Day of Mourning: ‘Too many workers are getting injured or dying on the job’

More than 50 people gathered at Fordview Park on Sunday to remember those who died in the workplace.

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“April 28 is the National Day of Mourning to commemorate those who have been injured or died as a result of their jobs,” Cory Judson, president of the Brantford and District Labor Council, said. “This year’s theme is ‘Safe Work Now,’ a call to action for workers, decision makers and employers to take immediate and concrete steps to keep people safe at work.

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“Too many workers are getting injured or dying on the job.”

Judson said that with all the education and legislative changes workplaces these days should be safer not more dangerous.

One workplace death is unacceptable. Hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries in a year are unconscionable, Judson said.

“Workers have a right to a job that doesn’t make them sick and work that ensures they go home to their loved ones everyday,” Judson said.

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The Day of Mourning was marked just days after Ontario’s Ministry of Labor announced that a numbered Ontario company operating in partnership as Patriot Forge was fined $220,000 following the March 29, 2022 death of a worker.

The company, at 280 Henry St., pleaded guilty and was convicted under the Occupational Health and Safety Act for failing to ensure an overhead crane was blocked and prevented from movement during maintenance.

According to the labor ministry, two workers using a scissor lift tried to troubleshoot a 25-ton overhead crane that had been taken out of service due to a malfunctioning hoist. When the workers weren’t able to determine the problem, the crane was put back into service.

The crane malfunctioned again later that day and the workers again used a scissor lift to bring them up towards the side of the crane to reassess the problem.

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As the workers were completing the task, the crane chassis began to move toward the scissor lift holding the workers. The platform was tipped over and the workers fell approximately 21 feet to the concrete floor, said the ministry.

One worker died and the other work suffered critical injuries.

Those who attended the Day of Mourning ceremony also heard from Mayor Kevin Davis and Gavin Jacklyn of the Brantford Professional Firefighters Association and a long-time occupational health and safety advocate.

Jacklyn said the Day of Mourning is a day when the Brantford Fire Department remembers Jack Mulligan, who died in the 1960s while responding to an emergency.

Since then policies and procedures have been implemented to better protect firefighters.

But the work is ongoing because in recent years, it has been learned that firefighters die of cancer at a rate of up to four times higher than the general population, Jacklyn said.

Steps have been taken to ensure families of firefighters who die of cancer receive the financial support they need. As well, policies have been adopted to better protect firefighters.

But the work is ongoing and Jacklyn urged everyone to do their part to protect workers.

“Workplace safety is everyone’s responsibility,” Jacklyn said.

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