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(Image courtesy of CCOHS)
On April 28, workplaces in Canada will come together to observe the National Day of Mourning, a day dedicated to honour workers who have lost their lives, suffered injuries, or experienced an illness due to a work-related incident. The annual event also marks a time where we can commit to protecting workers and preventing further workplace tragedies.
In 2023, the Association of Workers’ Compensation Boards of Canada (AWCBC) recorded 1,057 workplace fatalities in Canada. Among these deaths were 29 young workers between the ages of 15 and 24. The AWCBC also reported 274,022 accepted claims for lost time due to a work-related injury or disease. Within those figures 32,861 involved workers in that younger age cohort.
In 1991, eight years after the first 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. Today the Day of Mourning has since spread to more than 100 countries around the world and is recognized as Workers’ Memorial Day, and as International Workers’ Memorial Day by the International Labour Organisation and the International Trade Union Confederation.
This year, the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) is encouraging individuals, workplaces and communities to take a moment of silence at 11 a.m. on the 28th to honour the memory of those lost and to reflect on the importance of fostering a culture of health and safety in every workplace.
“The National Day of Mourning is not only about remembrance, but also an opportunity to create awareness and focus on prevention to ensure health and safety is a priority in every workplace,” stated CCOHS president and CEO Anne Tennier.