Worker deaths mourned in Vernon

National Day of Mourning ceremony held to remember workers killed or injured on the job

Special to The Okanagan Weekend

“Workplace injuries are preventable,” Stewart Babineau, an accident prevention supervisor with WorkSafeBC, told at a gathering of dignitaries and workers Friday in Vernon as he laid out some grim statistics.

“There were 158 (workplace-related) deaths in B.C. last year. Seventy-one were traumatic injuries, including 28 motor vehicle injuries,” he said.

However, the largest number of deaths are related to occupational disease, which took 87 lives last year, mostly from asbestos-related diseases.

Young, male workers are injured or killed at a higher rate than older workers.

“There’s a need for training, orientation and supervision, and I’m focused on supporting healthy and safe workplaces,” said Babineau.

As an example, Babineau, who lives in Kelowna but is responsible for job sites from Grindrod to the U.S. border, spoke of an incident involving a bridge construction worker several years ago.

“He had no fall protection and I heard every excuse in the book. But, I took time to educate and counsel him, and reminded him that an accident would have an impact not only on him, but on his family, friends and community.”

Babineau said that several months later, the worker phoned him to say Babineau’s advice had saved his life when he slipped on the job.

Eric Foster, MLA for VernonMonashee, related his experience in the forestry industry where, in the early 1980s, 25-35 fellers were killed yearly.

“If it were any other profession, they would have shut her down,” Foster said. “It took time, but attitudes, modernization and the work of safety committees have improved conditions in the industry.”

Scott Hemstad of Vernon Fire Rescue Services pointed out the paradox of firefighters who understand the need to put themselves in harm’s way to save property and lives.

“The entire profession is made up of risk takers,” he said. “But,” he added, “it’s not the dramatic events that we talk about that are a hazard. The slow-moving events, the exposure to hazardous materials, to plastics and formaldehydes, increase the risk of cancer.”

Acting RCMP Supt. Gord Stewart said it was an honour and a privilege to take part in the ceremony. He noted that when he started his career, RCMP members did not wear bulletproof vests.

Mike Watt, representing CUPE, said that people need to remember not only those who perished, but also those who are left. As an arena attendant, working with toxic chemicals, he is responsible to 1,000 users a day and 3,000 on game days.

“We have a very good safety record,” he said.