Workers’ Memorial Day 2019

This April 28^th is Workers’ Memorial Day – a day when the nation (and others across the globe) takes a moment to honor the loss of thousands of lives on the job every year. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), more than 5,000 men and women die in the workplace annually. The majority of these tragic deaths are the result of preventable safety failures, so Workers’ Memorial Day also serves as an important reminder to employers to always maintain effective safety and health programs in the workplace.

“Remember the Dead, Fight for the Living”

“Remember the dead, fight for the living” is the slogan for Workers’ Memorial Day. Not only is the 28^th a day of international observance for workers’ safety, but it also marks the day that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) first opened its doors to the public in 1971. OSHA is a government agency that oversees worker safety and health concerns; the agency also issues citations to employers for safety failures that result in the illness, injury, and/or death of workers.

Data on Workplace Illnesses, Injuries, and Deaths

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates that 14 workers die on the job every day in the United States, but some days this number is even higher. Some of the most common incidents that result in preventable worker fatalities on the job are:

• Falls from height;
• Contact with objects;
• Getting caught in running machinery;
• Incidents in confined spaces, and:
• Crane-related accidents

Certain workers are more likely to experience job-related illness, injury, and death than others. Some of the most at-risk individuals are those who work in the transportation and construction industries. Workers who are 65-years-old or above also face a higher risk for job-related injury, illness, and death.

According to data from OSHA and the BLS, some of the most common workplace injuries and illnesses that workers face include:

• Sprains, strains, and tears;
• Musculoskeletal (e.g. back) disorders;
• Repetitive use injuries, such as carpal tunnel syndrome;
• Overexertion injuries;
• Exposure-related illnesses (e.g. weather, chemicals, etc.)

Through maintaining tested and proven safety control measures, employers can dramatically limit the number of avoidable illnesses, injuries, and deaths that occur every day.

How to Get Involved This Workers’ Memorial Day

There are many ways you and your loved ones can get involved and lend a helping hand this upcoming Workers’ Memorial Day. If you live in the Philadelphia-area, check out Philaposh’s day of observance, which will take place at the Sheet Metal Workers Hall on Friday, April 26^th. To honor fallen workers, the event includes a reading of the names of the men and women who died as a result of preventable work-related illnesses and injuries in 2018.

Philadelphia Workers’ Compensation Lawyers at Galfand Berger, LLP Represent Individuals Injured at Work

If you were injured at work, please contact our Philadelphia Workers’ Compensation lawyers at Galfand Berger. With offices located in Philadelphia, Bethlehem, Lancaster, and Reading we serve clients throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey. To schedule a consultation, call us at 800-222-8792 or complete our online contact form.