 Each year on April 28, Workers Memorial Day serves as a solemn reminder of the lives lost due to work-related injuries and illnesses. Across Michigan, MIOSHA joined partners and stakeholders in honoring those who died on the job and renewing a shared commitment to protecting workers.
In 2025, 46 Michigan workers lost their lives due to work-related incidents. MIOSHA Director Bart Pickelman participated in remembrance events, including the Michigan Safety Conference in Lansing, where he read aloud the names of Michigan workers who died on the job. The tribute honored the individuals behind the statistics — workers whose lives were cut short while simply doing their jobs.
“Behind every worker's name is a family and a community forever changed,” said Pickelman. “On Workers Memorial Day, we remember their stories and renew our mission to protect Michigan workers through education, outreach and enforcement.”
Workers Memorial Day is observed nationwide as part of a broader effort to honor fallen workers, support their families and strengthen workplace safety and health. The day also serves as a call to action — reinforcing the importance of hazard recognition, training and employer responsibility in preventing future tragedies.
Learn more about Workers Memorial Day at osha.gov/workers-memorial.
 MIOSHA Director Bart Pickelman reads the names of Michigan workers who died on the job in 2025 during the Michigan Safety Conference in Lansing on April 14, 2026.
 MIOSHA Construction Safety and Health Division Director Dan Maki speaks at the National Work Zone Awareness Week event at Dow Diamond in Midland on April 20, 2026.
MIOSHA joined state and industry partners at Dow Diamond in Midland to kick off National Work Zone Awareness Week, highlighting the shared responsibility of protecting workers and motorists in and around roadway work zones.
The event brought together representatives from the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), Michigan State Police, American Traffic Safety Services Association, Dow Chemical Co., Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, Michigan Infrastructure and Transportation Association and MIOSHA to raise awareness about work zone safety and the risks present in these environments.
MIOSHA Construction Safety and Health Division Director Dan Maki spoke at the event, reinforcing the importance of vigilance, communication and proper safety practices to prevent incidents in work zones.
Work zones remain hazardous for both workers and the traveling public. In 2025, 25 people lost their lives in Michigan work zones, including 22 motorists and three construction workers. Preliminary data also indicates approximately 6,000 work zone crashes occurred statewide, numbers consistent with 2024.
These incidents underscore the importance of slowing down, staying alert and following posted signage when traveling through work zones. For workers, maintaining situational awareness and adhering to established safety protocols are critical to reducing risks on the job.
National Work Zone Awareness Week serves as a reminder that everyone plays a role in ensuring workers return home safely at the end of the day.
For more information about Michigan work zone safety, visit Michigan.gov/WorkZoneSafety.
 Dan Maki, MIOSHA Construction Safety and Health Division director, joins representatives from MDOT, Michigan State Police and industry partners at Dow Diamond in Midland to kick off National Work Zone Awareness Week.
 MIOSHA will host a free webinar May 21 focused on strengthening situational awareness to help prevent serious workplace incidents, including struck-by, crush-by and caught-in hazards.
In Michigan, 57 percent of all occupational fatalities in 2025 were the result of contact accidents, highlighting the need for increased attention to changing conditions, equipment movement and worksite surroundings.
Situational awareness is a critical component of effective injury prevention. Improving the ability to recognize hazards, anticipate movement and respond to developing risks can significantly reduce the likelihood of contact-related incidents.
The webinar will cover:
- Common factors contributing to struck-by incidents
- Techniques for recognizing early warning signs and changing conditions
- Practical strategies to improve attention and decision-making
The session is intended for workers, supervisors and safety professionals who play a role in maintaining safe operations.
To access the webinar, visit Michigan.gov/MIOSHA and select “Learn More About the Webinar.”
The MIOSHA Training Institute (MTI) is offering five free training courses on asbestos and lead awareness and compliance. These courses are funded by MIOSHA’s Asbestos Program to expand training opportunities and reach workers and employers across Michigan.
In addition to regulatory guidance, the courses will introduce participants to AMIS 2.0, MIOSHA’s new statewide asbestos database. The system is designed to streamline how individuals and companies manage applications, licenses, training, project notifications and other program requirements.
Courses are limited to 25 participants to encourage engagement and allow time for attendees to speak directly with MIOSHA staff and ask questions about the new system.
2026 Asbestos and Lead Awareness Training Dates:
- May 27 — Kirtland Community College, Gaylord
- June 2 — Monroe County Community College, Monroe
- June 24 — Macomb Community College, Clinton Township
- June 30 — Lansing Community College, Lansing
- July 14 — Keweenaw Economic Development Alliance, Hancock
Additional details and registration information are available on the MIOSHA Asbestos Program webpage at Michigan.gov/asbestos.
 MIOSHA Alliance member the Construction Safety Research Center (CSRC) at Lawrence Technological University is offering a three-hour Incident Investigation Workshop designed to help construction professionals better understand workplace incidents and how to prevent them.
The session will cover key topics including identifying root causes, understanding how human behavior and workplace conditions contribute to incidents, and practical steps for conducting effective investigations. Participants will also learn what actions to take following an incident to help prevent recurrence.
The workshop is intended for individuals involved in construction safety and provides practical tools that can be applied in the field.
Location: Lawrence Technological University, Southfield
Date and time: Wednesday, May 13 | 9 a.m. to noon.
