A sunny morning that should have heralded the Easter festivities turned into tragedy in San Felice sul Panaro. On Saturday, April 4, around 10:00 AM, a devastating accident shook the local community: 73-year-old Roberto Gavioli lost his life when a crane’s mechanical arm suddenly failed. His 39-year-old son, Davide, who was with him in the aerial platform’s basket, was seriously injured in the fall.

According to initial reconstructions by authorities at the scene in Via Circondaria, the father and son were carrying out routine maintenance on their home. They had ascended to a height of approximately eleven meters to reach the roof—likely to clean the gutters or fix some tiles—when the vehicle’s load-bearing structure suddenly gave way. The mechanical arm reportedly snapped off from the truck’s base, sending both men and the platform plunging to the ground.

The impact with the ground was extremely violent. Emergency responders could do nothing for Roberto Gavioli, a well-known and respected local carpenter; he was pronounced dead at the scene. His son, Davide, was airlifted to Baggiovara Hospital, where he is currently in intensive care with a guarded prognosis.

The Carabinieri, the Fire Department, and occupational health and safety officials arrived at the scene of the tragedy to conduct the technical investigations necessary to determine the exact cause of the mechanical failure.

ECM: TECHNICAL SUPPORT FOR SAFETY

In this context, ECM acts as a qualified partner to support companies in achieving and maintaining machinery compliance, helping to reduce risks and safeguard workers’ lives. Our primary areas of intervention include:

• Certification of machinery in compliance with national and European standards;

• Testing and practical assessments to validate the reliability of safety control systems;

• Regular inspections and planned maintenance for failure prevention;

• Specialized training for Expert Technicians in charge of Forklift Inspections (in accordance with ISPESL Guidelines) and for personnel responsible for aerial platform inspections.

Thanks to a technical and independent approach, ECM helps companies go beyond simple formal compliance, ensuring machinery that is truly safe and reliable. Only through a synergy between a culture of prevention and technical expertise will it be possible to drastically reduce workplace fatalities and build a future of dignity and safety.