On April 28, Workers' Memorial Day, the United States will join the international labor community in remembering those workers who have died or been injured on the job. On an average day in the United States, as a result of work-related injuries or illnesses, nearly 11,000 workers are treated in emergency departments, and approximately 200 of these workers are hospitalized. An estimated 7,000 private-sector workers require time away from their jobs, 15 workers die from their injuries, and 134 die from work-related diseases. The emotional, economic, and social costs of these injuries and illnesses are immense. In 2001, workers' compensation costs for employers alone totaled $64 billion. Workers' Memorial Day also will commemorate the 33rd anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Act, which created the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to lead the effort to create safer workplaces. Additional information about workplace safety is available at
https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ or telephone, 800-356-4674. Erratum published MMWR 53(17):372, May 7, 2004
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5317a7.htm
