Tourist collapses and perishes within the Colosseum grounds - Tourist Guide Perishes in the Colosseum of Rome After Suffering a Collapse
Heat-Related Death of Tour Guide at Colosseum Sparks Calls for Safety Measures
A tragic incident occurred at one of Italy's most iconic landmarks, the Colosseum, where a 60-year-old tour guide, licensed since 2017, collapsed and passed away on Tuesday evening around 5:30 PM. The news of her death was confirmed by the state administration of the Colosseum, and the ambulance arrived after she had already passed away.
The woman was leading a group of about 25 tourists during a tour of the nearly two-thousand-year-old symbol of Rome when the incident occurred on the first floor of the ancient amphitheater. According to other Italian media, her death was due to working in high temperatures.
The Colosseum, built in the first century AD, often traps heat, and on the day of the incident, temperatures in Rome were above 30 degrees Celsius. The tour guide had been feeling unwell before the incident, adding to the concerns about the working conditions.
The death has highlighted the severe heat-related risks that tour guides face, especially during intense summer heatwaves. Italian tour guide Paola Salvatori stated that it's impossible to work under the conditions they're forced to endure due to overtourism.
Unions and federations representing tour guides have reported inadequate safety procedures despite the physically demanding nature of their work. Safety measures and recommended improvements being discussed or implemented include adjusting operating hours, providing shaded rest areas and access to water, reviewing and enhancing health and safety protocols, and instituting enhanced health protocols in response to rising temperatures and recent fatal incidents.
Calls by the World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations emphasize that extreme heat is becoming a norm, requiring urgent adaptation to protect outdoor workers like tour guides. Italian cultural institutions and authorities have shown solidarity by memorializing the deceased guide and committing to reviewing safety measures to protect all who work at cultural heritage sites under extreme weather conditions.
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