A car wash in the Italian city of Recanati, in the central region of Marche, was seized on Friday (November 7) after a joint operation between the police and the carabinieri found that it was employing foreign undocumented workers, and apparently fell foul of other health, safety and environmental legislation too.
Investigators say that the operation had found "serious administrative, environmental, and work safety irregularities," present at the operation.
During the inspection, three foreign workers were found: all Egyptian nationals and barely adults. Two did not have stay permits. A team from the labor inspectorate unit found numerous violations in terms of workplace safety including the lack of a risk assessment, health monitoring, employee training, an evacuation plan, and certification for electrical system compliance.
In light of the irregularities found, the activities were suspended and -- on the orders of the Macerata prosecutor's office -- the car wash and equipment were seized as a preventative measure.
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Fines and sanctions
Administrative sanctions total 47,000 euros, while other fines amount to about 74,000 euros.
The local police also found the lack of a mandatory electronic payment system and thus raised the fines issued.
A vehicle without a license plate was also found on the premises, later found to have been deregistered for export.
A carabinieri unit focusing on compliance with environmental regulations found waste disposal not in line with the law, as the water from the car wash flowed to a sewer different from the one it was authorized for and a mandatory control system was not in place.
These violations entail fines of between 1,500 and 15,000 euros. Samples were also taken of the waste water; the results will be available next week.
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