Workers' Memorial Day

World Day for Safety and Health at Work
World Day for Safety and Health at Work
Observed by	Workers Worldwide (Geneva for the year 2011)
Type	International
Significance	work environment, occupational safety and health
Date	April 28 (annually)
Related to	International Workers' Day, Labour Day, Labor Day

Workers' Memorial Day
Workers' Memorial Day
Also called	International Commemoration Day (ICD) for Dead and Injured
Type	Non-religious, cultural
Observances	Labour
Date	April 28

Workers' Memorial Day, also known as International Workers' Memorial Day or International Commemoration Day for Dead and Injured, takes place annually around the world on April 28, an

National Day of Mourning

.

Workers' Memorial Day is an opportunity to highlight the preventable nature of most

workplace incidents and ill health and to promote campaigns and union organization in the fight for improvements in workplace safety. The slogan for the day is Remember the dead – Fight for the living.^[1]

Although April 28 is used as the focal point for remembrance and a day of international solidarity, campaigning and other related activities continue throughout the year right around the world.

Origins

In 1989, the

National Day of Mourning for persons killed or injured in the workplace, making April 28 an official Workers' Mourning Day.^[1]^[2]

International recognition

For years Workers' Memorial Day events have been organized in North America, and then worldwide. Since 1989, trade unions in North America, Asia, Europe and Africa have organized events on April 28. The late Hazards Campaigner Tommy Harte brought Workers' Memorial Day to the UK in 1992 as a day to ‘Remember the Dead: Fight for the Living'. In the UK the campaign for Workers' Memorial Day has been championed by the Hazards Campaign and taken up by trade unions, adopted by Scotland's TUC in 1993, followed by the TUC in 1999 and the Health and Safety Commission and Health and Safety Executive in 2000.^[1]^[2]

April 28 is recognised by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) as International Workers' Memorial Day. In 1996 the ICFTU commemorated Workers' Memorial Day and began to set annual 'themes'. For 2006 the ICFTU theme was Union workplaces: safer workplaces, focusing on a global ban on asbestos and increased awareness of HIV/AIDS.^[3] During 2001 the ILO, part of the United Nations (UN), recognised Workers' Memorial Day and declared it World Day for Safety and Health at Work and in 2002 the ILO announced that April 28 should be an official day in the UN system.^[1]^[2]

Workers' Memorial Day is recognised as a national day in many countries including: Australia, Argentina, Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada, Dominican Republic, Gibraltar, Ireland, Luxembourg, Panama, Peru, Portugal, Spain, Thailand, Taiwan, United States and the United Kingdom. Trade unions in other countries including Benin, Czech Republic, Finland, Hungary, Malta, Nepal, New Zealand, Romania and Singapore are pursuing government recognition.^[1]^[2]

Workers' Memorial Day is now an international day of remembrance of workers killed in incidents at work, or by diseases caused by work, and annually on April 28, Workers' Memorial Day events are held throughout the world. Some examples include active campaigning, and workplace awareness events. Public events include speeches, multi-faith religious services, laying wreaths, planting trees, unveiling monuments,

raising public awareness of issues and laying out empty shoes to symbolize those who have died at work.^{[citation needed}

]

World Day for Safety and Health at Work

World Day for Safety and Health at Work is a

international labor standards.^[4]

The 2011 World Day for Safety and Health at Work focuses on the implementation of an Occupational Safety and Health Management System (OSHMS) as a tool for continual improvement in the prevention of workplace incidents and accidents.[5]

Bangladesh

Bangladesh Garment Sramik Sanghati, an organization working for the welfare of garment workers, has requested that April 24 be declared Labour Safety Day in

Rana Plaza building collapse.^[6]

with names of monument workers

References

^
registered charity
No. 207823
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d TUC Certificate in Occupational Health & Safety course notes 2004/5 Section C page 69 (no ISBN).
^ "Union Workplaces – Safer Workplaces" (PDF). April 28, 2006. Retrieved April 27, 2008.
^ Programme on Safety and Health at Work and the Environment (SafeWork) – International Labour Organization.
^ World Day for Safety and Health at Work – 28 April 2011 – International Labour Organization.
^ "Thousands mourn collapse victims of Rana Plaza garment factory one year on". Deutsche Welle. April 24, 2014. Retrieved July 20, 2014.

External links

[Manchester-1] 
registered charity
No. 207823

[ohs-2] TUC Certificate in Occupational Health & Safety course notes 2004/5 Section C page 69 (no ISBN).

[Union_Workplaces-3] "Union Workplaces – Safer Workplaces" (PDF). April 28, 2006. Retrieved April 27, 2008.

[4] Programme on Safety and Health at Work and the Environment (SafeWork) – International Labour Organization.

[5] World Day for Safety and Health at Work – 28 April 2011 – International Labour Organization.

[dwelle2404-6] "Thousands mourn collapse victims of Rana Plaza garment factory one year on". Deutsche Welle. April 24, 2014. Retrieved July 20, 2014.

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