Remembrance Day for workplace casualties in April – but no bank holiday
The UK will officially recognise Workers Memorial Day to commemorate thousands of people who have died, been seriously injured or made ill through their work, announced Yvette Cooper, the secretary of state for work and pensions on 28 January 20101.
This follows the government’s consultation in July 2009 to explore options for official recognition of the day, which gained widespread support. This year, the UK is to join the many other countries around the world that officially recognise the day on 28 April, the International Day of Action for Safety and Health at Work.
The minister said:
‘This is a tribute to all those who have campaigned long and hard, including bereaved families, trade unions, campaign groups, and many other organisations and individuals.
‘For the first time, the UK will join countries across the globe in remembrance of all those killed at work and for the families they have left behind, and the many more who have been harmed. It is also a spur to greater efforts to improve health and safety for today’s and tomorrow’s working population.’
Workers Memorial Day originated in Canada in 1984 and 28 April was chosen because it is the anniversary of the Occupational Health and Safety Act in the USA and also commemorates the day that 28 people were killed in a construction accident in Connecticut. Despite the UK government’s support for a commemoration day it stopped short of creating a new bank holiday
Despite vast improvements in risk assessments and safety procedures 180 workers in the UK were killed at work during 2008/092. Although this is an improvement on the average for the past five years (231) HSE chair Judith Hackett cautioned against complacency after the figures were released in October 2009:
‘History suggests that when we start moving back into economic growth the rate of workplace injuries tends to increase. Preventing history from repeating itself is a challenge facing everyone with a stake in health and safety in the workplace – regulators, employers and employees alike: we all need to be part of the solution.
‘Protecting people from harm caused by work remains important irrespective of the economic climate. Having shown that Great Britain can achieve a performance that compares favourably with other industrialised nations as we entered the global recession, the challenge now is to maintain that improvement as we move towards recovery and increased activity in some economic sectors.
‘In spite of the encouraging overall statistics today let’s not forget that they tell us a story of individuals and families who have suffered. This underlines the real risks that people face in work every day. This is what the real health and safety agenda has always been about and it will continue to be so.’
[1] www.whitehallpages.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=291128
[2] www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/fatals.htm
