Day of Mourning

April 28 is the National Day of Mourning to remember workers injured, killed or afflicted with an occupational illness during the course of doing their job. Sadly, if it turns out to be an average day for workplace safety in Canada, three workers will die today.

In 2012, the most recent year for official statistics, there were 977 workplace related fatalities in Canada (145 here in Alberta), according to the Association of Workers Compensation Boards of Canada.

“Hundreds more will die from under-reported illnesses and occupational diseases that go unrecognized in the compensation systems,” says the Canadian labour Congress.

Please take the time on April 28 to remember those workers in Canada and here in Alberta that have lost their lives simply because they went to work.