Workers' Memorial Day 2027 is on Wednesday

About Workers' Memorial Day

The day has two sides that are often summed up as remembering the dead and fighting for the living. Communities hold vigils, wreath layings and moments of silence for workers lost to accidents and occupational diseases, while unions, employers and safety agencies use the date to push for better training, protective equipment and enforcement of safety laws.

It started in Canada. The Canadian Labour Congress launched a day of remembrance for workers in the 1980s, and in 1991 Parliament passed the Workers Mourning Day Act, which names April 28 the Day of Mourning for Persons Killed or Injured in the Workplace. The act states plainly that it is not a legal holiday. On the day the Canadian flag flies at half-mast on Parliament Hill and federal buildings, and the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety encourages a moment of silence at 11 a.m. CCOHS, citing the Association of Workers' Compensation Boards of Canada, reports 1,057 workplace deaths recorded in Canada in 2023.

The idea spread through the labor movement. According to the United Nations, trade unions worldwide have marked April 28 as the International Commemoration Day for Dead and Injured Workers since 1996. In 2003 the International Labour Organization began observing the same date as the World Day for Safety and Health at Work, which focuses on preventing accidents and disease and has a different theme each year.

In the United States, unions hold local events and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration organizes its own memorial ceremony, wreath laying and safety events around April 28. CCOHS notes that the observance has spread to more than 100 countries. It is a working day rather than a public holiday.

Sources: United Nations: World Day for Safety and Health at Work, 28 April, Justice Laws Website (Government of Canada): Workers Mourning Day Act, S.C. 1991, c. 15, Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety: National Day of Mourning, OSHA: 2026 Workers Memorial Day (archived April 2026). How we check dates.

How to mark Workers' Memorial Day

• Join a local vigil or wreath-laying, or pause for a minute's silence at 11 a.m. with your coworkers.
• Walk through your own workplace and report any hazard you have been meaning to mention.
• Check that your team knows where the first aid kit, fire exits and emergency procedures are.
• If you supervise others, make sure new and young workers have had proper safety training before they start a task.
• Learn about a workplace disaster in your region's history and the safety rules that came out of it.
• Support the families of workers killed on the job through a union or community fund.

Workers' Memorial Day dates