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Washington honors 115 fallen workers at annual Worker Memorial Day ceremony
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Summary
The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries held its annual Worker Memorial Day ceremony to honor 115 workers who died from job-related injuries or illness; leaders from labor, business, and state government urged renewed safety commitments and families shared personal remembrances.
Washington State Department of Labor and Industries Director Joel Sachs opened the annual Worker Memorial Day ceremony at the L&I auditorium, inviting families and officials to remember 115 workers who died from work-related injuries or illnesses.
The ceremony drew labor leaders, business representatives and the governor, who each framed workplace safety as a shared responsibility. "When you go to work, two things should happen: you should get every penny that you've worked hard for, and your workplace should be as safe as humanly possible," the governor said in remarks praising state investigators and L&I staff.
Joel Sachs thanked L&I investigators, pension staff and language interpreters, and invited families to the memorial garden to ring the state's memorial bell. "We will have a year when that bell falls silent," Sachs said, repeating the annual goal of preventing workplace deaths.
April Sims, president of the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO, urged continued organizing and enforcement, saying "Every one of these deaths was preventable" and invoking OSHA's founding as a reminder of gains won by worker advocacy. Morgan Arwin, vice president of government affairs for the Association of Washington Business, acknowledged safety progress while noting more work remains; he thanked families and said employers must remain vigilant. Matt Saxon, risk manager at Seattle Public Schools and past president of the Washington Self Insurers Association, called for strong safety practices, training and safety cultures.
Family members and friends gave testimony during the program, and the ceremony included a musical tribute by the Tumwater High School Notables and a roll call of the honorees. Director Sachs cited L&I data on leading causes of death and called for employers and workers to make routine safety checks a habit.
The event concluded with a benediction and an invitation for families to ring the bell in the memorial garden and share memories.
