U.S. Department of Labor | ||||||
Occupational Safety & Health Administration |
OSHA News Release
2003 - 04/25/2003 - Statement of John L. Henshaw Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health On Worker Memorial Day 2003 |
OSHA News Release - Table of Contents |
April 25, 2003 Contact: Layne Lathram Phone: (202) 693-1999 Statement of John L. Henshaw Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health On Worker Memorial Day 2003 (WASHINGTON) -- April 28 is Worker Memorial Day. On this day we pause to recognize and remember those workers who lost their lives making a living, supporting their families and contributing to their communities. They worked in a whole host of jobs and spoke a multitude of languages. But they had one thing in common. One day they went to work and never came home. It is in their memory that we strive to keep improving the safety and health of America's workforce. In fact, our workplaces are safer and more healthful than ever before. Over the past 30 years worker fatalities have been cut by more than 60 percent, and injury and illness rates have declined by over 40 percent. More and more employers, trade associations, labor unions, workers, and safety and health professionals are committed to reducing injuries, illnesses and fatalities on the job. We applaud their efforts. The progress is good, but we must do more. Every day 16 workers die in this country, and many more become injured or seriously ill. We must challenge those who are not doing their part to step up to the plate. And we must challenge those who are doing well to do even better. Everyone must make a contribution if we are to drive down injuries, illnesses and fatalities even further. Safety and health add value to businesses, workplaces and people's lives. OSHA is working hard on several fronts to accomplish its mission of improving job safety and health. Our priorities are strong, fair and effective enforcement; expanded outreach, education and compliance assistance; and increased partnerships and voluntary programs. Our efforts also involve attention to new and emerging issues in order to improve our effectiveness in reducing injuries, illnesses and fatalities in the workplace. These include:
# # # U.S. Labor Department news releases are accessible on the Internet at www.dol.gov. The information in this release will be made available in alternative format upon request (large print, Braille, audio tape or disc) from the COAST office. Please specify which news release when placing your request. Call 202-693-7773 or TTY 202-693-7755. |
OSHA News Release - Table of Contents |
Back to Top | www.osha.gov | www.dol.gov |
Contact Us | Freedom of Information Act | Customer Survey Privacy and Security Statement | Disclaimers |
||
Occupational Safety & Health Administration 200 Constitution Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20210 |