Workers’ Memorial Day is not a national holiday or often recognized in schools but holds a special significance for many Americans; particularly those who have lost a loved one due to a workplace injury. Workers Memorial Day occurs on April 28 every year to mark the date the Occupational Safety and Health Act went into effect on April 28, 1971, resulting in the creation of a new government agency called The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). OSHA marked a turning point in workplace safety by establishing an agency that set and enforced workplace safety standards across the United States.
What Effect Has OSHA Had on Reducing Workplace Deaths and Injuries?
Even though the number of workers increased from 1970 to 2023, the number of workplace fatalities have dramatically declined since OSHA’s creation. In 1970, when OSHA was established, it was estimated that 14,000 workers died as a result of a workplace accident – an average of 38 people per day.
Following decades of OSHA’s creation of and enforcement of workplace safety standards, the number of workplace deaths decreased to 5,283 in 2023.
What Are Industry Experts and Labor Unions Focusing on for Workers’ Memorial Day 2025?
Even with this progress, many labor unions and industry experts are concerned that OSHA’s enforcement abilities are hampered by insufficient manpower and penalties in addition to insufficient protections for whistleblowers.
Further, recent reporting raises concern that proposed legislative and executive action suggests OSHA may be in the crosshairs for budget cuts. Some industry experts are concerned potential cuts to OSHA will threaten its ability to maintain the current level of enforcement of these safety rules. For example, a 2024 House bill proposed a budget that would reduce OSHA’s funding by almost 12%. Additionally, OSHA’s operations appear to be facing scrutiny from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), where it has been reported that as many as seventeen (17) OSHA office leases have been terminated.
Why Does Plakas Mannos Honor Workers’ Memorial Day?
Each year, the USW Golden Lodge Union Hall hosts Canton area companies, unions, and families of victims of workplace deaths for a Workers’ Memorial Day vigil and memorial service. As a part of this service, a moment of silence is observed as the names of all local workers who have died in the prior year are read and honored. For our lawyers, this event holds special meaning as some of our clients’ names are read and it provides an opportunity for reflection on their life, and our mission to help investigate the causes of their deaths so we can obtain justice for their families.
We continue to believe that every worker has a right to expect to return home from work at the end of the day. In representing workers’ families for decades, we have encountered some wonderful companies that prioritize safety, and others that do not.
If your loved one has been the victim of a work-related death, our industrial accident lawyers have the training and experience that enable us to identify dangerous safety failures that cause tragic injuries. Our team of workplace safety lawyers includes two who are among the few attorneys in Ohio who have earned an OSHA 10 Certification in Construction (Maria Klutinoty Edwards) and General Industry (Collin Wise). This special training on the Department of Labor’s Federal Regulations helps identify dangerous conditions and causes of accidents.
We encourage all to use this occasion to attend your local Workers’ Memorial Day Event to show support for families who have lost loved ones as a result of a work-related death.
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