A special ceremony has been held in South Tyneside to remember the millions of men and women around the world who have died going about their work.
The Mayor of South Tyneside, Councillor Richard Porthouse, along with union representatives and South Tyneside Council members, attended a service at Jarrow Town Hall led by Reverend Roy Merrin to mark Workers Memorial Day.
The international day of remembrance is held on April 28 every year worldwide to commemorate the millions of people who have died during the 21st Century at work, or as a result of work related diseases.
Workers and their representatives hold events, demonstrations and vigils among other activities to commemorate those who have died and to highlight the action that can be taken to avoid unnecessary deaths in the workplace.
The Mayor and Reverend Roy Merrin led a minute’s silence and lit 21 candles during the short service, one candle for each life lost in Tyne and Wear since April 2001.
The Mayor said: “It is important to observe Workers’ Memorial Day to pay our respects to those who have died, have been injured or fallen seriously ill as a result of their work.
“As well as a time for commemoration it serves as a stark reminder of the millions of lives around the world that are lost each year in the workplace. It is also a time to call for further improvements to safety at work, as so many workplace incidents are preventable.”