In Saskatchewan last year, 31 people were killed on the job or as a result of it, including two men from the Moose Jaw area.
Those workers, and others across the globe who were killed or injured while on the job, were remembered Tuesday during the International Day of Mourning.
At a ceremony organized by the Moose Jaw and District Labour Council Tuesday night, Stacey Landin, president of the Moose Jaw District Labour Council, read the names of those who died in 2008, followed by a moment of silence.
Landin said the purpose of the event is to "honour those lost" and recognize that people are not always safe at work.
She said the day is also to make people aware and remind them that sometimes things go wrong at work and it isn't the fault of the worker, it's just something that can happen on the job.
"We just have to make sure our workplaces are safe and to do that we have to give workers the tools and training they need to be safe."
She said the number of work-related deaths over the years has remained relatively the same, fluctuating between the high 20s and low 30s per year.
Landin thinks this is the case due to the number of young workers entering the workforce each year, who are unaware of the dangers and hazards that may come along with their jobs.
She said it certainly isn't just young workers who are killed year after year. However they do account for a percentage of the deaths.
"I think we all need to start doing a better job of making people aware of what needs to happen to make a safe workplace," Landin said.
For more read Wednesday's edition of the Times-Herald
