A 48-year-old worker was killed on Monday, police report, after being hit by heavy machinery.
Today marks the National Day of Mourning, a time to honor workers who have lost their lives or suffered injuries while on the job.
Police say they arrived at a waste transfer facility located on Strathearne Avenue in the industrial area of the city at around 4:20 p. m. on Monday.
“The incident involved a commercial vehicle and heavy equipment operating at the site,” police state in a news release.
Officers, emergency services, and Hamilton fire personnel found a man in “critical condition” and immediately began life-saving efforts.
The man was transported to the hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
The Ministry of Labour mentioned via email that they are looking into the situation. Police added that the Office of the Chief Coroner has requested a post-mortem examination.
Anthony Marco, president of the Hamilton & District Labour Council (HDLC), stated on Tuesday that this worker’s death marks the third known fatality over the past year.
“We have to make sure we are vigilant on a day-to-day basis,” he said.
“We have to fight against conditions that lead to industrial and occupational diseases.. Probably in all of our lives we know someone who died on the job or experienced an injury at work.”
Marco emphasized that this worker’s death “strikes a chord. The mourning is essential. The fight for future workers’ rights in our city is even more critical.”
The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) states on its website that the Day of Mourning, observed each year on April 28, also serves as an opportunity to renew commitment toward enhancing health and safety measures while preventing further fatalities.
The HDLC will hold its Day of Mourning event today at 5:30 p. m. in city hall council chambers followed by a procession to the workers’ monument.
The CCOHS reported there were 1,057 workplace deaths in 2023.
The Parliament of Canada passed legislation establishing Workers Mourning Day in 1991, officially marking April 28 as a Day of Mourning according to CCOHS’s website. Today, this observance has expanded globally to over 100 countries and is recognized as Workers’ Memorial Day as well as International Workers’ Memorial Day by organizations such as the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).
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