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Day of Mourning Draws Attention to Workplace Safety

Sunday, 28 April 2013 10:55

It's a day of reflection for those who have been hurt, and those who have died on the job. The annual "Day of Mourning" was marked on Sunday by the Oxford Labour Council today. (In photo: group of CUPW members from across region gather in Museum Square.) A brief but solemn ceremony was held in Museum Square, drawing attention to the fact that nearly 400 workers were killed in Ontario alone last year, while at work. Over 250,000 more filed occupational injury and disease claims. President of the Oxford Regional Labour Council says workplace "accidents" seem to happen far too often. "I mean it's disgraceful. We have many good employers that do their job, and do the training, and enforce the rules and regulations of working safely. But we have others out there that do not do their job and unfortunately it's the workers that suffer and so do their families." The most recent local case happened back in January, when 51-year-old Rafael Figueros of Ingersoll was struck by a falling lid off a mould at Johnson Controls in Tillsonburg. (Bottom photo: ORLC "Day of Mourning" plaque in Museum Square) Carey says workers need to bring unsafe conditions to the attention of their employers. "If they see something that doesn't look right, or doesn't feel right to them. Whether it's repetitive strain from doing the work over and over the same way everyday, or whether it's a piece of something that's breaking, they need to let their employer know so the employer can fix it." And Carey says if the employer fails to act, the worker has the right to refuse unsafe work.

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