Thursday marks the 30th National Day of Mourning across Canada, and a virtual ceremony is being held locally to honour and remember those hurt or killed in the workplace.
Sarnia and District Labour Council President Nick Dochstader said it's critical to advocate for those who can no longer advocate for themselves.
He said the COVID pandemic has brought workplace safety and the need for personal protective equipment to the forefront for different occupations.
"In the valley, we always think about your safety glasses, your work boots, hard hats etc." said Dochstader. "I don't think people are quite cognizant of a teacher having to wear a mask and maybe safety glasses or a face shield to try and protect them in their workplace against an unseen killer."
Dochstader said the pandemic has drawn some comparisons between industry workers and those on the front lines.
"You can't see asbestos fibres but if you wear the proper protective equipment you can be protected and work with it safely," he said. "It's very similar to those in the medical field and those in the public, these frontline workers that have been subjected to an unseen hazard for years now."
You can access the ceremony on the council's Facebook page, at 11 a.m.
The National Day of Mourning was first held in 1991 to recognize the victims of the devastating Westray coal mine explosion in Nova Scotia.
In 2019, the Association of Workers’ Compensation Boards of Canada said there were 925 workplace fatalities recorded across the country. There were a total of 1,027 in 2018.