Workplace deaths in Catalonia reached their highest level in 14 years in 2025. Official figures reveal a worrying surge in fatal accidents, particularly within the construction and industrial sectors.
Data released by the Observatory of Work and Productive Model indicates that 109 workers lost their lives in work-related incidents last year. This figure represents a 22.5% increase compared to the previous year. Consequently, it marks the highest death toll since 2011, when 113 fatalities were recorded.
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Meanwhile, the total number of workplace accidents remained relatively stable, dropping slightly by 0.38%. However, the severity of incidents has intensified. Fatalities occurring during the working day rose sharply by 26.8% to 85 deaths, the highest number since 2009. Commuting accidents, known as in itinere, also saw an increase, claiming 24 lives, a rise of 9%.
Construction and industry drive the surge in workplace deaths
The construction sector proved particularly deadly, recording an incidence rate of 10 victims for every 10,000 registered workers. Fatal accidents in construction jumped by 140% year-on-year. Similarly, the industrial sector saw a 60% increase. In contrast, the services sector, which accounts for the majority of accidents in absolute terms (67%), saw its fatality figures remain stable at 43.
According to trade unions, the actual death toll may be even higher. When applying the 12-month severity indicator—a metric aligned with International Labour Organisation (ILO) and Eurostat standards that includes deaths occurring within a year of an accident—the estimated number of fatalities rises to 125.
Unions demand urgent action on workplace deaths
Trade unions have described the situation as a “scourge” that continues to claim lives despite the existence of safety protocols. Mónica Pérez, head of occupational health at CCOO in Catalonia, emphasised that traumatic accidents—such as falls from heights or electrical shocks—are often the most preventable.
“We should have these cases more under control. And, even though there are mechanisms to mitigate them, they continue to kill people,” Pérez stated.
Reyes Solaz, national secretary of the UGT in Catalonia, called for stricter enforcement and penalties. “If adequate preventive measures were applied, many of these deaths could be avoided. That is why we demand more urgent and forceful measures. More inspections are needed, and there must be exemplary sanctions for those companies in which workers die.”
Government response and stalled measures
The Catalan Department of Business and Labour has identified reducing workplace accidents as a priority for the current legislature. In May 2025, the government announced a ‘shock plan’ aimed at curbing the trend. This included a targeted campaign of inspections at construction sites to monitor risks such as falls from height.
However, resources remain stretched. For this specific campaign, the Generalitat relies on a specialist team of only four technicians from the Catalan Institute of Occupational Safety and Health—one for each province. Despite inspecting 53 sites last year, all of which presented some form of risk, the scale of the challenge is significant. A further 200 visits are planned for this year.
Efforts to expand oversight to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have faced obstacles. A proposal by Councillor Miquel Sàmper to create “territorial prevention delegates”—joint teams of union and employer representatives to inspect SMEs—remains stalled. The employer association Foment del Treball has opposed the measure, viewing it as excessive control over businesses, and potentially impacting aspects of Catalan public employment law.
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