A Day for Reflection
With it’s beginnings in the Canadian labour unions, Canada first recognized April 28 as the National Day of Mourning in 1991. Every year since, it has been a day to acknowledge the toll taken by illnesses and injuries in the workplace. In our commitment to protect workers and their communities from occupational disease, injuries and illnesses, OHCOW acknowledges the different dimensions of the work environment through it’s Prevention Programs: Occupational Illness Prevention, Injury Prevention and Workplace Mental Health, and with our partners recognize that the changing climate has increased the risk of occupational health concerns.
Safe Work Now: Remembering the Unrecognized Losses
In this 35th Anniversary year of the Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW), we highlight that Occupational illness fatalities have out-numbered traumatic fatalities consistently over the last decade and most work-related illnesses and deaths go unrecognized and unreported.
Today and everyday, OHCOW serves workers suffering from occupational illnesses and injuries. All too often their families and communities follow their loss. These and others are often not captured in the statistics.
How to Participate
April 28 is a day to honour memories of those whose lives have been lost or forever altered, just because they went to work, many unrecognized. It is also a day to remind government and industry that our commitment to workers' health has not wavered — and neither should theirs. Together, we will create healthier and safe workplaces for all. Let's talk about it to friends and family and, if possible, participate in a Day of Mourning event.
A Day for Reflection
Canada first recognized April 28 as the National Day of Mourning in 1991. Every year since, it has been a day to acknowledge the toll taken by accidents and injuries in the workplace. Progress has been made in past decades to reduce injuries and fatalities, but preventable tragedies still occur. In our commitment to making all workplaces safe, OHCOW acknowledges the different dimensions of the work environment in relation to health and safety: Occupational Illnesses, Injury Prevention and Workplace Mental Health.
Safe Work Now: Remembering Westray
This year, the Canadian Labour Congress has launched the "Safe Work Now" campaign to raise awareness and empower workers. April 28 in particular is a day to re-emphasize the demand that governments across Canada take action, starting with better enforcement of the Westray Law. This law was in response to a 1992 mine explosion in Plymouth, Nova Scotia in which 26 workers lost their lives. The negligence of the mine's owners resulted in criminal charges being laid against them. Read more about the tragedy here.
After Westray, United Steelworkers led Canada's unions to lobby for a change in the Criminal Code of Canada that would explicity state that employers can be held liable for criminal negligence for workplace deaths and injuries, and not just pay a fine. The law was passed in 2004, yet according to the CLC, it is not sufficiently enforced. Even in cases of obvious negligence, criminal charges have rarely been laid. Political forces still let business interests weaken health and safety legislation. Workers will not be safe until corporations, and all employers, are held accountable for providing safe work places and necessary training and protection for workers.
The message is simple: negligence that causes death or injury is a crime.
How to Participate
April 28 is a day to honour memories of those whose lives have been lost or forever altered, just because they went to work. It is also a day to remind government and industry that our commitment to workers' safety has not wavered — and neither should theirs. Together, we will create healthier and safe workplaces for all. Let's talk about it to friends and family, and, if possible, participate in a Day of Mourning event. May the message of Day of Mourning be honoured every day of the year.
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