Ceremony honours killed, injured workers
It’s been 15 years since the death of her beloved 18-year-old niece Lindsay Santos and her aunt still carried her grief as she listened to the Day of Mourning speeches when people gathered at the Workers’ Memorial Statue in the small park at the corner of Patricia Blvd. and Queensway Saturday afternoon.
“It’s like a shining light has left our family,” Arlette Santos said about losing Lindsay at such a young age in a planer accident at Fraser Lake sawmill in 2003. It was Lindsay’s last day of her summer job and she was done her shift. Arlette said Lindsay was such an eager beaver that she asked her supervisor if she could help someone else. It was the last thing Lindsay ever did.
Although Arlette was not well on the Day of Mourning, she felt it was important to attend the event.
“It shows you how much I believe we should remember those who have lost their lives at work,” she said. “No one should be dying especially if action could be taken to prevent it. It’s important to remember those who have gone – no matter how painful it is for us who are left behind.”
About 100 people gathered to honour those who died or have been injured on the job during the annual Day of Mourning.
In 2017, WorkSafeBC reported 158 work-related deaths, with 87 caused by occupational disease, mostly due to asbestos exposure decades ago. There were 71 deaths due to traumatic injuries mostly experienced at the worksite and 28 were due to motor vehicle accidents. Two of the 71 deaths in the province were in the FraserFort George region.
Don Iwaskow of North Central Labour Council made opening remarks after the honour guard came to stand vigil over the proceedings and a moment of silence was observed for those who lost their lives at work.
Mayor Lyn Hall said a few words, recalling how he had been affected by a coworker’s injury at a refinery he worked at in his youth and later a coworker’s death. He said he vividly remembered how catastrophic it was to his family, friends and community.
“Today we remember those who have lost their lives to work- related incidents or occupational disease,” Hall said. “Today we renew our commitment to creating healthy and safe workplaces.”
The Canadian Labour Congress held its first Day of Mourning on April 28, 1984, and in 1990 the day become a national observance with the Workers Mourning Day Act passed on April 28, 1991. Canada was the first to proclaim the occasion and it is now observed in countries all over the world.
Barry Nakahara, manager of prevention field services, WorkSafeBC in Prince George, talked about how male workers under the age of 24 are most vulnerable.
“Their rate is higher than any other demographic for injury and death,” Nakahara said. “It’s important that they have proper training, supervision and instruc- tion. For these workers it’s critical – and not just those workers but all workers.”
During his speech, Nakahara acknowledged that most injuries, illness and death on the job are preventable.
“This ceremony adds meaning and urgency to that fact,” he added. “At WorkSafeBC, we will continue to work with you through education, consultation, and our enforcement activities to prevent workplace injuries, disease and deaths and today on this Day of Mourning we need to remind ourselves that even one workplace death is one too many. Let’s commit ourselves to working together to do everything that we can every single day to make sure that every worker in the province can go home safe.”