Honoring Fallen New York State Workers

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the New York State Department of Labor marked Workers’ Memorial Day by holding a ceremony to pay tribute to public service employees who passed away while serving New York State. The New York State Department of Health is launching a social media and awareness campaign in May to remind employers and employees about strategies to stay safe on the job. Additionally, the New York State Department of Transportation and Thruway Authority, joined by State and local partners, will host a Workers Memorial Day ceremony to honor fallen highway and transportation workers Tuesday at the New York State Fairgrounds.

“Our shared commitment to public service is the foundation of who we are as New Yorkers, and today we pay tribute to the men and women who gave their lives for a better world,” Governor Hochul said. “From laborers to law enforcement, and from firefighters, health care workers to transportation employees, our public servants hold together the fabric of our society. We owe an extraordinary debt of gratitude for their sacrifice to New York State.”

The New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) marked Workers’ Memorial Day by holding a ceremony to pay tribute to public service employees who passed away while serving New York State. The families of the deceased met privately with NYSDOL Commissioner Roberta Reardon prior to the ceremony and then joined her at the event. The names of the fallen workers can be viewed on this online memorial webpage. The memorial serves as a permanent reminder of the importance of NYSDOL’s mission to enforce safety and health protections to all public sector employees.

New York State Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon said, “We honor our colleagues who lost their lives while serving the people of New York by vowing to remain vigilant in our work to keep workers safe. The Department of Labor will continue to ensure proper safety precautions and practices are in place to protect our public workers while on the job at worksites across New York State.”

NYSDOL enforces standards to protect public sector employers, which includes State, county and local governments. It also covers public authorities, school districts and fire departments. Additionally, NYSDOL responds to deaths related to occupational safety and health, accidents that send two or more public employees to the hospital, and investigates complaints from public employees or their representatives. The bureau also inspects public employer work sites and provides technical assistance during statewide emergencies. For more information about services, including its free on-site consultations, visit this webpage. If a public worker or their representatives feel a safety of health violation is present at their workplace, they are encouraged to file a complaint.

New York State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said, “Even though fatality rates are improving, work-related illnesses, injuries and deaths still happen far too often. These preventable tragedies are devastating for the impacted families, friends, coworkers, and communities. By taking proactive safety prevention measures, employers can better ensure the overall health and safety of their workers.

The New York State Department of Health is launching a social media and awareness campaign in May to remind employers and employees about strategies to stay safe on the job. This year’s campaign focuses on fall prevention and ladder safety. To help prevent injuries, employers are encouraged to take steps to prioritize safety as a core value and establish clear health and safety policies and training programs. Effective worker safety programs identify on-the-job hazards and establish proper controls and comply with New York State Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA) regulations.

According to the most recent fatality data for New York State for 2023, the fatality rate for workers in New York State continues on the downward trend with 2.8 deaths per 100,000 full-time workers.

There were a total of 246 fatal traumatic work injuries in New York State in 2023, many of which were preventable. A traumatic work injury is an injury sustained on the job due to an acute, identifiable event, such as a fall, machinery accident, assault or exposure.

Research data indicates that there were also more than 7,000 deaths that occurred in 2023 from work-related diseases and illnesses, such as work-related cancers, circulatory diseases related to desk work. Additionally, more than 190,000 recordable nonfatal injuries occur each year in New York State workplaces which can potentially become precursors to future fatal incidents.

The leading events contributing to deaths in all of New York State in 2023 were transportation incidents, which accounted for more than one-third of all work-related deaths. This includes motor vehicle collisions and incidents where pedestrian workers were struck by vehicles. Other major events included falls (especially from heights) and exposures to harmful substances or environments, such as unintentional drug overdoses, exposures to extreme heat or cold, electrocutions and exposures to chemicals.

