A small cluster of citizens gathered Friday to recognize and remember those who lost their lives or have been injured while on the job.
Known at the Day of Mourning, a solemn ceremony was held, including speeches from Salmon Arm mayor Nancy Cooper, Fire Chief Brad Shirley and RCMP Staff Sgt. Scott West.
All pointed to the sobering statistic of 144 lives lost in workplace incidents over the past year – a number which increased over the previous year.
“It saddens me to hear of the number going up,” remarked Cooper, “We all need to keep safety of our workers on the job as the first priority… No one wants to get the call that their loved one has lost their life.”
In this WorkSafe BC region, one worker lost their life during the past year.
It was also noted that 2.5 million word days are lost in B.C. due to work-related accidents or injury.
Asbestos-related deaths continue to be problematic, with 64 people dying of this occupational-related disease.
A special note came from emergency services personnel recognizing the impact post-traumatic stress disorder can have on the mental and physical health of those on the front lines of some of the most stressful situations in Canadian society.