US Department of Labor honors fallen workers with national Workers Memorial Day program April 24

The U.S. Department of Labor will honor workers whose jobs have claimed their lives during its national Workers Memorial Day program on April 24, 2025. 

The department will welcome families traveling from across the country to the nation’s capital for the program, which pays tribute to men and women who have lost their lives while on the job, as well as all the fallen workers before them, and the survivors who remain to grieve and carry on.

Today, work-related injuries in the U.S. claim about 15 people’s lives a day. In 2023, a reported 5,283 workers  suffered fatal injuries, a decrease of 203 worker deaths from 2022.

U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Occupational Safety and Health Administration Acting Assistant Secretary Amanda Wood Laihow, and Mine Safety and Health Administration Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy James Paul McHugh will speak during this year’s Workers Memorial Day ceremony, which will be held at the department’s Washington headquarters at 1 p.m. EDT. The event will also be livestreamed. 

Workers Memorial Day is observed on April 28 with local observances across the country that bring together workers, families, and unions in a shared commitment to preventing workplace hazards so that every worker can return home safely at the end of the day. 

April 28 also marks a significant milestone in workplace safety – the anniversary of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration – which opened its doors in 1971 following the passage of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. 

Every worker has the right to a safe and healthy workplace. Ensuring workers’ well-being is a shared responsibility that demands ongoing collaboration among employers, labor unions, safety professionals, and workers. Reinforcing workplace protections and promoting a strong safety culture helps prevent tragedies and builds a future where every job is a safe, family-sustaining one.

Learn more about Workers Memorial Day events nationwide.