The cease-fire achieved last week between Israel and Hezbollah has brought hope to foreign workers and their families that work in Israel will become less dangerous—hope that is much needed following the deaths of several foreign agricultural workers in Hezbollah strikes northern Israel in recent months. But the death of a worker from Moldova in a workplace accident this past week was a tragic reminder that workers in Israel, be they Israeli or foreigners, are threatened by inadequate workplace safety measures as well as security threats.
The worker from Moldova was killed in the central town of Even Yehuda on Monday after falling from a height of more than 30 feet. His death marks the 65th death in a workplace accident in Israel since the start of the year, 36 of which were in the construction industry.
The police and the Ministry of Labor have opened investigations into the circumstances of the accident.
“When we arrived at the worksite, we saw the victim lying unconscious, without a pulse and not breathing,” emergency medical responders Eyal Adar and Yarden Agami said. “We immediately performed advanced resuscitation measures, including thrusts and breaths, but unfortunately the injury was critical and we were forced to declare his death on the scene.”
In addition to the Moldovan worker, 11 additional workers were wounded in workplace accidents last week.
On Sunday, a 47-year-old worker fell from a height of about 25 feet while working on a construction site in Tiberias. He was brought to a local hospital in serious condition with injuries to his head and his limbs. That same day, a 38-year-old worker fell while renovating a house in Arad and received moderate injuries to one leg.
Four workers were injured on Tuesday. One 32-year-old worker in Akko was moderately injured by heavy material. A 61-year-old who slipped while working at a construction site in Tel Aviv received a moderate head injury. A worker around 40 years old received moderate injuries to his limbs while working in Ra’anana, as did a worker around 20 years old renovating a building in Zichron Ya’akov.
On Wednesday, a 25-year-old construction worker in Akko fell from a height of more than 30 feet, receiving moderate injuries to his limbs and back. A 27-year-old worker in the Arab town of Nahf was also moderately injured after a fall.
Two more workers were injured on Thursday. A 32-year-old working in the road received a moderate pelvic injury, and a worker in Lod around age 60 received a moderate head injury after falling from a height of about 13 feet.
On Friday, a 21-year-old worker was injured in the Hof HaSharon Regional Council after falling from a height of more than 20 feet. He was brought to the local hospital with a moderate head injury.
This article was translated from Hebrew by Leah Schwartz.