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Heatstroke: Municipality worker with health issues dies while on duty

A municipality worker died of heatstroke while on duty on Sunday, the hottest day of 2023, so far. His employers knew that he had multiple health problems, belonged to a high risk group and he should not work outdoors during the heatwave.

The 49-year-old man had to open a playground in Kallithea suburb of south Athens early afternoon at 04:45 p.m. Sunday, July 23.

He reportedly unlocked the one entrance and walked 50 meters to the next one. While he was trying to unlock it, he collapsed.

Neighbors immediately alerted the ambulance service that arrived within in a few minutes accompanied by a motorcycled police team, a police patrol car and a  rescuer on a motorcycle.

According to eyewitnesses, the rescuer performed CPR for about 20 minutes and used an automatic external defibrillator, but without any positive result.

The 49-year-old was transported to Laiko Hospital in Athens where he was pronounced dead.

According to first available information, the man suffered a cardiac arrest due to heatstroke.

Exact causes of his death will be determined in an autopsy.

It is noteworthy that the 49-year-old belonged to a vulnerable group with several health issues such a problem with his heart and he was overweight. His superiors knew it, the union said.

According to municipality news website aftodioikisi.gr, member of the Board of Directors of the Workers’ Association and member of the General Assembly of POE-OTA, Nikos Binioris said the man worked in the past as a gardener in the municipality of Kallithea.

While on duty he contracted a serious infection resulting in the loss of one of his eyes. He was then transferred to the position of guard at the garage of the municipality of Kallithea, a completely controlled area near the doctor’s office. due to his health problems he could not fulfill his duties and he was then transferred to the position of opening and closing the playground that was near his home.

The Municipality is investigating the incident as important questions arise:

– Why in the middle of the heatwave and while the Municipalities had been instructed not to overwork the workers, this particular municipal employee, with serious health problems, took on duty and went to unlock the playground?

– Was the institutional framework respected, around his movements? That is, was his file studied by the occupational doctor to undertake the specific duties? And why didn’t he continue to work in the garage area (call center) to be safer?

It is recalled that last Thursday, another man in the same age group and with multiple health problems, suffered a heatstroke and died in Halkida, Evia. The man was making deliveries on his bike for a local grill in the hottest hours of the day.

PS if you wonder why people with disabilities keep working, just keep in mind that if you don’t work you lose health coverage (only in public hospital availanbe and with restrictions) and the disability allowance is just 330 euros for the majority of the disabled.

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One comment

  1. “While on duty he contracted a serious infection resulting in the loss of one of his eyes.”

    Poor man – municipal horticultural poisons will have no doubt played a role in debilitating his already compromised health.