TNDC News

PLEDGING OUR COMMITMENT TO SAFETY ON DAY OF MOURNING

April 28 is Day of Mourning, an important and sombre day for safety in British Columbia. Every year, workers, families, employers and communities come together at events around the province to remember those who have lost their lives on the job, and to renew their commitment to creating safer workplaces.

WHY IT MATTERS

Every injury, disease or death serves as a powerful reminder that employers and employees have an important responsibility to ensure workers and workplaces are healthy and safe. In 2023, 175 BC workers died from a workplace injury or disease:

• 82 fatalities due to traumatic injury
• 93 fatalities due to occupational disease

Our industry and our communities are not immune and have been impacted by multiple fatalities in recent years. We have seen the impacts close to home. Every death – and injury – on the job is one too many. Behind every death, is a coworker, friend and loved one – parent, spouse, partner, family member, and even pets – left behind.

SAFETY IS A PRIORITY AND CORPORATE VALUE

TNDC is committed to ensuring a safe work environment for our employees and everyone we work with. That is why safety is more than a top priority; Safety First, Safety Always is a core value that guides everything we do.

TNDC holds a Certificate of Recognition (COR) from WorkSafeBC, reinforcing our commitment to protecting workers and maintaining a progressive safety culture. Our target is zero – near misses, incidents and injuries – to ensure everyone goes home safe every day.

FOSTERING A SAFE WORKPLACE

Safety is a responsibility shared by every member of the TNDC team. We cultivate a strong safety culture focussed on training, support, mentorship, responsibility and accountability, to reduce and prevent incidents, heighten risk awareness, and encourage positive behaviour.

Our Health, Safety and Environment Manual, TNDC Safety Rules and TNDC Life Saving Rules guide employees in safe behaviour and protocols. Our Verification of Competencies, Safe Operating Procedures, and Green Hand, Gold Hand programs are instrumental in ensuring our employees are prepared, capable and supported in their role.

COMMITMENT TO SAFETY

Safety is everyone’s responsibility and a continuous journey that requires all employees to embrace a Safety First, Safety Always mindset to ensure they and those they work with finish their shift safely every day. On this solemn day, we all renew our commitment to creating a safer workplace, to ensure we all go home safe. We all pledge not to be a statistic.

MOMENT OF SILENCE

To honour this sombre occasion, the TNDC team is reflecting on safety and holding a moment of silence. During their morning toolbox meeting, TNDC managers and supervisors will be leading their teams in discussing the Day of Mourning and asking them to pledge their commitment to safety.

LEARN MORE

To learn more about this important day and make an online tribute to someone you know who has lost their life in a workplace incident, visit dayofmourning.bc.ca.