Congress, alongside trade unions around the world, has for many years celebrated Workers' Memorial Day on April 28th.
The Health & Safety Committee of Congress has, in recent years, called for official government recognition of this important memorial. It is therefore significant that our marking of the day in 2015 will be the first time such official backing has been given.
Minister for Business and Employment, Ged Nash T.D has called on the HSA, employers and public bodies to join with Congress in making the day a truly national event henceforth. Working together, we are calling for a national day of action to remember those who have been killed or injured at work but also to focus on creating safe and healthy workplaces in the future.
In Ireland the figures are staggering. In the 5 year period between 2010 and 2014, 253 people have been killed in work-related accidents and many thousands more badly injured. Last year alone 56 people were killed. These are shocking figures by any standards. Every year people are killed in foreseeable and preventable work-related accidents and there is a responsibility on all of us to do our utmost to prevent these in the future.
