April 25, 2018 – This Saturday, April 28—the national Day of Mourning—we remember and honour workers who have died, been injured or suffered illness in the workplace.

To honour those who never made the commute home, Ontario’s WSIB has dressed a TTC streetcar in black for the month of April. Tomorrow, on April 26, the streetcar will run empty during evening rush hour to help us remember the 200+ people who die each year from work-related injury or illness.

Please check out the video above, and SHARE.

On the evening of April 28, the 3-D Toronto sign in Nathan Phillips Square, the CN Tower and Niagara Falls will be lit in yellow, reports WSIB, to unite Ontarians in remembrance and as a visual tribute.

And, if I may be so bold, let’s also use the Day of Mourning as a reminder for ourselves to review our own work practices. Are we working safely? Are we cutting corners, failing to test before touch, not calling out unsafe practices by a co-worker, not reporting near misses, and so on?

Workplace safety extends to beyond the actual jobsite. For example, consider your driving habits getting to and from the jobsite. Are you reckless or responsible?

What about your mental state of mind? Did you get a good night’s sleep, or are you driving to work with a hangover? Are you depressed or anxious? Are you talking to anyone about it?

Are you doing everything in your power to ensure you make it home safely tonight and every night?

If not, please start. Don’t become one of Ontario’s 200+.

— Anthony Capkun, Editor • acapkun@annexbusinessmedia.com •