Day of Mourning for workers hurt or killed on the job

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VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – No one goes to work expecting to get hurt — or worse, not being able to return home — but it does happen. With today and tomorrow being the national Days of Mourning, WorkSafeBC is reflecting on those injured and killed on the job.

News1130 is asking people about hazards at work and avoiding injuries.

One woman we spoke with works around power tools and heavy equipment all the time; her job in landscaping can be dangerous. “I was running around with a pair of shears the other day. These are two very large blades.”

“As a gardener and landscaper, we’re constantly carrying these types of tools, ” she adds. Having been injured many times before, she knows how easy it is to forget about common safety procedures.

We spoke with one man, whose job is to lay down the pavement you drive on; he hasn’t had any injuries yet because he’s careful. “You have to be really aware of where you are on the road, you have to keep hydrated, you have to stretch if you’re operating heavy equipment like jack hammers… You have to keep your body in good shape.”

He says it’s important to follow safety guidelines and brush up on first aid to keep him and his colleagues alive.

According to WorkSafeBC‘s 2011 stats, general construction and transportation-related fields have the highest number of workplace deaths. A ceremony will be held at the Jack Poole Plaza in Vancouver today to pay tribute to fallen workers.

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