Tribute paid to employees killed or injured at work
More than 35 years later, her emotions were still very raw, she said.
"He worked for a construction company repairing things — he was a fix-it man.
"But for some unknown reason, they sent him and another man down south to help demolish a bridge.
"He could turn his hand at anything, so he thought he was doing the right thing by helping."
He was standing on the bridge when it unexpectedly collapsed and killed him.
"He was only 18 months off retiring."
She said it was very difficult for her late mother and siblings to come to terms with.
"I still feel that someone should have been held responsible, but each day, I keep trying to let it go and move on. That's hard to do.
"Today is sad, but it's also nice to remember him."
Karen Ferguson places a cross bearing her father's name at the Otago Workers' Memorial in Princes St. He was killed in a work accident 35 years ago. PHOTO: PETER MCINTOSH
Yesterday, she was among about 40 people who gathered for Workers' Memorial Day at the Otago Workers' Memorial at the Market Reserve in Princes St, Dunedin.
The day commemorates the people who were killed or injured at work.
Every week in New Zealand, 18 workers are killed as a consequence of work, and every 15 minutes, a worker suffers an injury that requires more than a week off work.
Every one of these incidents are preventable.
Those present gave speeches about New Zealand's horrendous work safety records, laid wreaths and observed a minute's silence in remembrance of those killed at work.
They also paid tribute to the man killed in an accident at Scott Technology last week.
Workers' Memorial Day is an international trade union movement that calls for protecting and improving the systems that are intended to keep workers safe and healthy at work.
The event was one of four held around the country yesterday.
john.lewis@odt.co.nz
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