April 28 marks the National Day of Mourning to commemorate workers who have been killed or injured on the job, or who have suffered illness as a result of their work.
Workplace safety is an important issue in Canada and the toll may be significantly higher than the statistics show. A recent study, Work-related deaths in Canada, found that many types of workplace fatalities are either underreported or not reported at all and thousands of deaths including stress-induced suicides and commuting fatalities are absent from traditional occupational health and safety statistics.
There are many ways to participate in the National Day of Mourning from attending ceremonies and lighting candles to laying wreaths or wearing commemorative pins and armbands. Many workers and employers also observe a moment of silence at 11:00 a.m. in honour of the victims of workplace tragedies. Visit the Canadian Labour Congress community event listings to see commemorative events taking place in your area.
For more information about the National Day of Mourning, visit the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) online.