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Workers Memorial Day, April 28, was established to recognize workers who died or were injured on the job. It also encourages us to think of ways in which we all can help to achieve the goal of safer and healthier workplaces.
Workers Memorial Day, April 28, was established to recognize workers who died or were injured on the job. On average, 16 workers in the United States die each day from injuries sustained at work , and 134 are estimated to die from work-related diseases . Daily, an estimated 11,200 private-sector workers have a nonfatal work-related injury or illness, and as a result, more than half require a job transfer, work restrictions, or time away from their jobs . An estimated 9,000 workers are treated in emergency departments each day because of occupational injuries, and approximately 200 of these workers are hospitalized . In 2005, workers' compensation costs for employers totaled an estimated $89 billion .
Workers Memorial Day 2009 also will commemorate the thirty-eighth anniversary of the creation of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in the U.S. Department of Labor. While much progress has been made in preventing work-related injuries, illnesses, and deaths since NIOSH and OSHA were created in 1971, more remains to be done. The occasion of Workers Memorial Day encourages us to think of ways in which we all can help to achieve the goal of safer and healthier workplaces. Additional information on workplace safety and health is available online at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ or by telephone, 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636).
Related Resources
- Workers Memorial Day Statement by Christine M. Branche, Ph.D., Acting Director, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), on Workers’ Memorial Day 2009.
- NIOSH contributions to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report for April 24, 2009, honoring Workers Memorial Day, are as follows:
- "Workers Memorial Day -- April 28, 2009," U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, April 24, 2009, 58(15);389
- "Work-Related Fatalities Associated with Tree Care Operations --- United States, 1992--2007," U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, April 24, 2009, 58(15);389-393
- "Malignant Mesothelioma Mortality --- United States, 1999--2005," U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, April 24, 2009, 58(15);393-396
- Poem for the occasion of Workers' Memorial Day written and perfomed by Stacy Smallwood, public health professional and performance poet.
Page last updated:
April 23, 2009
Page last reviewed:
April 23, 2009
Content Source: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
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Workers Memorial Day
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