Dear Colleague,

For everyone with an interest in the safety, health and welfare of people at work, Thursday April 28^th is an important date nationally and worldwide when we remember people killed or injured in work-related accidents.  In remembering, we also look forward collectively to a safe and healthy future for all workers.

Together, we’re asking you to mark Thursday 28^th April in your diary and to support this keynote national day which will be recognised by trade unions, employer representative organisations and companies and businesses nationwide.  Colleagues from Congress, Ibec, Construction Industry Federation and the Health & Safety Authority will join together to mark the occasion with a national commemorative event in Dublin.  This is supported by the Authority and by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation.

We’re asking you, as a key stakeholder, to join these efforts nationally and locally. There are a range of initiatives that your organisation should consider including:

• Get involved in creating awareness by using the official national Workers’ Memorial Day Ireland logo (see above) on your website, social media presence, presentations, email signatures, displays and in offices and workplaces. This is freely available to you to download and use from http://bit.ly/workers-mem-day
• Website/Social Media/Newsletter content
• In-house training sessions or a toolbox talk
• Guest speaker presentation to your staff
• Press release to your local/national media marking your event / the day

Worker safety is everyone’s business – for all organisations, employers and workers. In Ireland in the ten year period between 2006 and 2015, 525 people were killed in work-related accidents and many thousands more severely injured. Last year alone, 55 people were killed.   These are unacceptable figures which can be reduced through a combined and intensified effort by all concerned.  By working together and promoting the practice of health and safety in workplaces throughout Ireland we will achieve a significant drop in these dreadful numbers. We all have a responsibility to make sure that happens.

Thursday April 28^th is an important national day and an opportunity to remember and to consolidate everyone’s focus on the issue of worker health and safety.  Please mark this date now in your calendar and make the commitment to contribute to this essential challenge, by carrying out some of the activities above, or implementing initiatives of your own.

For further information, search “Workers’ Memorial Day” in your web browser or contact Frank Vaughan at Congress, ([email protected])  Please also let us know of your initiatives so that we can include them in our communications.

We ask for and we welcome your support for this event.

Yours sincerely

 

Martin O’Halloran                   Patricia King                 Danny McCoy                      Tom Parlon

Chief Executive                        General Secretary         Chief Executive                   Director General

HSA                                             ICTU                              IBEC                                         CIF