National Day of Mourning for Workers Killed or Injured on the Job: Friday, April 26

U of T Observes National Day of Mourning for Workers Killed or Injured on the Job

All flags on the three campuses will be lowered to half-mast on Friday, April 26 to observe the National Day of Mourning for workers killed or injured on the job.

The National Day of Mourning, officially recognized by the federal government in 1991, is held annually on April 28 in approximately 80 countries around the world and has been adopted by the AFL-CIO and the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions.

According to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, http://www.ccohs.ca/events/mourning, in 2011 there were 919 workplace deaths recorded in Canada. Since 1993, an average of 898 employees have died from work-related incidents in Canada each year, averaging more than two deaths every day.

From 1993 to 2011, 17,062 people lost their lives due to workplace incidents. The Canadian flag on Parliament Hill will fly at half-mast as well as those of businesses and other organizations across the country.

The University of Toronto will participate in this National Day of Mourning by lowering the flags in various locations across each campus and through this act affirms its commitment to the promotion of health and safety for all members of the university community and to the provision of a safe and healthy work and study environment.