In 2016, nearly 10,500 New Brunswickers were injured on the job, eight of them fatally. Another eight died from previous years’ injuries or occupational diseases.
WorkSafeNB is encouraging everyone to honour those killed or injured on the job by observing the National Day of Mourning, held each year on April 28.
“Please attend a ceremony in your area to remember fellow workers who didn’t return home safely at the end of their workday,” said Tim Petersen, acting president and CEO of WorkSafeNB.
“We all have the right to perform our jobs in a safe and healthy workplace. We all have the right to return home safely to our loved ones.”
Enacted by Parliament in 1991, the day is now observed across Canada and recognized in more than 100 countries.
Check here for a Day of Mourning ceremony in your area.
To help employers who have experienced a tragic workplace accident, Threads of Life recently released a report with advice on how to deal with the grieving families in the aftermath of an accident.
Threads of Life, a non-profit organization that supports families of workplace tragedies, surveyed some of its members on how they were treated by employers following the tragedy. The report summarizes the survey findings, and recommends steps employers could incorporate into their emergency and safety program. It also offers advice on how employers can help families in the aftermath of an accident.
Download the report Workplace tragedy: Employer communication and crisis response from the Threads of Life website.