Worker, 78, killed by tractor in central region

Machine hits man during refurbishment work in community of Nofekh, medics declare him dead at the scene

An elderly man was killed Monday when he was hit by a tractor during refurbishment work in the community of Nofekh, in the central region of the country.

Medics declared the man, 78, dead at the scene.

Construction site accidents are common in Israel, with watchdog groups complaining of little oversight and dangerous working conditions.

According to a report last month from Kav LaOved, an Israeli nonprofit association that advocates for workers’ rights, more than 40 workers have died in workplace accidents in Israel since the start of 2023, representing a 40 percent increase compared to the same period last year.

The report said 47 percent of those fatalities were in the construction industry.

The organization said the construction industry is statistically the most dangerous job sector in Israel. Prosecutions are rare in cases of negligence leading to workplace deaths.