Submitted by Threads of Life
Behind every workplace tragedy is a story of loss – a family, a community, a team left forever changed. In 2023, the most recent year reported, Canada had 1057 deaths due to workplace accidents or occupational disease – more than four deaths every working day. On National Day of Mourning, April 28, we pause to honour those losses.
For families and those with a personal connection to workplace tragedy, who remember their loved ones every day, Day of Mourning on April 28 is a moment when they can feel their community standing beside them. On that day they can feel supported in honouring their losses and see that others join them in their commitment to preventing future tragedies.
Threads of Life works with those affected by work-related tragedies, providing peer support and opportunities to use their voices for prevention. Threads of Life members have shared a little of their experience in a series of videos for Day of Mourning.
All their loved ones were just regular people doing regular jobs: Leea’s dad was a farmer who drove a courier van in the off-season, delivering parts. Bill’s son worked at a ski hill. Alyssa’s brother worked in construction; Virginia’s husband in road maintenance; Terri’s son in oil and gas. For all of them, April 28 is their personal Day of Mourning.
For those who are fortunate not to have experienced a tragedy in their close circle, Day of Mourning is a call to action. We stand with those affected by workplace injury, illness, and fatalities, and we renew our commitment to safety. We are called to step forward and be safety leaders. Leadership in safety is not just about compliance – we need to build on compliance with compassion and commitment.
We can honour those lives forever changed by pausing on Day of Mourning to remember. More than that, we can honour them by building safer workplaces. On Day of Mourning, our call to remember is a call to act.