[BLOG] National Day of Mourning

April 28, 2017

[AYR, ON] – Today is National Day of Mourning; a day that commemorates workers, who have been killed, injured or suffered illness from workplace accidents, hazards, and incidents on the job.

Let’s take a moment today to think about those who have been injured, lost their lives and their families.

You may know someone who has been injured or lost their life on the job. Workplace tragedies are heartbreaking and have deeply impacted the lives of their family and friends.

Quick Facts (Statistics source: Association of Workers’ Compensation Boards of Canada (AWCBC))

• In 2015, 852 workplace fatalities were recorded in Canada – including the deaths of four young workers aged fifteen to nineteen years; and another eleven workers aged twenty to twenty-four years.

• Add to these fatalities the 232,629 claims accepted for lost time due to a work-related injury or disease, including 8,155 from young workers aged fifteen to nineteen, and the fact that these statistics only include what is reported and accepted by the compensation boards, and it is safe to say that the total number of workers impacted is even higher.

• In 1991, eight years after the day of remembrance was launched by the Canadian Labour Congress, the Parliament of Canada passed the Workers Mourning Day Act making April 28 an official Day of Mourning.

• Day of Mourning has since spread to about 100 countries around the world and is recognized as Workers’ Memorial Day and as International Workers’ Memorial Day by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).

Below are a few links to information as well as an impactful video that is worth watching.

www.wsibdayofmourning.ca

www.ccohs.ca/events/mourning 

www.wcb.ab.ca/about-wcb/community-partnerships/day-of-mourning.html 

threadsoflife.ca