Over 200 workplace deaths recorded in Greece in 2025, survey shows

The data are drawn from an ongoing nationwide study conducted by the Federation of Technical Enterprise Employees’ Associations of Greece (OSETEE), which monitors working conditions across the country.

Final figures are expected to be published in late February, following cross-checks of reported cases and investigations into incidents that may not yet have been publicly disclosed or officially recorded.

The preliminary findings highlight persistent shortcomings in workplace safety, amid growing concerns over long working hours and inadequate enforcement of labor regulations.

In a statement, OSETEE President and European Agency for Safety and Health at Work head Andreas Stoimenidis described the figures as “alarming but unsurprising.” He said the death toll reflects policies allowing extended working hours, the absence of collective labor agreements and the weakening of inspection mechanisms.

Stoimenidis characterized the situation as a “humanitarian crisis,” pointing to widespread underreporting of workplace accidents and a lack of meaningful social dialogue between the state, employers and workers.

He added that the increase in fatalities had been foreseeable since 2022 and warned that recent labor legislation risks further deteriorating conditions rather than improving workplace safety.

The latest figures mark a sharp rise compared with more than 150 workplace deaths recorded in 2024 and the 51 fatalities reported by the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) in 2023. Construction and manufacturing sectors account for the majority of work-related deaths, according to the survey.