Remembering Those Who Never Came Home: International Workers’ Memorial Day

Today, on International Workers’ Memorial Day, we pause to honour those who have lost their lives at work and to renew our commitment that no worker should pay for their job with their life.

The symbol of International Workers’ Memorial Day is a pair of empty work boots

The history of workplace safety is a history of campaigners refusing to accept that suffering is simply the cost of labour. In the 1830s and 40s, Lord Shaftesbury campaigned tirelessly to limit the brutal hours children and adults were forced to work in factories, eventually winning landmark legislation through the Factory Acts.

A century later, the rising toll of workplace deaths — nearly 168,000 casualties in 1958, climbing to over 323,000 by 1969 — could no longer be ignored. Unions, inspectors, and campaigners pushed for comprehensive reform, and the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 widened the scope of protection to all workers in all workplaces. Since then, fatal injuries have fallen by around 85%.

Then there is asbestos: despite scientists raising concerns from the 1920s onwards, it took decades of pressure from victims, campaigners, doctors and trade unionists before action was finally taken, with a full ban eventually coming in 1999.

Yet the danger is far from over. Construction workers still face daily risks from falls and machinery. Cleaners and maintenance workers are too often exposed to hazardous chemicals with insufficient protection. Even today, around 5,000 people a year still die from asbestos-related disease in the UK: a painful reminder that yesterday’s failures cast long shadows.

This day also invites us to recognise something often overlooked: grief in the workplace. When a colleague dies, those who worked alongside them carry a loss that deserves to be named and honoured. Workplaces are communities, and grief belongs there too.

This morning, a service of prayer and remembrance was held at Katharine Cree in the City of London, giving a moment to gather and to recommit ourselves to the cause of safe and dignified work for all.