To register or learn more, contact Ahmed Al-Bayati at aalbayati@ltu.edu.
 MIOSHA continues to expand its online video library to help employers and workers access practical, easy-to-understand safety and health training resources.
Available at Michigan.gov/mioshavideos, the platform features a growing collection of short training videos designed to support hazard awareness, safe work practices and compliance with MIOSHA standards.
Recent additions include:
- Loading Dock Safety: Hospitality Best Practices
- Three Points of Contact: Safe Entry and Exit from Vehicles
- Eye Wash Basics: Protecting Your Vision
- PPE Starts With Your Hardhat
- Strains and Sprains in the Workplace
- Updated OSHA Recordkeeping and Electronic Submission Requirements
- Infectious Diseases in the Workplace
- Hearing Safety: Understanding Noise Hazards
- Front End Loader Safety
These videos are designed for use in safety meetings, onboarding and refresher training, and can be easily integrated into existing workplace safety and health programs.
Employers are encouraged to explore the full library and incorporate these resources into their training efforts.
View the full collection at Michigan.gov/mioshavideos.
Effective March 13, 2024, a new part was added to the Radiation Safety Section (RSS) Rules for Ionizing Radiation. Part 5. Operator Qualifications, covers operator qualifications as it pertains to operators of machines capable of machine produced ionizing radiation. Operators are to be qualified based on Rules R 333.5210, 333.5211, and 333.5212 of Part 5. Operator credentials must be maintained on site and available for review.
All licensed practitioners, including nurse practitioners and physician assistants are exempt, see Rule 333.5209.
Rule 5201(I). This part establishes the qualification requirements of individuals engaged in medical radiologic technology. Improper performance of medical radiologic technology results in unnecessary exposure to machine-produced ionizing radiation and the unnecessary re-administration of machine produced ionizing radiation. Therefore, the qualification of these individuals to apply machine produced ionizing radiation to humans has a direct impact on the machine produced ionizing radiation burden of the patient.
All operators taking radiographs must comply with Part 5. Operator Qualifications. A statement of assurance form(s) or other training documentation must be available for review.
Effective March 13, 2027, conditional status and a statement of assurance will no longer be recognized. At that time, all operators taking radiographs must meet active, temporary or limited status as indicated in R333.5210.
Radiation Safety Rules, including Part 5. Operator Qualifications can be found at Michigan.gov/rss.
Please send any questions to RSSINFO@michigan.gov and we will respond promptly.
March 23, 2026 – PART 11, Recording and Reporting of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses
Variances from MIOSHA standards must be made available to the public in accordance with Part 12, Variances (R408.22201 to 408.22251). MIOSHA variances are published online at:
Michigan.gov/mioshavariances.
There have been 11 work-related fatalities reported to MIOSHA in 2026. The information below shares preliminary details about those fatalities, which are believed to be covered by the MIOSH Act. The description reflects information provided to MIOSHA at the initial report of the incidents and are not the result of any official MIOSHA investigation.
Preliminary summaries of all fatalities are available at Michigan.gov/mioshafatalities.
Preliminary Summary of Recent Incidents
A 45-year-old tow truck driver was performing hydraulic maintenance beneath a rollback (flatbed) tow truck when the hydraulics failed. The flatbed dropped and crushed the victim.
A 41-year-old installation technician was climbing down a ladder when his foot became entangled in a rung, causing him to fall approximately six feet to the nearby walking-working surface. The victim was taken to a nearby hospital, where they died from their injuries.
A 50-year-old shipping clerk was attempting to load a plastic injection mold into a flatbed trailer using a powered industrial truck. During the task, the victim exited the powered industrial truck and was crushed between it and the trailer. The victim was taken to a hospital, where they died during surgery.
A 44-year-old school bus driver was assisting another bus driver in navigating around a semi-truck that was blocking the road. After assisting the bus driver, the employee was struck by a passing vehicle. The victim was taken to the hospital. The employer was notified the employee died from their injuries the next day.
A 19-year-old service technician responded to a disabled vehicle service call on the shoulder of eastbound I-696 near Mound Road. The disabled vehicle driver had deployed cones/triangles to alert oncoming traffic. Upon arrival, the technician activated the vehicle's emergency lights and exited to provide assistance. While moving between vehicles, another vehicle traveling eastbound on I-696 abruptly cut off a second vehicle causing the second vehicle to swerve striking the victim.
Quick Links
Agency/Division Instructions/Memorandums
Air Contaminants Initiative
Asbestos Program
CET Request for Consultative Assistance Services (RCA)
CET Training Calendar
Construction Safety and Health Division (CSHD)
Contact MIOSHA (phone and email)
DVD/video Library Service
Employee Safety Health and Discrimination Complaint Forms
Fall Prevention Campaign (Stop Falls. Save Lives)
General Industry Safety and Health Division (GISHD)
Hazard Communication/GHS
Laboratory and Equipment Services
Michigan Alliances
Michigan Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (MSHARP)
Michigan Voluntary Protection Program (MVPP)
MIOSHA FOIA Request
MIOSHA News
MIOSHA Publications
MIOSHA Recordkeeping
MIOSHA Standards
MIOSHA Take a Stand Week
MIOSHA Training Institute (MTI)
MIOSHA Updates
MIOSHA Variances
Radiation Safety Section
Residential Construction
Strategic Plan and Initiatives
|
