Day of Mourning: Mental Health Just as Important as Physical Health in the Workplace

Mental health and safety are part of occupational health and safety in the workplace. Yet work related stress, burnout, harassment, violence, and psychological harm are too often dismissed, ignored or stigmatized. These injuries are real, they are preventable, and they’re not “just part of the job.” Workplace injuries – both physical and psychological – are serious and must be treated as such.

“Psychological injuries in the workplace are a collective responsibility and not an individual problem,” says Chris Watson, President of the New Brunswick Federation of Labour. “Workplaces have the responsibility to prevent psychological injuries just like physical injuries caused by working with machinery or exposure to chemicals.”

On April 28, workers across Canada come together to mourn the dead and fight for the living. This year, we are highlighting workers facing burnout, chronic stress, and mental health crises caused by work, and honouring those we have lost to work-related psychological harm. Every workplace injury or death is preventable, whether the harm is physical or psychological.

The New Brunswick Federation of Labour is calling on all levels of government to treat mental health with the same seriousness as physical health under occupational health and safety and workers’ compensation legislation in every jurisdiction; implement a national system to address psychosocial hazards, require proactive risk assessments and prevention plans; and ensure strong enforcement through inspections.

“No worker should have to sacrifice their mental health to earn a living, and employers have a duty to keep work safe, for both body and mind,” adds Watson.

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In 2025 there were 9 workplace fatalities in New Brunswick and a total of 4,461 workplace injury claims where the worker lost time from work.

For information, contact:
Chris Watson, President, New Brunswick Federation of Labour
(506) 381-8969