Catania: NIL Carabinieri sweep checks on irregular work and safety, 1 report, 3 suspended activities and fines for over 26.000 euros

During recent inspections, carried out in companies in the service and construction sectors, serious irregularities emerged, even leading to the temporary closure of some businesses due to violations of safety and worker management regulations.

In particular, in the first area of ​​intervention, the checks were concentrated by the military of the Arma on two car washes located in the Zia Lisa area, with the aim of verifying the regularity of the operations carried out and compliance with environmental and safety regulations.

At the first car wash, NIL specialists discovered that both of the 2 workers present were employed completely illegally., or without a regular employment contract and the protections provided by current legislation. This serious violation, of an administrative nature, has determined theimmediate suspension of business activity, as the law provides that, if it is ascertained that at least 10% of a company's workforce is irregular, the competent authorities can order a temporary block of activities.

In the second financial year, however, the situation was even more serious: there were 9 employees who were found not to have a regular contract., a number significantly higher than the first case, indicative of irregular work management on a large scale. Also in this case, the intervention of the military of the Arma led to the temporary closure of the business and the contestation of administrative sanctions for each irregular worker, in addition to the imposition of the necessary formalities for the regularization of the staff.

Within the controls in the construction sector, instead, the investigators combed through a construction site of a building under renovation in the San Leone neighborhood. Here they were able to immediately document thelack of adequate guardrails to prevent falls from heights, a serious violation that exposed workers to very high risks of accidents with possible even fatal consequences.

On the basis of the evidence collected, to be verified in court, the legal representative of the company, a 55 year old resident of Tremestieri Etneo, was reported to the Judicial Authority for violation of the rules on safety in the workplace, without prejudice to the presumption of innocence until a final sentence of conviction. At the same time, the company was, of course, hit by an administrative measure suspending its business activity due to the serious breaches found.

Overall, the checks resulted in the imposition of administrative sanctions for a total of over 26.000 euros. In addition, the recovery of social security contributions and insurance premiums for a total amount of 7.500 euros was ordered.