DES MOINES --- State and local dignitaries, family members and others will gather around Iowa over the next two days to mark the passing of 53 Iowans who lost their lives while working – including 10 who died while serving their country in the military.

Worker memorial services have been scheduled for Friday and Saturday to honor Iowans who were killed, injured or disabled from exposure in the workplace as part of an international day of remembrance that coincides with the anniversary of the United States’ Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) becoming law in 1971. The ages of Iowa victims of workplace accidents ranged from 17 to 78.

“We still regrettably are killing way too many workers,” said Ken Sagar, president of the Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO.

“I don’t know what an acceptable number of people to be killed on the job is. I guess my number is zero but we just can’t seem to get to that number,” he added. “I’d like to have a worker memorial day where we’re not remembering names carved in a cross. I’d like to have a worker memorial day where we recognize the fact that we’ve made the necessary investments and that people aren’t dying to make a living.”