National Mourning Day

By Rechell McDonald
April 28 is the designated day for remembering all the Canadians who have been lost in workplace accidents. The day was first earmarked in 1991, and since then has been adopted and recognized in 80 different countries.
In Canada, between 1993 and 2013, nearly 20,000 people have been killed on the job. For 2013, with just over 900 workplace deaths recorded, the average deaths per day is 2.47. Can you believe that more than two people die each day in Canada on the job? It’s a startling statistic, and statistics like these have driven workplace safety initiatives.
As you may well recall, there used to be (within the last decade) very graphic and sobering commercials portraying workplace accidents that led to death. The three most common were a female chef carrying a hot pot of oil who slips on a wet floor and douses herself with the hot liquid; a construction worker on scaffolding who falls off due to an explosion despite a safety harness; and a warehouse worker who backs a forklift into storage shelving causing a ton of heavy pipes or rebar to fall and crush him. These commercials were actually terrifying but they were effective in reminding us about the dangers that lurk in any workplace environment. It’s not only our responsibility to follow protocol and safety procedures, but it’s our employer’s responsibility to provide a safe work environment as well. It’s a team effort.
On April 28, workplaces are encouraged to observe a day of mourning by donning black arm bands or lighting candles in remembrance, and are asked to be extra vigilant about workplace safety. It may be an apt time to discuss safety measures and protocols with your employees, and to remember anyone who has been lost on the job at your place of business.