Politicians and unions in Italy are calling for the improvement of safety standards on construction sites following the death of Romanian worker, Octav Stroici, after the collapse of Torre dei Conti.

The death of Octav Stroici, a 66-year-old Romanian worker, has raised concerns about safety on construction sites in Italy. Stroici was trapped under rubble for 11 hours after the partial collapse of the Torre dei Conti tower, where he was working on a restoration project funded by the EU. Although he was rescued, he suffered a cardiac arrest and died in the hospital. Politicians, including Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, expressed condolences and emphasized the need to improve safety standards.

In the first nine months of 2025, Italy reported 777 workplace deaths, with construction workers and foreign workers considered the most at risk. Unions are calling for more effective measures, while the government has allocated 900 million euros for workplace safety. The leader of the Italian General Confederation of Labor, Natale Di Cola, emphasized that safety standards should have been higher for a public project.