“On February 15, Newfoundlanders and Labradorians will pause to mark the 44th anniversary of the Ocean Ranger tragedy and to honour the workers who so tragically lost their lives on the job. This remains a profoundly difficult day for many, especially for the families, friends, co-workers, and communities who continue to carry the weight of this loss.
“84 crew members were lost during a fierce winter storm on February 15, 1982 – 84 hardworking people who never returned home to their loved ones. Their absence is still deeply felt across our province, and our thoughts remain with all those who continue to grieve. The ocean is one of the most dangerous places to work, and everyone who works on the ocean deserves to know that their safety is a top priority.
“The inquiry that followed revealed serious design flaws and critical gaps in training and safety equipment – failures that contributed to the magnitude of the tragedy. While important changes were made in the years that followed, this anniversary reminds us that workplace safety can never be taken for granted.
“As we reflect on this devastating loss, we must recommit ourselves to ensuring that every worker has the protections, training, and resources they need to do their job safely. The legacy of the Ocean Ranger demands that we remain vigilant in our efforts to strengthen safety standards, uphold accountability, and ensure that every worker returns home safely at the end of their shift.
“That is why I implore the PC government to adopt the following suite of policies that will ensure more support for injured workers and their families:
- Increasing the Income Replacement Rate (IRR) for injured workers to 90%, recognizing the financial stress of being hurt on the job.
- Establishing a dedicated Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Clinic to support healthy, safe workplaces and early interventions.
- Hiring more OHS inspectors, especially to monitor smaller worksites that are often overlooked.
- Publishing all workplace health and safety inspections on the Government of NL website to increase transparency and accountability.
“We all share a responsibility to keep workers in our province safe and to ensure their government is there to support them when incidents occur. The NDP extends its hand to the PC government to work collaboratively to strengthen workplace safety and supports for workers across our province.”