Meet Mark, who was left unable to work after being injured on the job

Every year on the 1st of June, Injured Workers Day commemorates and express solidarity with all injured workers, as we come together to hear their stories.

Beginning in early 2020 by Australian injured workers with the support of trade unions and other organisations, the day exists to create a platform visibility and solidarity for all injured workers, and push for changes to make sure nobody leaves work injured.

After being severely injured during a routine bag check Mark Szkilnyk is urging workplaces to take the safety of their employees more seriously, after this incident changed his life and kept him out of work ever since.

Working as an Aviation Protection Officer in 2017, Mark was in the process of lifting a bag, when suddenly he felt a sharp stabbing pain. The bag was not labelled as heavy, and Mark wasn’t informed how much it weighed. What started as a routine shift ended in two collapsed and bulging discs that have kept him from work for six years.

Mr Szkilnyk now deals with daily pain and thinks about what this injury has cost him.

“Not being able to work is the worst feeling ever, you have no control over your life and it’s hard to feel a sense of purpose every day,”

he said.

Mark and his fellow workers had asked on multiple occasions for trolleys to assist with bags, and recounts that there was an officer who would randomly weigh the bags before they were checked but the position was taken away.

He is now reminding workplaces to remember not only the importance of providing tools for employees to do their job safely but treating workers with respect if they are injured on a company’s watch.

Before the incident Mr Szkilnyk used to love football, motor racing, going to the golf course, and being able to go out with friends. Now, his unbearable back and leg pain has cut him out of the work force, and he struggles to do the things that once bought him joy.

“I feel constantly depressed about the impact this has had on my life and who I used to be. I would tell anyone who is feeling unsafe at work or has been injured to speak up. We’re often made to not feel valued, and corners are cut to save dollars, but at the end of the day workers are valuable, and companies can’t run without us,”

Mr Szkilnyk said.

Slater and Gordon Practice Leader, Alisha Muscara, who represented Mr Szkilnyk in his claim has said Mark’s situation highlights why Injured Workers Day is so important.

“An employer’s level of care truly can change the course of their employee’s life if they don’t take their job of workplace safety seriously. Had his workplace placed more value on proper safety measures Mark may not be in the position he is now,” Ms Muscara said.

Slater and Gordon also believe how a workplace acts after an injury can really affect a person’s mental health.

Being treated with a lack of sensitivity and care, compounded Mark’s situation. Not only should, but they should also be treated with dignity and respect.

“The way I was treated afterwards made it even worse. I felt like I was a criminal, as though I’d done something wrong. I felt like saying I’m not a robot, I’m a real person who’s worked here for four years. I received promotions and now suddenly I’m not even worth treating with compassion and respect,” Mr Szkilnyk said.

Slater and Gordon will continue to support injured workers on 1 June and every day, because everyone has the right to a safe workplace.

To learn more about Injured Workers Day visit https://www.weareunion.org.au/injured_workers_day_2023