National Day of Mourning ceremony held in Kelowna

A National Day of Mourning ceremony was held in Kelowna on Sunday at Ben Lee Park. The day is a way to reflect on those who died in the workplace.

“For people to remember not only the people that have passed in the past year or years previous but also to bring to the forefront the concerns, the things that are happening in the world,” said Len Tarling of WorkSafe BC.

April 28 signifies the Day of Mourning across Canada, where workers, employers, families, and communities pay tribute to workers who lost their lives due to a workplace injury or illness.

British Columbians will gather at 30 ceremonies across the province on Sunday to pay tribute to fallen workers and renew a collective commitment to protecting the health, safety, and well-being of all workers.

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Last year there were 175 work-related deaths in B.C., which is six less than 2022 but that number is still higher than other previous years and officials are trying to lower that number each year.

“We need more prevention officers at Workers’ Compensation Board. We’ve been lobbying the government for more funding for WCB,” said Hermender Singh Kailley, BC Federation of Labour secretary-treasurer.

“We find that prevention is better than having to come in and do an investigation when a worker is hurt or killed.”

According to WorkSafe BC, evolving technology and equipment could lead to more accidents, if the proper training isn’t provided.

“All of that type of stuff brings hazards, new things to wrap your heads around, stuff for the employers to get used to, staff to get used to understand the processes,” said Tarling.

Occupational disease remained the number one killer of workers in 2023, claiming the lives of 93 workers, with 48 of those deaths resulting from asbestos exposure often decades ago.

A total of 60 workers died from a traumatic injury last year, including falls from elevation, being struck by objects, and being caught in equipment and/or machinery. In addition, motor vehicle incidents claimed the lives of 22 workers in 2023.