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.
Resource
Read researcher and advocate Janice Martell's article in Northern Ontario Business, entitled Fighting for the dead, protecting the living, about deceased miner Andrew Tabaka. His death years ago was not recognized as a work-place related fatality.
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