The UGT of Catalonia has issued a stark criticism of safety standards, directly attributing 125 Catalonia workplace deaths in 2025 to “corporate negligence”. The union released these figures on Friday, highlighting a worrying upward trend in fatal accidents. This trend is particularly severe within the construction and industrial sectors. The city previously addressed similar concerns regarding workplace violence in Catalan institutions.
Discrepancy in Catalonia Workplace Death Figures
Data published by the Generalitat’s Observatory of Work and Productive Model initially recorded 109 fatal accidents for the year. This official count included 85 deaths during the workday—a rise of 26.87% compared to the previous year—and 24 deaths occurring during the commute (in itinere), which rose by 9.09%. The city previously addressed similar concerns when labor disputes and worker protests in Catalonia.
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However, UGT argues these provisional numbers do not reflect the full reality. The union estimates the true toll stands at 125 fatalities: 97 during the workday and 28 during commutes. They note that official statistics often lag, as they do not immediately account for serious injuries that subsequently result in death. Therefore, the reported Catalonia workplace deaths are likely undercounted. The city previously addressed similar concerns when recent traffic fatalities in Catalonia.
In total, 206,334 accidents were recorded across the territory in 2025. Consequently, the union claims this figure exposes significant flaws in current preventative measures.
Construction and Industry Deaths Soar
The breakdown of the data reveals stark contrasts between sectors. The situation in the construction industry has been described as “especially worrying”, with fatal accidents increasing by 140%. Meanwhile, the industrial sector also saw a significant deterioration in safety, recording a 60% rise in fatalities.
Conversely, fatal accidents decreased in the agricultural sector and remained stable within the services sector.
Rise in Commuting Accidents
Beyond on-site incidents, the report highlights a general increase in commuting accidents. Total in itinere accidents reached 19,800 cases, representing a 4.66% increase from the previous year. In addition, the union warns that these figures indicate a broader failure to protect workers, both at their posts and during their travel to and from work.
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