Ceremony pays tribute to North Okanagan, B.C. workers who passed away

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“In our region of the North Okanagan, one worker lost their life last year.”

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Comeau did not provide specifics about the circumstances surrounding the local life that was lost.

He and the other speakers at the ceremony emphasized the need for workers to be safe, and to know their rights.

“We work closely with these [employers, workers, industry, health and safety associations, unions, and other key groups] to ensure employers understand their responsibilities, and to ensure workers know about their rights in the workplace and that they can’t be penalized for exercising these rights. These include the right to know about workplace hazards and risks; the right to participate in health and safety activities; and the right to refuse unsafe work,” Comeau said.

“Workplace safety is not only an organizational responsibility, it’s one that we all share. When we choose awareness, care and accountability, we honour those who we remember today, not only with words but with the action that we carry on the worksite,” Mayor Victor Cumming stated.

“We must recognize the immense value of every worker’s life and prioritize their safety. Creating a safer work environment requires action and commitment to collaboration. Employers must take responsibility for providing safe working conditions, ensuring that hazards are identified and eliminated, and they should actively engage with workers to foster open lines of communication, valuing their input and involving them in decisions that affect their safety. As workers, we have a crucial role to play in ensuring our own safety and the safety of our colleagues, we must be proactive in identifying potential risks and reporting them to our supervisors. By speaking up, we can help create a workplace culture that values safety and encourages everyone to take an active role in preventing accidents and injuries,” Margaret Bell with CUPE Local 626 said.

Bell and Amy Klassen, a representative from the office of Vernon-Lumby MLA, Harwinder Sandhu, also said training and education were key components in creating safe work places.

The speakers also reflected on how these incidents not just cut a life short, but also had impacts on their family, friends and loved ones. Ashton Sykes with Vernon Fire Rescue said he was one of those people, telling the roughly 60 attendees about a friend and fellow firefighter who passed away due to cancer caused by toxic smoke inhaled while on the job.

The event concluded with a moment of silence.