SAD SONG — Jonathan Rosen, PEF Health and Safety director, and his daughter Hannah sing at the NYS Fallen Firefighters Memorial in Albany on Workers’ Memorial Day. — Photo by William Eng, courtesy The Legislative Gazette

Workers Memorial Day highlights need for safer worksites

By DEBORAH A. MILES
A state trooper died as a result of a high-speed car chase. Fire fighters died from smoke inhalation due to faulty equipment, and a worker died from handling toxic chemicals not properly labeled by the employer.
These and other New York state employees were remembered on April 28 — Workers Memorial Day — an international day of remembrance to honor those killed on the job and to focus on the struggle for improved workplace safety.

In Albany, about two-dozen people gathered in front of the Fallen Firefighters Memorial at the Empire State Plaza. They stood in silence and bowed their heads as the names of 20 Capital Region workers who died on the job in 2005 were read aloud by Maureen Cox, director of the state Labor Department’s Public Employees Safety and Health Bureau.

PEF Director of Health and Safety Jonathan Rosen and his daughter Hannah sang “Which Side Are You On?” And the Rev. Brian O’Shaughnessy read an invocation.

Every year, approximately 6,000 Americans are killed at work and about 50,000 die from occupational diseases from causes such as asbestos, pesticides, solvents and chemicals.

“Most of these deaths are senseless,” said Joe Fox, PEF vice president and Capital District Area Labor Federation (CDALF) president.

“We are here to honor their lives and recognize the contributions these workers made to society,” Fox said. “We are also here to encourage changes within workplaces. We need to rededicate ourselves to correcting the inadequacies that cause death or injury."

The Communicator June 2006

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