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Safety Net Journal Issue 9 |
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International Workers' Memorial Day 28 April
By Tony Larkin
Monday 28 April is International Workers' Memorial Day - the day when the trade union movement across the world commemorates the millions of workers killed by accidents and illness at work with the slogan 'Remember the Dead: Fight for the Living'.
The event started in Canada and the US in 1986 and has been supported by Usdaw since 1995.
According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) there are over 2 million workplace deaths in the world each year -twice as many as are killed in wars (650,000). In the UK, over 300 workers are killed in accidents every year and tens of thousands die from occupational illnesses such as cancer and lung disease.
Official figures say that over 4,000 people died last year from cancer caused by exposure to asbestos alone. Estimates for other occupational cancer deaths vary from 2,000 to 12,000. A further 4,000 people died from chronic lung diseases caused by exposure to fumes and dust at work.
In addition the HSE says that over 2 million people suffered from some form of work-related illness in the last year. Most of these are stress-related illnesses or musculoskeletal disorders such as back pain or RSI. Illnesses that may not be life-threatening in themselves, but often result in people losing their jobs and being forced onto long term incapacity benefits. Other research has shown that long-term unemployment and living on benefits is also bad for your health.
What can you do for WMD
Mark the day by wearing and distributing purple 'forget-me-not ribbons', the symbol of Workers Memorial Day (available from Greater Manchester Hazards Centre)http://www.gmhazards.org.uk/wmdribbonof.doc
Tell the Minister responsible for health and safety what you think about the need for strong enforcement
Write to the Rt. Honourable James Purnell, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. Tell him how much you welcome the new Work, Health and Well-being strategy, but remind him of the need for a strong and well-resourced HSE to make sure that workplaces are healthy.
Contact your local councillor to ask what your local authority is doing to meet its enforcement responsibilities
Local authority environmental health officers enforce health and safety law for the vast majority of Usdaw members. Workplace health has been identified as one of the top five regulatory priorities for local authorities in a recent Government review. Yet many local authorities are failing to give it the resources it needs.
Talk to colleagues at work and make them aware of the Day (an Usdaw leaflet about WMD and the main issues has been distributed to all branches). Get members to write to the local press. Check with your local Trades Council or TUC education centre to find out about what is happening in your area and encourage members to attend.
As WMD falls on the Monday of the Annual Delegate Meeting, purple ribbons will be available at conference along with copies of the Usdaw leaflet.
For more information about the international event go to; http://www.hazards.org/wmd/index.htm
Source: TUC
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