April 28, 2012, is International Workers’ Memorial Day.
Ceremonies to remember people who died on the job will take place across the U.S. and around the world.
On average, 12 workers die each day at work in the U.S. In 2010, the most recent year records are available, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics counted 4,547 employee fatalities.
That number has been decreasing most years, but not by a lot.
The United Support and Memorial for Workplace Fatalities has a list of memorial ceremonies on its website. The organization also manages the website Weekly Toll which contains photos and information about employees killed on the job in the U.S.
OSHA also has a webpage that documents weekly reports of fatalities in the workplace.
If you are in charge of safety at your workplace, this might be a good day to remind employees about the importance of safety and the consequences when it’s ignored.