Steps for Life charity walk honours families of workplace tragedy

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Red Deerians walked to honour families with loved ones who have died in workplace tragedies.

The annual Steps for Life charity walk as held at Bower Ponds on Saturday, May 3. Threads for Life hosts editions of Steps for Life in numerous communities across Canada — the event serves as an educational opportunity and raises funds for the national charity.

Prior to the Red Deer walk, keynote speaker Betty Evans shared the story of her son Stephen, who died in the workplace when he was 23 years old. Stephen was working on a cattle station in Australia, when a tire came off the vehicle he was driving, resulting in the vehicle rolling over on top of him and rupturing his aorta.

"Stephen had a zest for life and wanted an adventure. Having graduated from Mount Royal College, he decided to take a year off and travel to Australia," Evans told those attending this year's Steps for Life walk.

"Prior to Stephen's death, I must admit I was quite naive about workplace safety. I assumed ... that all employers would be responsible for ensuring their employees' safety.

"The workplace safety investigation report that was released three years after Stephen's death revealed the station manager's son had been slated to use that vehicle that Stephen was dying the day he died. The station manager, knowing the vehicle required maintenance, thought it would be all right for Stephen to drive using that vehicle because he did not have far to travel to do the work he was assigned to do."

Evans said Steps for Life is a day for honouring loved ones and to raising awareness for workplace safety, as well as highlighting the "shattering impact" a workplace tragedy can have on families and friends.

"Steps for Life brings together people who are interested in a common goal: the critical importance of safety at work. We must continue to spread the safety of workplace practices in every workplace," said Evans.

In 2024, there were 203 Alberta workers killed on the job, jumping from 165 in 2023, 161 in 2022, 178 in 2021, 150 in 2020, and 165 in 2019.

Steps for Life has been running in Red Deer for 15 years. Over that time, local volunteers, businesses and families have raised more than $200,000 to provide families with peer support, information and the chance to share their stories to create safer workplaces. This year's event raised about $14,000.

Threads of Life provides programs and services for workers and families affected by work-related deaths, serious injuries and occupational disease. For more information on the event, visit www.threadsoflife.ca.