Today, 28 April, is International Workers Memorial Day. It is the one day in the year where we remember those who have died due to their work, and also those who have suffered injuries, including to their mental health, because of their working life.

In 2024/25 , twenty six people in Scotland died due to incidents at their workplace. That’s an increase of 8 on the year before.

The Health and Safety Executives figures show that across the UK 124 workers were killed. Then there are deaths which occur because of exposure to asbestos which people suffered from for years – 2,218 mesothelioma deaths in 2023 through past exposure to asbestos.

In the UK the industries with the highest number of deaths were construction (35) and agriculture, forestry and fishing (23). Of all main industry sectors, agriculture, forestry and fishing continues to have the highest rate of fatal injury per 100,000 workers followed by waste and recycling.

The BMJ has collected the names of the Doctors in the UK who died of Covid-19 during the pandemic. Health and social care workers were exposed to the virus mostly through their work, and inadequate protection during the first months of the pandemic. You can read about the vast profits from selling dodgy PPE under UK Government procurement contracts here, #Covid Remembrance Day 2025.

Across the world workers in areas of war and conflict are in the greatest peril. MSF (Médecins Sans Frontières) works in conflict zones wherever they are needed.

In 2025, a staggering 82 percent of all global deaths from attacks on healthcare occurred in Sudan. And, since the start of 2026 to mid-March, a further 11 attacks have killed 46 people and injured 28.  – MSF

In Gaza, MSF teams respond to the most horrific scenes. Since the ‘ceasefire’ (10 October 2025) where fire has not ceased they have responded to multiple mass casualty incidents monthly, treating at least 244 patients for injuries caused by Israeli attacks, including many children. They have dressed over 40,000 wounds from violent trauma, including gunshots, blasts or other kinds of weapons.

UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinians ) has recorded 391 of their workers killed in Gaza since October 2023, figures up till 25 March 2026.

In Lebanon over 1.1million people have had to flee their homes, including thousands of Palestinians who had fled there for safety, and are now moving on again. As medical workers, emergency responders, and UN Peacekeepers go to the aid of the civilian population, they are working in extreme danger and some are killed.

“On 18 April, a UN peacekeeper was killed and three others injured when a UNIFIL patrol came under fire in southern Lebanon. The UN Secretary-General condemned the attack, indicating that Hezbollah was presumed responsible. One of the injured peacekeepers subsequently died.” – UNRWA

More journalists and media workers were killed in 2025 than in any other year since the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) began collecting data more than three decades ago. At least 104 of the 129 journalists and media workers were killed amid conflicts in 2025. While the number of journalists killed in Ukraine and Sudan increased, the majority were Palestinians killed by Israel.

The targeting of journalists has continued in Lebanon. Israel targeted Lebanese journalists Amal Khalil and Zeinab Faraj in Al Tayri, southern Lebanon. Khalil was found dead after rescue efforts were obstructed by the Israeli invading force. The CPJ reports that ” Khalil had received a direct death threat attributed to the IDF in September 2024, raising serious concerns of deliberate targeting. “

The targeting of health care workers, journalists, and emergency services, is a war crime. Countries across the world are committing these crimes with impunity.

Fiona Grahame