Public Reminded of April 28's Workers Memorial Day
The American Society of Safety Engineers' Florida Suncoast Chapter (ASSE-FSC) is reminding the public that Monday, April 28, is Workers Memorial Day. Since 1989, the day has focused attention on workers who have are killed or injured on the job. The date was chosen because it is the anniversary of the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
The first Workers Memorial Day was observed in Canada. Today, labor unions, employers, community groups, and others around the world mark it as an International Day of Mourning. ASSE-FSC says the day has special significance to those who are dedicated to addressing occupational health and safety issues. Since the passage of the OSH Act, the U.S. job fatality rate has been cut by 60 percent and more than 306,706 lives have been saved. However, more than 4.2 million workers were injured in 2006 and 5,703 were killed as a result of job hazards. Another 50,000 died due to occupational disease. BLS also reported that fatal work injuries among Hispanic workers rose in 2007 from the previous year.
ASSE-FSC is asking organizations and individuals to join this year in reflecting on the successes gained in addressing workplace hazards and challenges that are still ahead. Past events to mark the day have included a moment of silence at a workplace, distribution of black ribbon pins, a tree planting ceremony, or simply distributing educational information to raise awareness about the importance of workplace safety and health. For more information, visit www.swf-asse.org.