Explosion at Toyota’s Bologna plant raises safety concerns

A roar so loud it sounded like an earthquake. An explosion so powerful that a warehouse collapsed. Yesterday’s explosion at Toyota in Bologna, probably caused by a heat exchanger, not only resulted in two deaths and a dozen injuries, but also reopened (again) the issue of workplace safety. And not only that. Because just this evening the company decided to suspend operations and inform employee representatives of the closure of the factory and the start of layoffs. Bologna, explosion at Toyota Handling: what happened? The compressor, the collapse and the logistics department: the reconstruction The explosion, what happened An explosion, probably caused by a heat exchanger, caused part of a warehouse to collapse and resulted in two deaths, one seriously injured and about a dozen others under less serious circumstances: it happened late yesterday afternoon in Bologna, a city still suffering from damage from recent floods. The explosion happened at Toyota Material Handling around 5:20 p.m. The company, located in the Borgo Panigale district on the outskirts of the city, is one of the most important in Bologna’s mechanical district. It produces forklift trucks and employs approximately 850 people. According to initial investigations, a “heat exchanger,” a large device apparently used to regulate temperature and connected to the air conditioning and heating system, exploded at the Toyota Material Handling plant. It was used to balance the temperature so it wouldn’t get too hot or too cold. The explosion created a ‘bomb’ effect and the shock wave brought down walls and windows, but not the roof. Further research is underway to understand how the device worked and what could have caused it to explode. The investigation by the carabinieri, firefighters and health authorities, coordinated by the Bologna public prosecutor’s office, continues. Two dead and eleven injured What happened must be investigated and investigated: the only certainty is that the explosion caused part of the warehouse to collapse. One worker died immediately, another after being taken to Maggiore Hospital. The toll of injuries is also heavy: one is in serious condition in hospital, ten others were treated at Maggiore and other provincial hospitals, but their condition is not of particular concern. Emergency services of firefighters, carabinieri, police and medical personnel were immediately activated. The primary goal is to ensure that there are no other workers under the rubble: a hypothesis that is currently being ruled out, although searches among the rubble continue. After the explosion, which was felt across much of the city, workers and relatives gathered outside the factory gates, concerned about the fate of their colleagues. The local health authority sent a psychologist to the scene of the accident to help the victims’ families and employees who witnessed the incident firsthand. Bologna’s mayor, Matteo Lepore, was also present: “This is yet another workplace massacre,” he said. Just six months ago, another serious industrial accident occurred in the Bologna area: seven technicians working on a test at the Suviana hydroelectric power station. The victims The workers who died yesterday were 37 and 34 years old. Their names were Lorenzo Cubello and Fabio Tosi. One died immediately and the other died during transport to hospital, where he arrived in desperate condition. Both were born in Bologna and died as a result of the explosion in the logistics department of Toyota Material Handling, a multinational based on the outskirts of Bologna. In addition to Tosi and Cubello, eleven people are reportedly injured, two of whom are seriously injured. Lorenzo leaves behind a partner who is expecting a child who will be born without a father. A colleague said this in a conversation with journalists outside the Bargellino factory. “I can’t believe it,” he said, “I didn’t think something like this could happen at work, even though we know there are a lot of deaths. You can get hurt, but not coming home at night is something completely different “There are a lot of controls, some things can be improved. No workplace is immune to risks,” he added. Workplace safety Workplace safety has long been a concern at the company where the accident occurred: union representatives had called a two-hour strike at the end of the shift today to demand more attention to the issue. “This,” says Fiom-Cgil’s Gian Pietro Montanari, “is not the worst company in the world, but it needs to be established whether maintenance has taken place or not. There have been strikes in the past, the latest for a number of new companies. tools that workers wanted tested. In the painting department there was also a fire in the past.” The closure of the factory and layoffs Toyota Material Handling informed the employee representatives during a meeting in the afternoon about the closure of the factory in Bologna, in the Bargellino area, affected by the explosion yesterday, and that all work, not only on location but also remotely (no exception) has been suspended until further notice. The regular layoffs start on October 23, the duration is unknown out, will not affect the Crespellano branch, which will continue its activities. “As a trade union representation, we reminded them to activate the social safety net for temporary workers and requested the stabilization of two temporary contracts that expire on October 31. (all others expire on November 30) and for 100% company coverage of discharge treatment.” continues. The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, October 29. Fim-Cisl also requested psychological support for the resumption of work, given the trauma suffered by the employees. “From our side,” Usb writes, “we reiterated the call for an all-day strike tomorrow for workers in the provincial industrial sector and a package of hours for the rest of the regional territory.” Usb “stressed the need to make every effort to identify the causes and responsibilities of the massacre.”