The Servicio de Salud de Castilla-La Mancha has suspended operations at the Laboratorio de Anatomía Patológica on Hospital Universitario de Toledo . Prevention delegates from Sescam said the decision was based on a serious and immediate health risk to staff identified on Thursday. A protest is planned outside the hospital on Friday.
According to the union CSIF several employees showed objective symptoms including nosebleeds, mucous membrane irritation, severe headaches, brief episodes of impaired consciousness and difficulty concentrating. CSIF is calling for all affected work to stop immediately, a comprehensive risk assessment and the involvement of the Inspección de Trabajo. The substances or factors responsible have not yet been conclusively identified, according to the union. Sescam had not initially provided a detailed statement on measurements or immediate measures.
The move follows repeated warnings in 2024 and 2025 about conditions in laboratory areas at the University Hospital of Toledo. At the time, the labour inspectorate temporarily closed parts of the area to prevent possible exposure to formaldehyde; measurements and internal inspections were also ordered. Since then, unions including CSIF and other employee representatives have repeatedly criticised inadequate protective measures and called for structural refurbishment, workplace reorganisation and transparent information for staff.
The suspension now brings into focus how diagnostic services will be maintained during the interruption. For pathology laboratories, clear procedures for receiving samples, alternative testing and, where necessary, relocation are essential to maintain patient care. Sources close to the hospital said emergency pathways and contingency arrangements were being reviewed. No details were initially available on how many samples would be diverted or what timescales would apply.
Official clarity on the cause, scale and duration of the risk depends on formal measurement records and orders. Until the relevant results are available, claims about the causes should be attributed to the union. Further statements from Sescam and possible action by the Inspección de Trabajo are expected in the coming days. Whether and to what extent earlier reports of shortcomings are connected to the current incident remains unclear. What is clear is that the prevention delegates’ action marks an escalation in the dispute over workplace safety in the laboratory area of Hospital Universitario de Toledo.
Editor: Clara Simonichek (Article created with AI assistance).