South Dakotans killed or injured on the job will be remembered Tuesday during a Workers’ Memorial Day event in Sioux Falls. The recognition is part of National Workers’ Memorial Day which honors those affected by fatalities or injuries in the workplace.
Moira Beznoska, associate director of the South Dakota Safety Council said it’s an opportunity to remember these losses in communities across the United States.
“Each one of those matters,” said Beznoska. “Each one of them has families, friends, and communities that feel their absence. So we are just here to stand to tell their stories and just remind them that their families, that they deserve to be remembered.”
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says 29 people died in workplace fatalities in South Dakota in 2024. The Bureau’s data indicates that’s a 45% jump from the year before.
More than 5,000 people lost their lives on the job nationally in 2024.
Beznoska said they’ll be remembering six individuals at Tuesday’s event. She added that it’s a good time for workers and employers to recommit to safety on the job, at home and on roadways.
“Follow safety procedures, speak up, look out for one another,” said Beznoska. “Every worker deserves to go home at the end of their shift and every family deserves that peace of mind.”
Tuesday’s event in Sioux Falls is from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the South Dakota Safety Council office.