Port Alberni workers honoured the international Day of Mourning with a ceremony on April 28 in front of United Steelworkers Local 1-85 hall on Montrose Street.
The day recognizes those workers killed or injured on the job. This year in B.C. there were 181 occupational fatalities—a 10-year high, said Wolfgang Zimmermann, president of Pacific Coast University of Workplace Health Sciences.
“While this day, April 28, as a Day of Mourning, is now recognized in well over 100 countries, whatever progress may have been made in improving occupational health and safety is certainly not reflected in the numbers,” he said. Canada recorded 1,081 occupational fatalities in the last year compared to the average of 945 since 2009.
“At the same time, 277,217 industrial accident claims were accepted with approximately 10 percent of those having a long-term disability component, where effective early intervention and successful occupational rehabilitation before one year post mental or physical injury is often pivotal in maintaining equitable participation in all aspects of society.”
First responders, steelworkers and other emergency personnel and workers were joined by Mid Island-Pacific Rim MLA Josie Osborne, Courtenay-Alberni MP Gord Johns, Zimmermann, ACRD chair John Jack and Port Alberni city councillor Dustin Dame.
“I was honoured to say a few words on this National Workers’ Day of Mourning in both Port Alberni and Parksville,” Johns posted on his MP Instagram account. “Thanks to everybody for coming out to remember and honour those who have died or suffered injury because of their work, and to renew our commitment to prevent further deaths, injuries and diseases by improving health and safety in the workplace.”
susie.quinn@albernivalleynews.com
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