Out of the 246 deaths in New York State in 2023, 220 were male (89 percent) and 26 (11 percent) were female. Older workers aged 55 and over made up 40 percent of all fatal occupational injuries in 2023. The fatal injury rate for workers aged 65 and over is almost double that for all workers.

Foreign-born workers make up almost 35 percent of all worker deaths in New York State. Hispanic and Latino workers represented 26 percent of all worker deaths in New York State in 2023. The fatal injury rate for this group is 1.4 times the rate for all workers.

The New York State Department of Health collects this information to help researchers gain a better understanding of occupational fatalities and to provide employers and workers with the knowledge they need to stay safe on the job. Staff conduct in-depth investigations of worker deaths to determine what went wrong and to develop better injury prevention guidance and training programs that will assist in hazard identification and assessment procedures.

Staff at the State Health Department collaborate with vulnerable workers, employers and worker advocates to develop guidelines and training programs to help reduce worker injury and fatalities. Learn more at health.ny.gov/worksafe.

New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, “Our dedicated highway and transportation workers perform their jobs in dangerous situations so that all New Yorkers can go about our daily travels safely and efficiently. Tragically, some of them never returned home. It is entirely appropriate that on Workers Memorial Day we honor their service and their sacrifice and recommit ourselves to doing everything we can to keep these public servants safe. Why? Because safety is everyone’s responsibility, and I urge all New Yorkers to please, put your phone down and pay attention when you are driving and slow down and move over in work zones. Lives are literally at stake.”

New York State Thruway Authority Executive Director Frank G. Hoare said, “In its 70+ year history, the Thruway Authority has lost 22 dedicated employees while on the job, two in the last year. Our Maintenance employees embody the heart and soul of this organization. Roadside workers risk their lives every day to ensure the safety of all drivers on the road, and on this Workers’ Memorial Day, we remember the fallen and honor their commitment and sacrifice to the State of New York.”

The New York State Department of Transportation and Thruway Authority, joined by State and local partners, will host a Workers Memorial Day ceremony to honor fallen highway and transportation workers Tuesday at the New York State Fairgrounds. A total of 58 members of the NYSDOT family and 22 Thruway employees have been killed while on the job over the course of the history of the two organizations. The memorial event will include the ceremonial unveiling of hat and vest displays for Vincent “Vinny” Giammarva and Stephen “Steve” Ebling, two New York State Thruway Authority employees who lost their lives in highway work zone incidents in 2024.

The AFL-CIO first declared April 28 “Workers’ Memorial Day” in 1989 in remembrance of the working people killed and injured on the job every year. The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, which established the OSHA, went into effect on April 28, 1971.

New York State AFL-CIO President Mario Cilento said, “On Workers Memorial Day, we pause to remember and honor the workers who lost their lives on the job and reaffirm our unwavering promise to fight to improve workplace safety. Workers have a fundamental right to a safe job as promised when the Occupational Safety and Health Act was enacted. No worker should lose their life or become ill while performing their job, and no family should have to grieve the loss of a loved one due to preventable and avoidable hazardous working conditions. The New York State AFL-CIO is committed to fighting with every ounce of its existence to ensure that every worker is as safe as possible in every workplace throughout our state. That is the only way we can truly honor those we have lost.”

Civil Service Employees Association President Mary E. Sullivan said, “Today, all of CSEA stands together to honor the public employees who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our communities. Their dedication, courage, and commitment to the people of New York will never be forgotten. As we remember them, we renew our promise to fight for safer workplaces, respect for all workers, and the dignity they so deeply deserve. In their memory, we move forward, stronger and more determined than ever.”

New York State Public Employees Federation President Wayne Spence said, “There is no such thing as a workplace accident - nearly all on-the-job fatalities could and should be prevented. On this Workers’ Memorial Day, we honor and remember those who died or suffered injury or illness while at work, and we continue the call to action to fight for safer jobs. PEF has always been on the front lines of protecting worker health and safety and we remain committed to making sure every worker goes home at the end of their shift.”