Overview

• On August 5 the Council of State ruled that the worker’s chronic leukemia qualifies as an occupational disease tied to his incineration duties at Palazzo Chigi.
• From 1992 to 2013 he burned classified secret-service documents in an unventilated 18th-century cistern without protective equipment, inhaling solvents, wood dust, paint fumes and asbestos fibers.
• The Tar del Lazio initially denied a causal link between his illness and working conditions, prompting appeals by lawyers Ezio Bonanni and Pietro Gambino that led to the landmark verdict.
• Diagnosed with chronic hairy-cell leukemia in 2012, the worker was reassigned to office duties in 2013 and continues biannual health checks under ongoing medical surveillance.
• The ruling has spurred calls for compensation, formal recognition as a work-related victim and reforms to safeguard public sector employees in hazardous environments.