Maine Dept. of Labor Commemorates Workers Memorial Day

April 29, 2024

For Immediate Release: April 28, 2024

Maine Dept. of Labor Commemorates Workers Memorial Day

MAINE - April 28 is nationally recognized as Workers Memorial Day, a day to remember those who have died on, or as a result of, their job.

"In 2023, at least 23 Maine workers died while either on the job, traveling to or from the job, or as a result of an injury or illness connected to their work," Labor Commissioner Laura Fortman said. "This includes at least three individuals who were working when they lost their lives in the tragic shooting in Lewiston this past October. We mourn each of the lives lost, we reflect on the impact their loss has on their families and communities, and we recommit ourselves to our duty to protect the workers of Maine. Safety is everyone's business, and everyone deserves to go home to their families at the end of the workday."

Today is also the fifty-third anniversary of the federal Occupational Safety & Health Act - https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/oshact/completeoshact going into effect, promising every worker the right to a safe job. This was following decades of tragic and preventable losses of American workers lives. In 1970, it is estimated, around 14,000 American workers were killed on the job.

In 2022, the last year for which there is a complete record, there were 5,486 fatal work injuries recorded in the United States. While an improvement from 1970, it is a 5.7-percent increase from 5,190 in 2021. The fatal work injury rate was 3.7 fatalities per 100,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers, up from 3.6 per 100,000 FTE in 2021.

These are the highest national numbers recorded since the Great Recession, with 5,657 fatal work injuries recorded in 2007, and means that in the U.S. a worker died every 96 minutes from a work-related injury in 2022.

The Maine Department of Labor works to evolve with the needs of today's workers and employers. Some steps the Department takes to improve workplace safety and health are:

• Holding classes through the SafetyWorks! Training Institute - https://www.safetyworksmaine.gov/ to help employers and workers learn how to use equipment safely and correctly
• Providing no-cost safety consultations for employers
• Increasing awareness through messaging and publications about workplace hazards
• Collecting data on deaths and injuries in order to see trends
• Administering the Safety and Health Achievement and Recognition Program (SHARP) - https://www.safetyworksmaine.gov/safeworkplace/sharp.shtml, and Safety and Health Award for Public Employers (SHAPE) - https://www.safetyworksmaine.gov/safeworkplace/shape.shtml to promote workplace safety and health
• Collaborating with other agencies, from federal partners such as OSHA to local industry alliances, to provide Maines employers with information, guidance, and access to training resources to protect workers
• Enforcing workplace safety and health laws in Maines public sector, including by issuing penalties for serious violations

The Department encourages any employer or worker who has questions or concerns about workplace safety to reach out to the Workplace Safety and Health Division at 207-623-7900.

For more information on Maines SafetyWorks! Training Institute and how to sign up for no-cost consultations and trainings, visit: https://www.safetyworksmaine.gov/

For more information on Workers Memorial Day events and initiatives happening nationwide, visit: https://www.osha.gov/workers-memorial