The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU), along with the Government, the Health and Safety Authority (HSA), IBEC, the CIF and NISO will collectively mark Workers’ Memorial Day Ireland on April 28th.

The annual commemorative event, which takes place at the Garden of Remembrance, Parnell Square, Dublin 1 from 10.30am, remembers those killed, injured, made ill and bereaved through work-related accidents.

Congress Assistant General Secretary Owen Reidy will be joined by Mark Cullen, interim CEO of the Health & Safety Authority, and Minister Neale Richmond TD who will lay a wreath on behalf of the State to remember those workers we have lost.

In Ireland in the ten-year period between 2013 and 2022, 461 people died in work-related incidents and many thousands more were severely injured or made ill. In 2022 alone, 27 people died in work-related incidents.

Fórsa said these were unacceptable figures which can be reduced through a combined and intensified effort by all concerned. By working together and promoting the practice of safety and health in workplaces throughout Ireland we can achieve a significant drop in these dreadful numbers. “We all have a responsibility to make sure that happens,” the union said.

Workers representing a variety of sectors will also lay flowers in memory of those who have been killed, injured or made ill at work. The important occasion also collectively recommits to making workplaces safer.

Global figures show that a worker dies at least once every ten seconds. Even more are left with life-altering injuries and illnesses because their employer did not protect them.

Workers’ Memorial Day presents an important opportunity to remember and to consolidate everyone’s focus around a single day with the single message that workplace deaths are preventable.

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