HARRISBURG, Pa. — The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) observed Workers Memorial Day, a day to honor those who lost their lives in the workplace, on April 28.
“It gives an opportunity to reflect on the year past and the workers that are no longer with us, but it also reminds employers to actually take the time to listen to your people, give your facilities a real substantial review,” said Kevin Chambers, area director of OSHA’s Harrisburg office.
Since April 2022, South Central Pennsylvania had 19 workplace incidents resulting in 25 deaths, according to data released by OSHA. More than half of those happened in the last six months.
“Since Oct. 1 of 2022, we’ve had 16 people die on the job in the 14 counties that our Harrisburg office has coverage of,” Chambers said.
The incident with the most fatalities was the March 25 explosion at a West Reading chocolate factory.
One R. M. Palmer factory worker who was badly injured, Patricia Borges, said on April 6 from her hospital bed that the deaths of her coworkers could have been avoided if the building had been evacuated when workers complained about a gas odor about half an hour before the blast.
“When I began to burn, I thought it was the end for me. I wanted to speak so that this will be prevented in the future. With so many colleagues who have gone through this, it can't be left without justice,” Borges said.
The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 made companies pay more attention to workplace safety, Chambers said. The ultimate goal, though, is zero injuries or fatalities.
“There are substantially fewer fatalities that are occurring based upon the worker population than there was when the standards were first put in place 53 years ago,” Chambers said.
Both employers and employees can contact OSHA with questions or concerns about their workplace. You can find more information here.