Monday, April 26, 2010

Workers Remembered


Larry and Cheryl MacKay from New Germany are sharing their story as part of a Day of Mourning campaign in support of families affected by workplace tragedy. In 1999 Larry, a saw-filer in a saw mill, called home from the hospital to tell Cheryl he cut his hand on a saw. Doctors performed surgery to repair tendons and possible nerve damage, but an infection developed that caused the wound to open and damage the repair work. In Lunenburg County alone, about 870 people were injured at work last year. Nearly 200 of those injuries were serious enough that the worker had to lose time from work to recover. On Wednesday, (April 28th) Nova Scotia joins the rest of Canada and more than 80 countries worldwide to commemorate the Day of Mourning and pay tribute to those who died or were injured at work. The WCB has produced an awareness campaign in partnership with the Nova Scotia Department of Labour and Workforce Development, the Nova Scotia Federation of Labour and Threads of Life, a charitable organization dedicated to supporting families affected by workplace tragedy. To read more about Larry and Cheryl MacKay’s story and the Day of Mourning campaign, visit www.dayofmourning.ns.ca.