Pause, Reflect, and Remember on the National Day of Mourning

Submitted by Trish McPherson, Occupational Health and Safety Officer 

On any given workday in Canada, three people will die from a job-related fatality, life-altering injury, or occupational disease. On April 28th of each year we pause, reflect, and remember those workers who left home to go to their job and never returned home. 
  
These individuals leave behind families, friends, and co-workers devastated by this tragic loss. The Association for Workplace Tragedy Family Support, known as Threads of Life, is a Canadian registered charity dedicated to supporting families after a workplace fatality, life-altering injury, or occupational disease. Their mission is to help families heal through a community of support and to promote the elimination of life-altering workplace injuries, illnesses, and deaths. If you or a loved one are living with a life-altering injury, an occupational disease, or if you are living with the outcome of a fatality related to work, they can help.
  
The National Day of Mourning is not only a day to remember and honour those lives lost or injured due to a workplace tragedy, but also a day to collectively renew our commitment to improve health and safety in the workplace and prevent further injuries, illnesses, and deaths. SLC's tri-campus Joint Health and Safety Committees are there to support the College’s health and safety responsibilities and commitment to a safe workplace. 
  
On April 28, let’s all take a moment to reflect on those that lost their life simply doing their jobs and remember to work safely for everyone’s sake. 
  
Individuals can also spread awareness about the National Day of Mourning in their organizations and communities: 

- share Day of Mourning social media messages and tag each post with #dayofmourning 
- listen to podcasts featuring interviews with workers and their families, to hear how they were personally affected by workplace tragedies. 
- download the shareable wreath and share it on social media – you can use it as your profile pic too. 
- Day of Mourning background for video calls. Simply download the image and upload to your video calling application.