The statistics are sobering, the losses are irreplaceable and the commitment to change is ever present.
Last year, 146 B.C. workers died from a workplace injury or disease.
Across Canada, April 28 has been designated the Day of Mourning, a time when workers, families, employers and others come together to remember those who lost their lives due to work-related incidents or occupational diseases.
On Monday, April 28, an in-person ceremony will be held at Vancouver’s Jack Poole Plaza at 10:00 a.m. alongside delegations from the BC Ministry of Labour, BC Federation of Labour, Business Council of British Columbia and WorkSafeBC.
“The national Day of Mourning on April 28 is a chance to honour and remember the 146 workers in British Columbia who lost their lives last year due to workplace injury or disease — a day to reflect on those we’ve lost, and to renew our commitment to creating healthy and safe workplaces for everyone,” says WorkSafeBC head of Prevention Services Todd McDonald.
According to data from WorkSafeBC, workers in the fields of construction, manufacturing, forestry and healthcare are most at risk.
Occupational disease remained the single leading cause of death for B.C. workers last year, claiming 78 lives. Occupational diseases are conditions that result from the nature of an employee’s work, caused by exposure to hazardous substances in the workplace: asbestos, silica, solar radiation, welding fumes (cancer); and lead (poisoning).
WorkSafeBC is committed to engaging with workers and employers in building a culture of health and safety in B.C. workplaces.
Employers can positively influence the culture in their workplaces by proactively identifying and addressing health and safety issues, and encouraging their workers to share feedback and be a part of their organization’s health and safety approach.
Workers can help build a health and safety culture by speaking up when they see unsafe conditions, and by knowing their rights — including the right to know about hazards in the workplace, to participate in health and safety activities in the workplace, and to refuse unsafe work.
Those who may feel unsure about speaking out are encouraged to call WorkSafeBC’s Prevention Information line at 604-276-3100 or 1-888-621-7322. WorkSafeBC also has an online tool to report unsafe workplaces. All reports can be submitted anonymously.
Creating safer, healthier workplaces requires all of us to work together: employers, workers, supervisors, industry associations, labour groups, other stakeholders and WorkSafeBC.
“It can begin with one conversation, one decision, one step in the right direction. It’s those seemingly small changes that can have a big impact,” McDonald says.
To learn more about the Day of Mourning and find a ceremony near you, visit dayofmourning.bc.ca.
