April 28th is Worker’s Memorial Day, an annual event to honor and remember workers who have been injured, made ill, or suffered a fatality while on the job. Ceremonies are being held in Washington, DC and in many communities across the county to recognize this day of remembrance.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, work-related injuries claim the lives of approximately 14 people each day in the U.S., with 5,190 work-related fatalities being reported in 2021, an 8.9 percent increase from the previous year.
In an April 20, 2023 Worker’s Memorial Day news release, Assistant Secretary for OSHA, Doug Parker encourages us to “reflect on what might have prevented their loss and recommit ourselves to doing all we can — and all that can be done — to safeguard workers and to fulfill our moral obligation and duty as a nation to protect America’s workers.”
Worker’s Memorial Day is a time to remember our role in promoting the importance of strong health and safety programs in the workplace to prevent workplace injuries, illnesses, and fatalities.
Please join all of us at Safety Partners in our remembrance of those injured or lost from workplace incidents or illnesses, and in our commitment to the goal of safer and healthier workplaces.
This blog was written by Beth Graham, Safety Partners’ Director of Quality, Research and Training
