often the rules are not respected, all and more than all the precautionary measures necessary to guarantee safety are not taken, where timely checks on machinery and safety devices are lacking, where where training is lacking, there where you work in risky situations for your own health and that of others.”
Work at 69 when he was close to retirement
However, what raises doubts is the age of the worker who was the victim of the accident. «We need to ask ourselves serious questions about the reasons why a worker should be found at almost 69 years old to operate a crane – asks Massimiliano Paglini, general secretary of the CISL Belluno Treviso – even if in excellent health, the reflexes are not those of a young person and the issue of the aging of the workforce in Italy and in North East it must be addressed as soon as possible with planning and vision.”
Investigations and responsibilities for the accident at work
«The reasons for the accident will have to be verified – warned Marco Potente, general secretary of Filca Cisl Belluno Treviso – but it certainly needs to be turned back on an alarm bell on some crucial risk factors, not only the heat but also compliance with all safety measures. How is it possible that a worker who is maneuvering a crane is hit by the same machinery what are you using?”. «Yet another tragedy at work that horrifies us and leaves us dismayed – concludes Roberto Toigo, general secretary of Uil Veneto – It is not acceptable that those who leave to go to work cannot return home.”
