Luana D’Orazio, the mother of a five-year-old son, became entangled in a rolling machine and was crushed to death in a textile factory near Prato, in the central region of Tuscany.
The judiciary has ordered an autopsy into her death, pending the results of an investigation into the machinery at the factory, located in Oste di Montemurlo.
The accident took place Monday and has since sparked a nationwide outcry.
Former Italian prime minister, Giuseppe Conte, said there was a need for “unified political action” and collaboration between politicians, trade unions and business associations to assure a “high level” of workplace safety.
The centre-left Democratic Party (PD) called for a commission of inquiry into deaths in the workplace, according to Italian news agency ANSA, while the centrist Italia Viva (IV) party said a “paradigm shift” was required to increase workplace safety.
D’Orazio’s mother, Emma Marrazzo, also pushed for reforms as she mourned her daughter.
“No more deaths at work; it must not happen at the age of 20, 60 or 70,” she told Italian media.
The Prato branches of the CGIL, CISL and UIL trade unions are organising a “strong mobilisation action” for this Friday, according to Italian daily Il Fatto Quotidiano.
“People are still dying for the same reasons and in the same way as 50 years ago,” the unions said in a joint statement.
“Nothing seems to have changed, despite the technological development of machinery and safety systems.
“Too often, safety continues to be considered only as a cost.”
Monday’s incident is the second fatal injury in a textile factory in Italy this year: on February 2, Sabri Jaballah, 23, died after being crushed in a press in Montale, also in Tuscany.
