#Putyourbootsout #asbestos International Workers Memorial Day
Will you fall silent at Noon today and remember the people that die at work.
They set off after kissing the wife and cuddling the kids and patting the dog as they pick up their case, or tools etc and get into the car and then for what ever reason life will never be the same again.
- 2,538 mesothelioma deaths due to past asbestos exposures (2013)
- 142 workers killed at work
- 76,000 other injuries to employees reported under RIDDOR
- 611,000 injuries occurred at work according to the Labour Force Survey
- 27.3 million working days lost due to work-related illness and workplace injury
- £14.3 billion estimated cost of injuries and ill health from current working conditions (2013/14)
We Mesowarriors carry the scars of our loved ones killed just by working and where we came into contact with Asbestos.
Or Women like myself just washing our loved ones clothes.
This just should not have happened. The work place should be a friendly safe environment.
So lets stand in silence at 12 noon and Remember but also lets think about safety in our lives to.
Fight for the Asbestos Workers and their families
Today is Workers Memorial Day
The TUC say —
The purpose behind Workers’ Memorial Day has always been to “remember the dead: fight for the living” and unions are asked to focus on both areas, by considering events or memorial to remember all those killed through work but at the same time ensuring that such tragedies are not repeated. That can best be done by building trade union organisation, and campaigning for stricter enforcement with higher penalties for breaches of health & safety laws.
Workers Memorial Day is commemorated throughout the world and is officially recognised by the UK Government.
In 2016 the theme for the day is “Strong Laws – Strong enforcement – Strong Unions” because across the world we are seeing growing attacks on health and safety protection, including in Britain where the Government have removed protection form millions of self-employed workers, and across Europe where the European Commission are pursuing a dangerous de-regulatory strategy. However strong laws are not enough if they are not going to be enforced. That is why we need proper inspections and enforcement action against those who break the laws. Here in the UK the number of inspections has fallen dramatically in the past five years, however in many other countries enforcement has always been non-existent. That is why we also need strong unions. Unionised workplaces are safer, yet the Government is trying to stop unions protecting the health and safety of their members by restricting the right of health and safety representatives to take time off to keep the workplace safer, and also trying to reduce our right to strike when things go wrong.
Unite the Unions Say
Every year on 28 April, trade unions and workplace health and safety campaigners all over the world remember those who have tragically lost their lives because of work. The slogan for the day is “remember the dead – fight for the living.” Many of us will know of someone who has died at work, or is suffering from serious injuries or occupational disease.
IWMD 2016: Strong Laws, Strong Enforcement, Strong Unions
This year’s theme is Strong Laws, Strong Enforcement and Strong Unionbecause across the world we are seeing growing attacks on health and safety protection, including in Britain where the government have removed protection from millions of self-employed workers, and across Europe where the European Commission are pursuing a dangerous de-regulatory strategy. However, strong laws are not enough if they are not going to be enforced. That is why we need proper inspections and enforcement action against those who break the laws. Here in the UK the number of inspections has fallen dramatically in the past five years, however in many other countries enforcement has always been non-existent. That is why we also need strong unions. Unionised workplaces are safer, yet the government is trying to stop unions protecting the health and safety of their members by restricting the right of health and safety representatives to take time off to keep the workplace safer, and also trying to reduce our right to strike when things go wrong.
Unions make work SAFER: Decent work for all!
Unite has fought hard to secure safe workplaces and with strong organised workplaces we can ensure that such incidents and tragedies do not happen again – make sure you mark International Workers Memorial Day on 28 April.
– See more at: http://www.unitetheunion.org/unite-at-work/healthsafety/international-workers-memorial-day/#sthash.JUcTnmJP.dpuf
The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO), which combines education, advocacy, and community to prevent exposure and ensure justice for asbestos victims, today issued the following statement from Linda Reinstein, mesothelioma widow and ADAO President and Co-Founder for International Workers’ Memorial Day.
“As we observe International Workers’ Memorial Day (IWMD), we somberly remember the millions of workers who have been injured or killed at work.
“Asbestos, a human carcinogen, remains the greatest single cause of work related deaths. Exposure can cause mesothelioma, lung, gastrointestinal, colorectal, laryngeal, and ovarian cancers; as well as non-malignant lung and pleural disorders.
“Asbestos remains legal and lethal in the United States today. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), ‘about 125 million people in the world are exposed to asbestos at the workplace” and “more than 107 000 deaths each year are attributable to occupational exposure to asbestos.’
“Congress has failed Americans by not passing legislation to ban asbestos, and instead, has allowed those who caused this man-made disaster to shirk their liability and responsibility to the sick and dying. Since the first IWMD in 1970, the United States has used over eight billion metric tons of asbestos and hundreds of thousands of Americans have died from preventable asbestos-caused diseases.
“While promising research continues, prevention remains the only cure. For each life lost, a shattered family is left behind. In the spirit of Mary Harris ‘Mother’ Jones, ‘Pray for the dead, and fight like hell for the living.’ Enough is enough.”
http://www.asbestosdiseaseawareness.org/archives/39572
PS This is tragic; as we were gathered across Scotland to commemorate International Workers Memorial Day another Scottish worker is killed at work.
A workman has died in an accident at the site of the new Queensferry Crossing this morning.
The Courier understands there was an incident just before 12pm at the north tower.
It is thought the incident on the £1.4 billion bridge, due to be completed by the end of this year, involved a crane.
Reports from the scene say one man has died and a second workman has been injured.
His injuries are minor.
It is believed a boat brought the fatally injured man to shore at Hawes Pier in South Queensferry where he was transferred to hospital by ambulance.
All work has been halted in the area.
A fleet of small boats is currently shuttling workers from all three towers safely to shore.
Boats are used in getting the huge workforce to and from their workplace in the Forth every day.
The Health and Safety Executive confirmed they were aware of the incident and were attending the scene, with the police, at this point.
A Police Scotland spokesman has confirmed one man had died in the incident while a second worker has suffered minor injuries.
The spokesman added: “We are currently working alongside our partner agencies to investigate an incident on the Queensferry Crossing bridge that resulted in a man sustaining fatal injuries.
“The call was received around 12.20pm on Thursday and sadly, the man was pronounced dead a short time later.
“Another man on the bridge also sustained minor injuries.
“Enquiries to establish the full circumstances surrounding this matter are ongoing.”
A spokesperson for the project said: “We are deeply saddened to have to confirm there was an incident just before noon on April 28 on the Queensferry Crossing’s north tower in which a person has lost his life.
“One other person has been taken to hospital.
“All activity has been stopped at the north tower.
“Our thoughts are with the family and friends of our colleague and co-worker at this time.”
© SWNS
