Washington's Fallen Workers Ceremony To Honor Coronavirus Victims

OLYMPIA, WA — Washington's annual Worker Memorial Day ceremony will take place virtually Wednesday afternoon, with planned remarks from Gov. Jay Inslee, labor leaders and family members of those who have died in the course of the jobs.

Wednesday ceremony, hosted by the state Department of Labor & Industries, will honor 119 fallen workers, including at least two dozen Officials said claims filed with the state showed at least two down workers died after contracting COVID-19 while working in hospitals, long-term care facilities, agriculture jobs and other workplaces. Another two dozen workers died after battles with occupational illnesses.

Overall, 21 more Washington workers died from workplace accidents or illnesses in 2020, compared with 2019, and construction and agriculture continued to rank as the most dangerous, according to the state, with 43 deaths between them.

During the ceremony, the name of each fallen worker will be read aloud, followed by the ring of a bell.

L&I said falls, being struck or injured by machinery, and vehicle crashes are the leading causes of workplace deaths. Those being remembered Wednesday ranged in age from 20 to 98 years old.

"The people we honor went to work thinking they would come home to their friends and families, but never did," said Joel Sacks, director of L&I. "Knowing that every one of these deaths was preventable reminds us we must all work harder to ensure workers make it home safely at the end of the day."

Washington has hosted its Worker Memorial Day ceremony for more than 20 years. April 28 was chosen as a nod to the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), which took effect on that date in 1971.

Once again, this year's ceremony will take place virtually and can be streamed live on the L&I website, starting at 2 p.m.

"The fact that we aren't able to be together in person for the ceremony is a reminder of just how tough this past year has been," Sacks said. "No one can attest to that more than the families who lost a loved one."