A safety officer on Vancouver Island says we could do better in protecting workers ahead of Day of Mourning.
Chris Cinkant is a business agent and safety officer for United Steelworkers Local 1-1937, a union representing workers in all areas and sectors of Coastal B.C., including Vancouver Island.
With Day of Mourning ceremonies set for this weekend, Cinkant says nothing is more important in the workplace than safety.
“There is nothing else that compares,” said Cinkant. “Anybody who has been a worker knows of somebody who’s been killed or seriously injured on the job, so we all have personally experienced this day for anybody in the workforce.”
In 2023, 175 workers died from either a workplace injury or disease. Cinkant thinks everyone can do a better job at work safety, including the workers and employers.
“Workers using their right to refuse when they see something that is unsafe. Employers being much more diligent in recognizing unsafe practices, unsafe events and correct them quickly,” said Cinkant.
“It’s got to be a collaborative effort. All the efforts that we have made so far hasn’t worked because we continue to lose workers on the job.”
He says better participation between employers and workers, recognizing unsafe situations and correcting them immediately are ways to improve job safety.
He adds for Day of Mourning, he wants people to remember somebody that they knew who lost their life on the job and to be more diligent while working.
“We have got to mourn the dead and fight for the living.”
