Angelini Industries
Health and Safety at Work
Share
Written by ESGNews
What is Safety at Work
The legislator defines workplace safety as the set of measures to protect the health and safety of workers from accidents and occupational diseases. In the common perception, it is often associated exclusively with procedures designed to protect the physical safety of workers. In recent years, however, this concept has expanded to include the psychological sphere and the overall well-being of the individual. Talking about safety at work therefore means considering the set of rules, procedures, and training requirements aimed at protecting both physical and mental health.
In reality, safety is first and foremost a cultural issue. It stems from the recognition that people's mental and physical well-being is essential for any economic activity. In practice, this principle translates into the proper design of spaces and equipment and structured measures to prevent physical risks (such as collisions, falls, poor posture, or heavy lifting) and organizational risks (including unbalanced workloads, unsustainable shifts, or unclear procedures).
A 'culture of safety' in the workplace requires the active participation of all employees and collaborators, who must be properly trained and aware of the risks, and must also be adapted to the evolution of the labor market, which is seeing the emergence of new technologies and hybrid models. A survey of over 25,000 workers in the European Union shows that almost half (48%) say that digital technology determines the pace of their work, while 28% report an increase in workload and 30% report greater isolation[1] .
An important aspect is knowing how to analyze and prevent future risks. The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) is, for example, studying the implications of extending people's working lives, which leads to an increasingly older workforce.
[1] https://osha.europa.eu/it/publications/summary-osh-pulse-2025-occupational-safety-and-health-era-climate-and-digital-change
Did you know?
In the European Union, the single reference for health and safety at work is Directive 89/391/EEC, the so-called 'Framework Directive', which introduced an approach based on prevention and shared responsibility. In Italy, this framework is implemented by Legislative Decree 81/2008, which defines roles, obligations, and organizational models. At a voluntary level, UNI ISO 45001:2018 is the international standard that companies can adopt to transform safety into a structured and measurable process. There are also technical guidelines for reducing workers' exposure to hazardous substances such as Hazardous Medicinal Products (HMPs)[1] .
But to really understand what safety means today, we need to look at how people work. The European ESENER 2024 survey shows that the most frequent risks arise from everyday activities: prolonged sitting (64%), repetitive arm and hand movements (63%), and heavy lifting (52%)[2] . These are signs of environments and rhythms that are changing with digitalization, the hybridization of work, and the growing pressure of production times.
The accident picture confirms the relevance of the issue: in 2023, there were 2.82 million non-fatal accidents and 3,298 fatal accidents in Europe[1] . The sector with the highest risk of fatal accidents is construction, which alone accounts for about a quarter of the total. As for non-fatal accidents, the sectors with the highest number of accidents are manufacturing (which includes most industries and industrial technologies), followed again by construction and distribution.
In Italy, between January and September 2025, a total of 310,726 workplace accidents were reported, 570 of which were fatal. Compared to the same period last year, reports of occupational diseases registered increased by 9.72%, reaching a total of 71,682[2] .
These figures show how safety is an indicator of the overall health of companies. When people work in solid, well-designed conditions, the entire system holds up better; when this balance is disrupted, the consequences quickly become apparent.
Health and safety at work for Angelini Industries
For Angelini Industries, health and safety at work is one of the fundamental principles of how it does business. The Group aims to maintain 'zero' serious accidents at work[1] : a commitment formalized in the Group's ESG 24-26 Plan and a goal achieved at all sites. Going well beyond simple regulatory compliance, the safety culture actively involves the company's workforce through continuous training plans, a clear allocation of responsibilities, participation in risk assessment processes, and a structured system for reporting accidents, near misses, and suggestions for improvement. Information on operational changes or unusual situations is communicated through dedicated channels.
Each Group company carries out its own risk assessment (DVR), adopting an approach based on the systematic identification of hazards, the analysis of potential critical issues, and the integration of data and reference regulations. This commitment also translates into specific best practices: the UNI ISO 45001:2018 systems adopted by Angelini Pharma and Angelini Technologies – Fameccanica, the three-year training plan "Culture R'Evolution" with the twelve-point Manifesto of Change, implemented since 2022 by Angelini Pharma, and digital tools such as ARES 81 and VT Click used by Angelini Wines & Estates. All this is accompanied by health protection services that include targeted medical examinations, updated protocols, dedicated health records, and additional support such as check-ups, insurance, and psychological services.
Finally, it is possible to spread the culture of safety using all languages and breaking traditional patterns. This is the spirit with which Fater, the joint venture between Angelini Industries and P&G, brought the ROCK'N'SAFE® concert to the Fater Campus and the production lines of the Pescara and Campochiaro production plants, a format designed to reflect on a theme dear to everyone's life through the emotions of music.
However, the commitment to ensuring high standards in this area is not limited to the direct actions of Angelini Industries companies and their employees: the Group companies also adopt targeted measures aimed at suppliers, contractors, and external partners.
