International Workers Memorial Day - remember the dead, fight for the living

Today is International Workers Memorial Day – a global act of remembrance which commemorates individuals who have lost their lives at work and campaigns for better health and safety to protect people at work today.

“Remember the dead, fight for the living”

At Digby Brown, we understand that having proper and reliable health and safety measures in the workplace really matters because we witness the negative impact on workers when such measures are not in place.

That’s why this year’s theme – “Remember the dead, fight for the living” - is particularly poignant.

Our solicitors help thousands of people across Scotland every year who have experienced harm and suffered losses due to workplace incidents.

No one should have to endure such circumstances.

The latest Health & Safety Executive data

Annual statistics relating to UK workplace safety shows us:

• Ill health increased to 1.8m in 2021/22 – the year before there were 1.7m
• Stress, depression or anxiety rose by more than 100,000 bringing the current level to 914,000 cases
• Non-fatal injuries rose by 41.25% from 400,000 cases to 565,000
• The number of fatalities has decreased by 19 – from 142 in 2020/21 to 123 in 2021/22.

The increase of stress, depression or anxiety in the workplace has been evident over several years.

Factors that contribute to such conditions are commonly linked to increased workloads, lack of support and bullying.

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic were also found to be a major contributory factor to work related stress, depression or anxiety, with HSE officials estimating that 123,000 workers suffered from COVID-19 in 2021/22 (an increase of 32% from 2020/21) which they believe they contracted at work.

These numbers reflect the very real, very devastating impact that workplace injuries continue to have on those affected.

This is why we can’t lose sight of the fact that behind each reported case – whether a fatality, accident or incidence of ill-health – there is a person or family battling through trauma.

We cannot be complacent with workplace health and safety

It is clear from these statistics that making occupational health and safety a fundamental right at work is of even more crucial relevance than ever.

International Workers Memorial Day is an opportunity to highlight the fact that too many people are still exposed to unacceptable risks while going about their jobs. This is not an issue which will go away.

Digby Brown are not only committed to providing those injured at work with legal help and representation but to continuing to raise awareness of this issue so that work is safer for all of us.

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Gordon Dalyell, Partner
Edinburgh office