Two serious workplace accidents occurred in Greece over the weekend, raising urgent concerns about employee safety. One incident took place on Friday, 21 March, at the Elliniko construction site, where a 57-year-old builder fell from a height of nine metres. The second happened on Sunday in Peristeri, where a refuse collection worker sustained severe injuries while on duty.

Construction worker falls nine metres at Elliniko site

A 57-year-old construction worker suffered serious injuries after falling three storeys while working inside a lift shaft at the Elliniko construction site. The incident, which occurred on the morning of Friday, 21 March, has sparked outrage among workers and union representatives.

“He was working without any safety measures—no harness, no proper scaffolding,” said Valsamos Syrigos, president of the Elliniko Workers’ Union and a member of the Greek Federation of Construction Workers. “He was stripping formwork when he lost his balance and fell into the void, plummeting nine metres.”

Following the accident, the injured worker was rushed to Tzaneio Hospital, where he was found to have sustained injuries to his head and back.

In response to the incident, the Elliniko Workers’ Union issued a strong statement condemning the lack of safety measures on site. “We refuse to risk our lives for the sake of meeting deadlines!” the union declared, calling for a 24-hour strike across all Elliniko construction sites on Monday, 24 March.

Syrigos also pointed out that this was far from an isolated case. “Only three days ago, strong winds tore down scaffolding on another part of the site. These workplaces have become death traps,” he said.

“We demand immediate action: proper safety equipment for all workers, certified scaffolding, and an on-site ambulance, as previously promised by the company but never delivered. At present, injured workers must wait over an hour to reach a hospital. The construction workers’ federation agreement must be enforced.”

Serious injury in Peristeri waste collection

On Sunday morning, 23 March, another workplace accident occurred in Peristeri, where a refuse collection worker was seriously injured during waste disposal operations.

The DAS OTA (trade union representing municipal workers) strongly criticised the lack of safety measures in the sector. “Once again, the dangerous working conditions have been exposed,” the union stated. “Workplaces have become nothing short of a death arena.”

The union also accused authorities of attempting to cover up the real causes of such incidents.

“Rather than addressing their own failings—overworked staff, six- and seven-day working weeks, and inadequate protective measures—they continue to shift the blame onto individuals. We demand urgent safety improvements to prevent workers from becoming mere statistics in the rising toll of injuries and fatalities.”

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