A 47-year-old construction worker dies during a heatwave in northern Italy, while working under extreme heat conditions, marking the first recorded fatality of the country’s summer heatwave.
The victim, identified as Aït el Azam Brahim, a Moroccan migrant and small business owner, collapsed just after midday while working on a school construction site near Bologna. He died shortly afterwards, according to the Italian trade union CGIL.
His death has triggered renewed concern over labour safety during periods of extreme weather. In response, Lombardy’s regional governor, Attilio Fontana, has signed a new decree banning outdoor work in agriculture and construction from 12:30 to 16:00 on days when heat alerts are at “red” level. The ban will apply from now until mid-September.
The measure excludes public sector emergency services and workers employed by Italy’s civil protection authorities, but aims to protect thousands of vulnerable labourers from the growing risks of heat-related illness and death.
The incident has amplified calls for broader EU-wide regulations to address climate-linked labour risks. Italy has seen an increase in such fatalities in recent years, as rising summer temperatures meet under-regulated labour sectors.
The fact that a worker dies during heatwave conditions is no longer an anomaly- it’s a warning. As climate change intensifies, so too must protections for the people who keep essential industries running.
Much of Europe is suffering through a heatwave too with temperatures over 40 degrees causing a rise in hospital admissions.@swainitv is in Rome, Italy. pic.twitter.com/d9mCkpCRoD
— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) July 1, 2025
Also read: Stay cool this summer
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