Stephanie Cadieux, Minister of Labour, Citizens' Services and Open Government, issued the following statement for Day of Mourning on April 28, 2011:

"Day of Mourning ceremonies taking place across British Columbia, Canada and countries around the world on April 28 commemorate workers who have died, been injured or suffered illness as a result of their job.

"Last year in B.C., 143 workers died and more than 95,000 were injured. And although we have made great strides in improving safety in the workplace in B.C., one life lost is one too many.

"Our government believes that everyone deserves to return home safely after a day's work. That's why we continue to be committed to making the safety of workers a priority - whether for young workers entering the workforce for the first time, or for those who have many years of experience.

"There are some encouraging improvements over previous years. In 2010, for every 100 workers in B.C., about two were injured - that's the lowest injury rate in our province's history. While that's good news, no fatality is acceptable and injuries can and must be prevented.

"Safety on the job is more than just a policy or a strategy - it's a culture. As individuals, we must all insist on safety training for all employees, compliance at all job sites and we must be mindful of how to be safe on the job every day. Most importantly, we must never be complacent when lives are on the line.

"As the minister responsible for worker safety, I ask you to take a moment to honour those who have been affected by a workplace death or injury. I urge you to look for ways to make a difference in your own workplace: just one small change could save someone's life, and that's something we all have the power to do."

Contact:

Melody Wey

Ministry of Labour, Citizens' Services and Open Government

250 508-5030

Connect with the Province of B.C. at www.gov.bc.ca/connect