Infortuni mortali sul lavoro tra vecchio e nuovo

This study deals with the analysis of occupational injury cases that were submitted to technical investigation by the Institute of Legal Medicine of Brescia from the beginning of 1982 till the end of 2007. During this period, there were 384 workers killed while on the job; in these cases it was requested the autopsy or the external exam of the corpse. In the regarded period, the analysis of these cases points out a progressive and constant decrease of forensic technical investigation. Death from work-related injuries is a major topical public health problem. Analysis of occupational injury deaths by demographic, employment, modality and injury characteristics facilitates effective use of resources aimed at preventing injuries in the workplace. The discussion considered, other than analytical aspects, the changes due to the progress of law and jurisprudence during the years studied. The evolution of law has, in fact, greatly modified some procedures of forensic technical investigation, regarding to fatal work related injuries. We try not to forget, also, the civil aspects correlated to the responsability of the employer and damage compensation.