The first worker died this Monday in Vitoria-Gasteiz, according to Euskadi Irratia, citing the Department of Security of the Basque Government to the media. On Thursday at noon the worker has rushed from a height of three meters and despite attempts at resuscitation, the health services have been unable to do anything to save his life.

According to CCOO, the 54-year-old, neighbor of Vitoria-Gasteiz, had spent little time assembling a scaffold in a building hired by Arnaiz Asc 21 and without harness. On 2 January it is not a working day in construction according to the Álava Convention, according to the stop being made in this sector at Christmas. However, the deceased and several of his co-workers were working on the artwork.

The Department of Occupational Safety and Health of the Basque Government, Osalan, has reported that a death investigation will be opened.

Precariousness as a variable of occupational deaths

The statistics of the deceased workers have been launched in the Olarizu district, less than two days from the beginning of the year. According to the LAB union, in 2019 44 workers died in Euskal Herria – two of them died while working abroad, in Mexico and Brittany – and the latter, in Iruña de Oca, a 46-year-old man.

In addition to these are deaths due to occupational diseases such as asbestos. In any case, the number of deaths last year is lower than in the previous year, with 22 fewer people, and is the lowest in the last five years.

However, trade unions have noted that job insecurity is increasing in the rate of economic activity and in the number of deaths. Many of these deaths are for subcontracted workers with worse working conditions or for carriers who work as "false self-employed".