Bloglander

The Department of Labor & Industries will honor Washington workers killed on the job during a somber Worker Memorial Day ceremony in Tumwater on Tuesday afternoon. 

In a ceremony at L&I headquarters, officials will read the names of workers who died in 2012 from job-related illnesses or injuries. Family members of deceased workers will also be invited to ring a bronze memorial bell in honor of their loved ones.

About 65 workers will be recognized during the ceremony, including Danny Bergeson, who we wrote about in October after he died while trimming trees on a prison work crew in Stevens County. Officials say the investigation into Bergeson's death continues.

Washington state has observed Worker Memorial Day since 1990. Labor & Industries started holding its annual memorial ceremony in 1993.

Details on the event, with information on some of the workers being honored, is available at the L&I website.

UPDATE: The Spokane Regional Labor Council will also sponsor a local event this Saturday. A workers memorial ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday along the Centennial Trail in Mission Park in Northeast Spokane. 

"The purpose of the ceremony is to honor those that died and to bring public awareness to the importance of workplace safety," writes Beth Thew, secretary-treasurer for the Labor Council.

The ceremony will also honor Washington military personnel who died last year. The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 51, Military Order of the Purple Heart and Fairmount Memorial helped organize the event.

A public picnic will be held in the park after the ceremony.