RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) – More than 100 North Carolinians who died last year while on the job were honored Monday during Workers Memorial Day events in Raleigh.
Workers Memorial Day is observed annually across the country to recognize those who have died or been injured on the job and to recommit efforts to improving workplace safety. In North Carolina, both advocates and officials emphasized the importance of ongoing safety measures and regulatory enforcement.
Commissioner of Labor Luke Farley addressed the occasion through an online video message, emphasizing the human impact behind each name honored during the memorial.
“Behind every name, is a life, a story, a family that’s been changed forever. And at the [N.C.] Department of Labor, we’re working every day to build a culture of safety across our state,” said Farley.
The North Carolina Department of Labor oversees workplace safety enforcement across a wide range of industries statewide. Farley stressed the agency was focused on making job sites safer.
“We’re holding bad actors accountable, while partnering with employers to build strong, effective safety programs that protect every worker,” added Farley. “Our vision is simple, to make North Carolina the safest place to work in the country,” said Farley.
During the memorial ceremony in Raleigh, a bell was rung 177 times, once for each worker who died in North Carolina in 2023, according to the most recent available data. The bell-ringing ceremony served as a solemn reminder of the ongoing need to prioritize safety in workplaces across the state.
The observance not only paid tribute to fallen workers but also served as a platform for worker advocates to raise concerns about how proposed federal budget cuts could impact workplace safety. At a rally held in downtown Raleigh, MaryBe Millian, President of the North Carolina AFL-CIO, outlined specific cuts she believes could threaten worker protections.
“Gutting the national institute for occupational safety and health known as NIOSH, eliminating 34 offices of the Mine Health and Safety Administration, and eliminating 11 offices of the occupational safety and health administration,” said Millian.