The University of Trieste, on the occasion of April 28—designated by the International Labour Organization (ILO) as the World Day for Safety and Health at Work—takes part in a joint initiative aimed at strengthening, at both academic and local levels, the culture of prevention and the protection of health and safety in workplaces, study environments, and everyday life.

On this occasion, universities are joining forces to carry out an initiative of great symbolic and educational value: students, faculty members, and technical-administrative staff will be involved in a simulated emergency event followed by an evacuation drill conducted simultaneously across different university campuses, in particularly representative buildings.

The evacuation drill will follow the simulation of an emergency situation, with the simultaneous activation of alarm systems and the implementation of the procedures set out in each university’s safety and emergency plans. Participants will be asked to temporarily interrupt teaching, research, and administrative activities and proceed in an orderly and calm manner to a designated safe “assembly point,” following safety signage and the instructions of emergency personnel.

The initiative will make it possible to assess the effectiveness of emergency procedures, coordination among different units, the timeliness of communications, and the response capacity of staff, students, and users involved. It will also help strengthen the culture of prevention and safety within the academic community. Moreover, the simulation will serve as a broader opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of preparedness, personal responsibility, and proactive behavior in the event of a critical or emergency situation.

The initiative is promoted within the framework of the coordination network of Prevention and Protection Services of Italian universities, with the support of the CRUI Safety and Fire Prevention Commission, and represents the first joint inter-university action within the project “Universities United for Shared Safety.”

This initiative aims to be a collective commitment to transforming safety from a regulatory obligation into a shared value. Universities—also through their respective Prevention and Protection Services working in synergy—take on a strategic role in promoting a structural and lasting cultural change. At the same time, they can act as a genuine driver of change, capable of significantly influencing both individual and collective behaviors, so that “prevention” and “taking care of one’s own and others’ health and safety” become an integral part of everyone’s mindset.

The University of Trieste, under the leadership of its Rector, Donata Vianelli, promotes this initiative because every action aimed at increasing awareness and sensitivity to safety issues represents a small but meaningful step toward strengthening the culture of health and safety prevention in the workplace.