May 9 is the 34th anniversary of the Westray Disaster

Thirty-four years ago today, at 5:18 a.m., 26 coal miners were killed in a horrific underground explosion at the Westray Mine in Pictou County, N.S. Only 15 bodies were recovered, the other 11 forever abandoned in the depths of the destroyed mine.

Like all workplace fatalities, the Westray Disaster of May 9, 1992, was preventable. However, no one was ever held accountable for the tragedy. The miners’ devastated families, co-workers, friends and loved ones have never received justice or closure.

Tragically, much remains the same today. Negligent employers still are not held accountable in the vast majority of cases of workplace deaths and injuries, as authorities fail to enforce the law.