Rio's Christ lit in green in remembrance of work accident victims

Rio de Janeiro's Christ the Redeemer will be lit in green today (Apr. 27) to mark the World Day for Safety and Health at Work, celebrated the following day. According to official data, some 700 thousand workplace accidents have been reported in the country every year since 2012.

Supported by the Safe Work program, developed by the country's labor court system, the initiative aims to raise workers' awareness about safety and health issues, as well as the importance of prevention.

According to Juliane Mombelli, prosecutor for labor and local coordinator for the defense of the work environment, “studies show that potentially fatal or incapacitating accidents target mostly young workers in working age, which leads to serious social and economic consequences for the country.”

In the view of Judge Leonardo Dias Borges, who spearheads the Safe Work program, many of the work-related accidents and illnesses reported on a daily basis could be avoided had there been a solid prevention policy urging society, companies, governments, and workers to join efforts.

“Behind every case are the lives of people who often need to cope with the irreversible consequences of an accident. Our concern goes beyond figures, and reaches the human being and the need to fully develop their work capacity, with safety as well as physical and mental integrity,” the judge said.

Translated by Fabrício Ferreira