HAMILTON, ONT. — In 2023, the Association of Workers’ Compensation Boards of Canada (AWCBC) recorded 1,057 workplace fatalities in the country.
Among these deaths were 29 young workers aged 15 to 24.
There were also 274,022 accepted claims for lost time due to a work-related injury or disease, including 32,861 from workers aged 15 to 24.
These statistics only include what is reported and accepted by the compensation boards in Canada. It is predicted the total number of workers impacted is far greater.
Such is the reason why the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) is encouraging individuals, workplaces and communities to take a moment of silence at 11 a.m. on April 28, the National Day of Mourning, to honour the memory of those lost and to reflect on the importance of fostering a culture of health and safety in every workplace.
In 1991, eight years after the day of remembrance was launched by the Canadian Labour Congress, the Parliament of Canada passed the Workers Mourning Day Act making April 28 an official Day of Mourning. Today it has since spread to more than 100 countries around the world and is recognized as Workers’ Memorial Day, and as International Workers’ Memorial Day by the International Labour Organisation and the International Trade Union Confederation.
“The National Day of Mourning is not only about remembrance, but also an opportunity to create awareness and focus on prevention to ensure health and safety is a priority in every workplace,” says Anne Tennier, president and chief executive officer of the CCOHS in a statement.
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