A court in Manacor sees signs of wrongdoing against workers' rights in the fall of a municipal employee from Son Servera. The accident occurred in June 2024 while he was installing the 'Picolí cap d'olla' figure for the Sant Joan festivities.
The Court of Instruction in Manacor has taken the first step to put the Ajuntament de Son Servera on trial for the workplace accident suffered by a municipal employee. The worker fell from a great height while placing the 'Picolí cap d'olla', the traditional character that presides over the Sant Joan festivities. The judicial order concludes the investigation and finds indications of a crime against workers' rights by those responsible for safety at the council.
A Fall from a Great Height with a Homemade Basket
The events date back to 12 June 2024. The municipal employee was carrying out installation work on the figure when the homemade lifting system they were using failed. According to the investigation, a metal basket made by the employees themselves was used to lift the figure and the worker, which was raised with a forklift. This device became unbalanced and caused the worker to fall, suffering serious injuries and a severe cranioencephalic trauma that required hospitalisation.
Both the Labour Inspectorate and the report from the Guardia Civil concluded that basic safety measures were not being met. The judicial order indicates that there was a misuse of means, either due to "the lack of control and even the acquiescence of those responsible for worker safety." In other words, the council's management may have allowed or tolerated the use of an unsafe and homemade method, without the required standards for working at height.
The Next Step: Charges and Trial
The judicial resolution has already been notified to the parties. The document summons the Prosecutor's Office and the private prosecution —which will likely be exercised by the worker himself or his legal representation— to present their provisional qualification documents. This procedure is the prior step to the holding of the oral trial, which will take place in the same court in Manacor.
The accident has shocked the town of Son Servera, where the 'Picolí cap d'olla' is a symbol of the Sant Joan festivities. The figure, which represents a grotesque character with a pot on his head, is installed each year in a prominent place in the village. Now, the council faces the possibility of proving that it failed in its duty to protect its employees. The case highlights workplace safety in small municipalities, where improvised methods are often resorted to due to a lack of resources or training.
For the residents of Son Servera, the news comes as a cold shower on the eve of the festivities, which this year will be celebrated with an eye on the court. The injured worker, who is still recovering from the aftermath, hopes that justice will determine responsibilities and that the council will take measures so that no other employee has to risk their life to place a figure.
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