Service to commemorate those who died at work

Organised by Rotherham Trade Union Council, the event marked the annual Workers’ Memorial Day and is part of international activity to emphasise the importance of safety in the workplace.

This year the theme for the day was “removing exposure to hazardous substances in the workplace”.

Rotherham TUC says workers’ safety at work should be paramount.

Pat Keenan, chairman of Rotherham TUC, said: “Up to 20,000 people die each year from work-related diseases and about 5,000 from asbestos-related diseases alone.

“In the UK each year about 15,000 people are killed while doing their jobs, including those killed on the roads while working.

“We encourage all workers to join a trade union and organise to protect themselves and their colleagues from harm.”

There were representatives from all the main unions at the service last Sunday including Community, UCATT, Unite and UNISON, as well as parliamentary candidates, the Mayor of Rotherham Cllr John Foden and councillors in attendance.

There was also a speech from Sheffield and Rotherham Asbestos Group about the ongoing concerns about asbestos in schools.

Commemorations were also held throughout the world last Tuesday, including a one minute’s silence in workplaces at 12 noon.

Tens of thousands of people die every year because of their work. Most of these because of exposure to dangerous substances, according to union safety experts.

The TUC says hazardous substances are found in almost every workplace in the UK and many workers have no protection against the possible effects, despite the fact that tens of thousands of workers have their health destroyed by asthma, dermatitis, lung disorders and cancers because of exposures.

They range from cleaning fluids in almost every workplace, silica dust in construction, tobacco smoke in prisons right through to blood and faeces in health and social care.

The global union confederation ITUC says the theme includes an opportunity for unions to highlight chemical-related hazards and asbestos “as well as the Ebola virus and other potentially hazardous biological exposures.”