Nova Scotians remember those lost in workplace accidents on National Day of Mourning

Dozens of people across Nova Scotia came together at Province House on Sunday for National Day of Mourning, an annual day that remembers those who have died of or were injured because of a workplace accident.

Friends, family and other community members gathered for the ceremony. Among them was Nicole Beck-Maceachern, the daughter of a man who lost his life to a work-related incident in 2004.

“The impact is far-reaching” said Beck-Maceachern in her speech during the ceremony. “It’s not just the day of the month of the year. You know, 20 years in and it’s still affecting my life.”

Beck-Maceachern said her father Ronald William Beck was taken from a senseless workplace incident that could have been prevented.

“Over the next couple of days people came and went but the pain never did. I tried my best to stay strong for my mom and my sister and they did the same for me. Each of us playing the role of strength instead of allowing ourselves to feel what we needed to feel,” she said.

Following the loss of her father Beck-Maceachern struggled coping, which she says in-turn affected her mental health and personal relationships.

“It seems so absurd to me that my dad, winner of any safety awards and refused work because of safety concerns, would lose his life being crushed between two rail cars that had faulty breaks.”

She said it is important to share her story so it can help others make the right decision.

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“I hope that everybody that hears my story goes to work with workplace safety at the forefront of their mind and never let it go because it’s the number one thing. Everybody deserves to go to work and come home safe,” she said.

Over the years Nova Scotia is seeing less workplace injuries and death, however it still happens.

“We’ve had four tragedies and fatalities [this year]. Every single death [and] every single injury is one too many. However, the trend in Nova Scotia has gone down,” said Saeed El-Darahali, chair of the Worker Compensation Board of Nova Scotia.

For more Nova Scotia news visit our dedicated provincial page.